Bento architecture

“How can we rethink architecture in a world where resources are increasingly limited?”

These are the challenges, architects at Bento Architecture are facing. Their aim is to experiment with more ethical and responsible alternatives and take a fresh look at the architecture of cities and regions. These would be forged with, and from, the living beings who inhabit them and are their constructive fabric. The idea is to broaden the relationship between humans and non-humans, living and non-living.

The latter work with “fungal leather”, grown from mycelium, the root structure of fungi. To create these materials, a fungal organism is grown as a leaf on the surface of a solid or liquid substrate containing nutrients. The mycelium then forms a dense, interwoven network of thread-like structures called “hyphae”. This regenerative material forms a sustainable alternative to animal leather, allowing objects and architectures to develop autonomously.

This year, for the 2024 edition of Private Choice, a piece by Corentin Mahieu in collaboration with Bento Architecture will be presented. It is the Accalmie table, composed of a base in the form of wooden scaffolding, supporting a mycelium top. The title of the piece refers to the stabilized state of living mycelium: after explosive growth, it has entered a state of calm. The species used to create this object was collected in the Sonian Forest in Belgium (a UNESCO World Heritage site), where it grows naturally on local beech wood.

Accalmie was developed around the “In Vivo” exhibition for the Belgian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023. The table was part of the “Entangled Design: Beyond Wood” exhibition presented at the Collectible design fair in Brussels from March 7 to 10, 2024.

Florian Mahieu, on the other hand, has designed the mycelium stools Stool L18 which follow the same principle as his brother’s table. These creations explore regeneration, reversing planned obsolescence. The architects are betting on the natural growth of living matter to generate new forms, linking life cycles and creation.