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ForMat Lab • directed by Benay Gürsoy

@format.lab

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Research lab advancing sustainable material systems
@pennstate @stuckeman_views
form + matter + fabrication + performance
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Assoc. Prof. Benay Gürsoy
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The acoustic wall with mycelium-based composites that we designed, fabricated and built at the Provost’s office at Penn State 🍄 • We enjoyed working on this project quite a lot. The acoustic panels are attached with magnets. They can easily be removed, rotated, displaced, replaced, etc. • We will go back and make acoustic measurements of the room to see the effects of the panels on reducing the reverberation time. • Project team (in alphabetical order): Aisa Shams (@aisashams) Alale Mohseni (@alale_mohseni_) Alime Sanli (@alimesanli) Benay Gursoy (@pusurkusur) • More about the project here: http://bit.ly/4hBqsMJ • #mycelium #myceliumcomposite #myceliumbasedcomposites #myceliumcomposites #mycomaterials #mycoacoustics #fungalbiomaterials #biofabrication #formatlab by @format.lab
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a year ago
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Material research, with a side of mushrooms! • We’ve been awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development through the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program for our project: “Farm-to-Buildings: Upcycling Mushroom Farming Waste to Produce Sustainable Biomaterials.” • For this project, we partnered with Phillips Mushroom Farms (@phillipsgourmetmushrooms), the largest specialty mushroom grower in Pennsylvania, to repurpose the waste generated from mushroom cultivation, commonly known as spent mushroom substrate, as a growth medium for mycelium-based composites intended for building components. • Here, you see members of the team Alime Şanlı (@alimesanli) and Aisa Shams (@aisashams) growing beautiful gray oyster mushrooms from scratch at the Mushroom Research Center. Over the holidays, we harvested them and shared them with friends and family. Yes, everyone experimented with different recipes! • Next up: the team will begin making composites and testing them to characterize their insulative performance, expanding upon previous research we started with @dognidarko back in Spring 2024 when she was at ForMat Lab as a visiting PhD student. Stay tuned! by @format.lab
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9 months ago
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Throwback to Fungi Futures Exhibit at @con.temporarycrafts in Bremen-Germany in Fall 2024. • ForMat Lab took part in the exhibition with three projects. Shown here is a 3D printed mycelium-based composite acoustic tile as part of the MycoPrint 2.0, the “voltron” project in the lab — soon to be published! • Thanks Philine von Düszeln for the invitation and the photos! • Listing below the current and former ForMat lab members who contributed to the three projects exhibited: Ali Ghazvinian (@aghazstudio), Alale Mohseni (@alale_mohseni_ ), Özgüç Bertuğ Çapunaman (@ozgucbertug), Natalie Walter (@nataliewalter24), Chiara Dognini (@dognidarko), Paniz Farrokhsiar (@paniz__f), Alireza Zamani (@alirezazamani_s) and Benay Gursoy (@pusurkusur). • Photo credit: Philine von Düszeln • Check the link below for more information and full credits of the projects: http://bit.ly/3YFszqL taken in Con.temporary crafts by @format.lab
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a year ago
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Hello ICAM 2026! International Conference on Advanced Manufacturing I’ll be giving an invited talk about several of our lab’s past and current works on additive manufacturing with various materials on Friday Oct 1 - 10:30am. The focus of the talk is on the dialogue between control and uncertainty as we continuously transition between digital to material - and back in design. • Photos credits and acknowledgements: Slide 4: @elenamvazquezp Slide 5: @ozgucbertug Slide 6 - 7: @alale_mohseni_ @ozgucbertug @nataliewalter24 @alirezazamani_s Slide 8: @paniz__f • #icam2026 @astm.additive @astmintl taken in Orlando, Florida by @format.lab
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9 days ago
