The Growing Pavilion

Social changes such as climate change call for more biobased materials to come into mainstream production and the circular economy (closed-loop lifecycle is created for all  materials, altering consumerism concepts through the 5 R's: Reducing, Reusing, Refurbishing, Repairing and Recycling) to be put into motion, in turn sparking Company New Heroes to experiment with biobased, creating The Growing Pavilion. 

The Growing Pavilion designed by Pascal Leboucq, 2019 is a fully biobased structure made up of five grown core raw materials: wood, mycelium, residual flows from the agricultural sector, bulrush (cattail) and cotton. The pavilion showcases the natural appearance of the materials, exhibiting the significant advancements in biobased materials, offering a glimpse into the future of architectural design in upcoming decades. The 88 mycelium panels create the façade of the pavilion, and funnel-shaped cotton membrane roof allows rainwater to pass through, watering plants below. Biolaminate flooring made from cattail reed, with interior and exterior benches made from agricultural waste. 

Moreover, the construction of a conventional house releases 51% of the total CO2 emissions, however when biobased materials are used much less CO2 is used and when materials made of plants are used they do not release CO2 but instead capture it. The 10 ton structure is CO2 negative and is 95% circular. Leboucq shows the possibilities of biobased construction and design, concurrently aiming to display the beauty and uniqueness of biobased. The Growing Pavilion was a temporary structure in Eindhoven, Netherlands open for 10 days during dutch design week in 2019, more than 75,000 people visited the structure and was finalist for A+Awards Architecture and New Materials Category 2021, and received an honorary mention in the STARTS PRIZE also in 2021.

After its striking debut in the Eindhoven, the pavilion was rebuilt at Floriade Expo 2022, Almere, Netherlands. Held every 10 years Floriade Expo aims to bring everyone with a 'green heart' together, the Growing Pavilion, along with a number of other pavilions was part of an example of 'Growing Green Cities', offering required solutions to make cities greener, here The Growing Pavilion was part of Mycelium Parc.