Designed for decay: A 3D printable yeast-based biomaterial
June 16, 2026
A team at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, has worked out how to turn baker’s yeast into an architectural surface.
Alternative Materials
A healthy home made with cork, bamboo and hemp
December 9, 2025
With its compact footprint and clever urban insertion, Brown House treats home as an ecosystem, using bio-based materials to construct a healthier, lower-impact model for urban living.
The tide is turning as blue biomass enters the building palette
October 21, 2025
Attention is being cast on blue biomass – materials made from seaweed, seagrass, algae and shell-based minerals. This revolution is starting to move from lab bench to building site, widening the bio-based toolkit without using arable land or freshwater.
NGV’s new exhibition Making Good: Redesigning the Everyday puts bio-materials in the spotlight
August 11, 2025
From mushroom leather handbags to seaweed straws and air-purifying paint, the National Gallery of Victoria’s new exhibition is a love letter to the ingenuity of designers reimagining the materials of daily life.
10 exhibitions about bio-materials and waste to see at Melbourne Design Week 2025
May 16, 2025
Melbourne Design Week is now in its ninth year, continuing to grow in scale and ambition. I was lucky enough to attend the inaugural event as editor of Australian Design Review — and it’s remarkable to see the shift since then. This year, a surge of shows explores bio-materiality, waste and reuse with new urgency. Here are 10 exhibitions worth adding to your list.
Hempcrete vs conventional building materials
August 6, 2024
Hempcrete vs. Concrete – which one comes out on top? Discover the sustainable advantages of hempcrete over concrete in this detailed comparison.
Wool composites: engineered wool materials for design
June 1, 2024
Wool composites offer innovation in sustainable, versatile new materials – paving the way for a greener future in engineering.
The environmental impact of mycelium
May 31, 2024
We explore the profound environmental impact of mycelium in reducing carbon footprints and waste – to showcase the ecological advantages it has over conventional materials.
How are new materials revolutionising the construction industry?
April 28, 2024
These new materials are reshaping the construction sector through innovations in sustainability and efficiency.
What is hempcrete? A comprehensive guide
April 7, 2024
Hempcrete construction offers a combination of sustainability, uses, applications and considerations for building projects.
