Project Overview
Mushroom House is an immersive, storybook-inspired installation created for the Curious Nature exhibition at NYBG, drawing on the whimsical world of Alice in Wonderland. Positioned as the woodland shelter Alice discovers beneath a tree, the structure invites visitors into a space where fantasy and natural materials meet. The main frame is constructed from robust 12x12 lumber, providing a solid base for the organic form. Inside, the upper structure is composed of layered Baltic birch plywood, spaced to allow light and air to circulate freely—evoking the breathable, living quality of a fungal habitat. Between the vertical structural members, hand-placed fungus bricks fill the walls, integrating real biological texture into the architecture. One of the most complex aspects of the build was assembling the curved plywood layers: each section had to be carefully bent and maneuvered into precision-cut slots in the vertical members. This required a high degree of coordination, flexibility, and craftsmanship to achieve the desired organic form while maintaining structural integrity. Stacking the fungus bricks proved to be one of the most delicate and demanding aspects of the build. Unlike traditional masonry, these bricks are soft, lightweight, and highly susceptible to cracking or crumbling under pressure. Each piece had to be handled with extreme care, fitted precisely between the vertical structural members without applying excess force. Even slight misalignments could cause breakage, requiring constant adjustments and a patient, almost surgical approach to installation. The process was slow and meticulous, but essential to preserve the integrity of the material and achieve the desired natural texture of the walls. Mushroom House stands as both shelter and sculpture—blurring the boundary between the natural and fantastical, and offering visitors a tactile moment of wonder within the garden’s landscape.
Clients
- New York Botanical Garden Exhibits Department