Mold Facade Renderings

Module Adaptation

We are now trying to adapt the mold to a new container - a hexagonal module that will make up a wall displaying all the projects of the class.  We have had much difficulty growing the mold in the larger container mostly because it does not retain moisture.  Previously, the mold was grown in smaller airtight tupperware containers.  It had also escaped some containers and grew onto a sheet of nearby bubble wrap.  However, those conditions must have had just the right amount of humidity.  Now that we have learned that the mold will not simply grow on bubble wrap in any conditions, we are frequently misting inside the module and storing it in a plastic bag.  The mold is now growing better under these conditions, but prefers to grow on a moist paper towel inside the module instead of the bubble wrap.

We needed to place chunks of agar inside the module to get the mold growth started.  Smaller pieces of agar and mold that were previously placed in the bubbles (at right) had dried and shriveled.

Mold is growing underneath the bubble wrap onto the moist paper towel.

We are testing several experiments to find out how to make the mold grow at this larger scale.  The first involves injecting agar solution into the bubbles across the sheet to both maintain humidity levels and give the mold more of its preferred growing medium.

Another experiment involves using the agar alone as the growing medium and using the bubble wrap as a simple mold for the agar.  This way, the mold can grow on its preferred surface and the result will still incorporate the texture of the bubble wrap.

Results to come.