Smithsonian Stage

For this project, Ecovative was asked to build a large backdrop for weekly FUTURES live events that could be assembled/disassembled in under an hour. My colleague Tyler and I both have woodworking expertise, and chose to build the stage structure out of plywood and 2x4's. For assembly, the backdrop portion is placed flat on the ground, right to left, and screwed together to join as one unit. The backdrop is then tilted upright and slides through the dadoed slot in the right half of the base, following the groove to keep the 8-foot-tall wall upright and stable. Then the left half of the base slides in to cap the backdrop, supported without hardware, just tension and the weight of the base. The front of the base was designed to have a wrap-around bench, so the audience can sit and engage with the stage.

Mycelium’s purpose in the project was aligned with its strengths. The MycoComposite™ tiles are class-A fire resistant, which is necessary for indoor fire codes. The tiles are acoustically absorptive, too, with a high noise reduction coefficient. Our Mushroom® Packaging team CNC'd out the FUTURES logo and grew the 'M' tiles. The tiles are 95% hemp hurd, and the outside is soft like velvet thanks to the mycelium.


Some might ask why build a stage, of all things, out of mycelium? When all of this is possible, maybe the better question than why design a stage with mycelium is, why build a stage with traditional materials? If an event is to host months of discussions about future technologies, why not elevate that conversation using a technology designed for a better future? When the events are over, the stage can be easily disassembled, lighting components and hardware reused, wood recycled, and tiles composted. There isn't the dilemma of planned obsolescence; it can be disposed of without guilt (literally turning into compost), and a replacement can simply be grown. In this sense, the stage makes a humble statement of its own: that even as we look to the future, it is very much possible to build more sustainably today.