The Cycle of Growth is a materials research project exploring the hidden world of fungi, focusing on their root-like network known as mycelium. Using local industrial residues such as hemp, rye, and wool from the Brandenburg region, the project investigates how these materials interact with inoculated mycelium and how they influence its growth, behavior, and the qualities of the final material.

The research centers on understanding how the fungal organism responds to different substrates: how it binds, transforms, and shapes the emerging material. Each residue–mycelium combination reveals a unique relationship, highlighting variations in texture, density, color, and structural potential. These experiments show how biological and discarded industrial systems can meaningfully intersect.

By redirecting materials that are often composted or considered waste, the project gives them a renewed role—as nourishment for another, often unseen species. In doing so, it establishes a new ecological loop that revalues local by-products and expands the possibilities of sustainable material development.