Pioneering bio-intelligent architecture

His work is deeply rooted in biomimicry, the practice of studying natural systems to inspire engineering solutions. Kumar is particularly interested in how organisms such as beetles extract water from the air and how their morphological strategies can be translated into architectural design.

“I’m really interested in learning how we can translate knowledge from nature into engineering architecture solutions using biotechnology,” he said. 

As his interdisciplinary work spans biotechnology, engineering, and architecture, Kumar refers to this new field of research as “bio‑intelligent architecture.” The biodegradable, carbon‑negative materials he is creating could reshape how we build and restore ecosystems and even design for outer space.

Transforming waste into resources

Using an interdisciplinary approach, Kumar blends digital design, biology and materials science to design structures that can be grown with fungi, opening new possibilities for customisable, low‑carbon fabrication.

“We take waste from sugar mills and mulch from councils. Everyone is happy to give us their waste that we transform in the lab into products by feeding them to fungi,” Kumar explained. 

As the fungi grow, they bind the biomass together, forming lightweight, strong, breathable structures. Once ‘baked’, the fungi stop growing, leaving behind a stable, biodegradable material.

“This is how we convert waste into building materials using mycelium. When we bake mycelium-based composite samples, it actually smells like we are making cake in the lab,” he said.

These organic skins made from mycelium-based composites can cool a building without using energy. At the end of their life, they can be discarded to decompose and become fertiliser.

Unlike building materials such as plywood and other engineered wood products used for insulation, furniture and façade panels, the process Kumar has devised requires no glue, no plastics and very little energy.

One of Kumar’s projects (BioCOOL) explores bio-based building skins as a low-energy passive cooling solution to reduce reliance on air conditioning. 

“These organic skins made from mycelium-based composites can cool a building without using energy. At the end of their life, they can be discarded to decompose and become fertiliser.”

Biodegradable structures for coral restoration

Another project (MYCORAL) Kumar is leading with colleagues in the UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT and the UTS Faculty of Science is exploring how to use biodegradable support structures in coral reef restoration.

“These organic structures are like a bed from which we can feed coral, providing a stable foundation that gradually breaks down into nutrients. Our approach mimics natural substrates and avoids the long‑term ecological footprint of traditional restoration materials that are currently used like cement and concrete,” Kumar said.

Designing for space

Kumar is also interested in addressing the issue of space debris. 

With an increasing number of satellites and spacecraft components remaining in orbit long after their operational life, he wonders whether mycelium‑based materials could offer a solution.

“If we can develop materials for use in satellites that can be burned down in outer space as they’re coming back, we will no longer need to deal with the problem of space junk,” he said, adding that he is also investigating how to develop radiation shielding and thermal properties.

This solution could dramatically reduce the environmental impact of satellite decommissioning.

Kumar’s research promotes the simple and powerful idea that waste is a resource. By harnessing the natural growth processes of fungi, he is creating materials that are not only sustainable but also regenerative. In a circular process, he uses materials that begin as waste and end as soil.

What’s next?

• Learn more about Kumar's research.
• Read Kumar's article in The Conversation: Mycelium‑based blocks could be the future of construction.