Studio Kloak

Poster advertising an art exhibition titled 'Students on Shrooms' with images of mushroom-inspired art objects, illustrations of mushrooms, and a small cartoon mushroom character, promoting the event at Studio Kloak on October 18 from 7 to 10 PM.

Welcome to the Online Gallery of

Students on Shrooms: An Exhibition of Mycelium

I’m excited to share the sustainable design projects from my Advanced Furniture Design course at Purdue University! The students created a series of boxes from mycelium, each incorporating different waste materials—like rubber, plastic straws, and food waste—to explore how mushroom root structures respond.

Inspired by a historical Japanese packaging designer and a contemporary furniture studio, each piece blends tradition with modern design. The resulting boxes are a striking fusion of tradition and modernity, blending time-honored craftsmanship with contemporary design language. Each piece is visually captivating and fully biodegradable, demonstrating the potential of mycelium as an eco-friendly material for the future of design.

You can find more on our Instagram.

A geometric sculpture made from textured, off-white and beige materials, forming a hollow cube with rough surfaces, placed on a plain white background.

Mycelium grown with Food Waste

By George Lysy

Waste Material: Collected grape stems

Inspired by: Toshio Sugimura & Artemest

Close-up of a wedge of brie cheese with a soft, creamy interior and pale rind.

Two pieces of firestarter made from compressed wood shavings, one flat and one slightly curved, with black spots and a rough texture, on a plain white surface.

Mycelium grown with Fabric Scraps

By Abigail Checkley

Waste Material: Polyester blend from discarded fast fashion

Inspired by: U.G. Suto & Bernhardt Design

Oyster shells on a white surface with a plain light gray background.

A modern sculpture made of rough-textured beige stone with gold-colored metal elements, including three parallel lines and a circular disc, placed on a white surface against a plain background.

Mycelium grown with Corrugated Paper

By Brady Hawks

Waste Material: Collected Amazon packaging

Inspired by: Ryo Arai & Apparatus Studio

A small gold watch inside a textured beige box with a red interior and a round door, with part of the watch visible on the bottom inside the box.

A piece of cheese with medical mold on it, topped with a wooden serving board.

Mycelium grown with Grass Clippings

By Katie Nix

Waste Material: Collected yard waste

Inspired by: Toshio Sugimura & Artemest

Close-up of a wooden box or container with a rough, bark-covered edge, partially open with a wooden lid resting on top.

A large block of cheese with a rough, textured rind and a small paper label underneath, topped with two flat, rounded wooden cutting boards.

Mycelium grown with Tea

By Lauren Hersh

Waste Material: Collected Lipton tea bags

Inspired by: Toshio Sugimura & Artemest

Close-up of a round, textured stone with a smooth wooden plate balanced on top.

A black pen resting inside an open, rough-textured, cream-colored stone box with a matching lid, on a white surface.

Mycelium grown with Dog Hair

By Jackie Baunsgard

Waste Material: Collected animal fur

Inspired by: Keiko Hirohashi & Allied Maker

A black pen resting inside a hollowed-out stone dish on a white surface.

A decorative plant holder with white and gold accents, featuring a potted green plant inside, with a rustic background.

Mycelium grown with Food Waste

By Anthony Vivio

Waste Material: Collected rice & food waste

Inspired by: Ryo Arai & Apparatus Studio

Close-up of a decorative object with a white frame, a frosted glass panel with a rough textured pattern, and a small hole in the center. A potted plant with green patterned leaves is visible in the background.

Open oyster shell with small white pills inside.

Mycelium grown with Sugar Cane

By Chia-Hsuan Lai

Waste Material: Collected Sugar Cane Scraps

Inspired by: Keiko Hirohashi & Allied Maker

Close-up of two stacked blocks of cheese with textured, marbled surfaces

A colorful ceramic dish filled with small rainbow sprinkles, with a block of textured cork placed above it, on a plain white background.

Mycelium grown with Latex Paint

By Rachel Hamburger

Waste Material: Collected dried paint

Inspired by: Keiko Hirohashi & Allied Maker

Close-up of an animal feed block covered with various colorful inclusions.

A spice grinder placed inside a block of particle board.

Mycelium grown with Rubber

By Louis Oge

Waste Material: Collected Rubber tire

Inspired by: Shigeru Akizuki & Atelier FM

Close-up of a large block of shredded cheese with a textured surface and a slightly rough, uneven top.

A rectangular jewelry box with a top made of rough textured material, partially open to reveal a wooden interior with a necklace inside.

Mycelium grown with Grocery Bags

By Jake Rosko

Waste Material: Grocery bags

Inspired by: Kozo Okado & Mooi

Close-up of a textured, light-colored, round ceramic or clay bowl with a rough, uneven edge.

A wooden box with a textured, foam-like material on one side that has small colored dots embedded in it.

Mycelium grown with plastic straws

By Ben Fang

Waste Material: Collected plastic straws

Inspired by: Shigeru Akizuki & Atelier FM

Close-up of a wooden furniture piece with a textured, decorative top edge that appears to be made of paper or cardboard with colorful accents.

A group of eleven people standing in a line, smiling at a celebration event inside a room with wooden floors and decorative lighting.

Art installation with wooden blocks supporting floating rock-like structures with colorful specks, illuminated by a glowing white orb at the center.

Three people engaged in conversation at an indoor art gallery or exhibition, with modern sculptures and a white wall in the background.

Two young women smiling at the camera indoors, one with blonde hair wearing a black t-shirt and red sunglasses on her head, the other with black hair wearing a patterned blazer and blue shirt.

A modern art sculpture made of plywood, cork, and a horn, shaped like a tilted cube on a rectangular base. A label indicates it is by George Lysy, titled 'Mega,' created in 2024. The sculpture is displayed on a table with a lamp in the background.

Group of five women standing together in a room, smiling at the camera, some holding drinks, in casual and stylish outfits. The room has warm lighting and wooden flooring.

Three young women smiling and standing close together at an indoor art gallery, with a large abstract painting in the background.

A person examines a modern, artistic multi-bulb lamp with a gold frame and three circular lights, displayed on a white pedestal in a gallery setting.

Open decorative box with a gold ring and a watch inside, set on a white table with blurred warm lights in background.

A modern table lamp with a diffused light, featuring a ribbed beige exterior and small gold accents, sitting on a reflective, decorative surface.

People socializing in a restaurant with a decorative hanging light fixture made of gray felt fabric in the foreground.