Intuitive sensorial exploration of mycelium-based artefacts for early identity profiling

Abstract

Living and bio-based materials such as mycelium composites are increasingly explored as sustainable alternatives, yet their integration into design practice remains limited. This paper presents a small-N methodological demonstration of a multisensory evaluation protocol for capturing intuitive first-encounter sensory, affective and perceived applicability responses to low-TRL biomaterials before association to a product context. In structured workshops, design students and professionals (N = 11) engaged with six mycelium-derived artefacts through free-choice profiling, modality-specific likeability ratings, spatial applicability ranking and visual profiling. The protocol examines how early sensory identity is constructed through descriptors, sensory differentiation and perceived design relevance, and how this first construction may open or limit imagined application possibilities. Heat map synthesis and PCA visualisation were used to generate preliminary material identity profiles. The paper contributes an exploratory methodological basis for studying how unfamiliar biomaterials are initially perceived and how sensory modalities shape early material differentiation in design contexts.