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Hello eCAADe 2026! • We’re presenting our paper “MycoTile Acoustics: Computational Design and Optimization of Mycelium-based Acoustic Tiles” co-authored by Aisa Shams (@aisashams), Alale Mohseni (@alale_mohseni_), Nate Brown and Benay Gursoy (@pusurkusur) this Friday in the morning session (9:30-10:30) - Track A. • Abstract: Acoustic performance in a room depends on both the materials and geometry of acoustic components. This paper presents an experimental study comparing the effects of different acoustic tile geometries on the reverberation time in a speech-oriented room. The tiles are made of mycelium-based composites (MBC), which are biodegradable alternatives to synthetic sound-absorbing materials. A parametric modeling approach was employed to generate an acoustic wall featuring pentagonal pyramid tiles. Acoustic simulations were conducted using Pachyderm Acoustic in Grasshopper to predict reverberation time (RT). Design Space Exploration (DSE) varied the panel geometry to minimize panel volume while constraining average RT to speech-suitable targets. The optimized configuration reduced RT from 1.63–1.26 s to 1.25–0.85 s across 250–4000 Hz, while reducing material volume by ~59% relative to the maximum-volume configuration. Parts of the final optimized configuration for the acoustic wall was prototyped to test the fabrication feasibility. • Come say hi if you’re around! #ecaade2026 #mycoacoustics #myceliumbasedcomposites #formatlab #optimization taken in TH Lübeck by @format.lab
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a month ago
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Today, we welcomed the first cohort of SusMat trainees at Penn State with our program orientation! • “SusMat: Data Science-Driven, Sustainability-Centered Advanced Materials Processing” is a new interdisciplinary graduate training program supported by a $3 million NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) grant. • Led by Allison Beese, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, the program brings together faculty and students across materials science, engineering, architecture, computer science, and public policy to rethink how we design and manufacture materials through the combined lenses of sustainability, data science, and circularity. • ForMat Lab director Benay Gürsoy (@pusurkusur) is a co-PI on the project, bringing perspectives from architecture, computational design, digital fabrication, and bio-based materials to this interdisciplinary collaboration. • ForMat Lab members Aisa Shams (@aisashams) and Mijin Kim (@m_jjinee) are part of the first cohort of SusMat trainees. • Here’s to new collaborations, and new ways of thinking about the future of materials! #SusMat #DataScience #Sustainability #AdvancedManufacturing #PublicPolicy taken in Penn State by @format.lab
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a month ago
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Mediating Form, Matter, Fabrication and Performance in Designing with Myco-Materials – Benay Gürsoy Book: Designing Mycelium Publisher: Routledge This chapter investigates the relationships between form, material behavior, fabrication processes, and performance in mycelium-based design. It emphasizes the need to mediate between biological variability and design precision. The research explores digital tools, fabrication workflows, and environmental controls that influence outcomes. Case studies demonstrate how iterative processes accommodate growth, shrinkage, and material transformation. The chapter highlights the importance of adaptability and feedback in working with living systems. It positions myco-material design as a dynamic negotiation between intention and emergence, contributing to new frameworks for integrating biological materials into architectural and computational design practices.   @format.lab @pusurkusur @aghazlab @dcupk @atelier_rosenkrantz @wild.futures_lab @nataliapiorecka @nyantaliee @philayres_dk @come_dimeglio @studiocartier @munchment @mylea_mycl @biomatters.llc @jonasedvardstudio @giulifungi @redhousestudioarchitecture @biolab_studio @allison_yoon @nataliapiorecka @nyantaliee @jdessiolive @mycomatterslab @karefullee @karefullee @lynne.f.campbell @tulanearch @cltarchitecture @routledgearchitecture @beckettlab @otelhan @come_dimeglio https://www.routledge.com/Designing-Mycelium-Exploring-the-Design-Potential-of-Fungi/Crawford-Dessi-Olive/p/book/9781041048213 by @format.lab
2
3 months ago
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Teaching Recap • Spring 2026 ARCH 132 - Basic Design Studio • More from the first-year undergraduate Basic Design studios... In Spring, students worked on designing small scale dwellings / microhomes at Hartley Woods at the Arboretum at Penn State. This project marks their first “building” design. • Shown here are the works of students from Section 4: [1-5]: Mia Barnes (@themialisa) [6-11]: Lucy Daley (@lucy.daley_) [12-14]: Melanie Marroquin (@melaniemarroquin_) [15-17]: Eli Rosenberry (@elirosenberry) • Instructor: Benay Gursoy (@pusurkusur) TA: Luke Gochis (@luke_gochis) • Spring semester full studio teaching team was: @jameskalsbeek @afro_tecture_studio @houmanriazi @delphinelewandowski, Eric Sutherland and myself, as well as our TAs @mahtabkhabir @luke_gochis @yasaman_ghf • #basicdesign #beginningdesign #basicdesignstudio taken in Stuckeman Family Building by @format.lab
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5 months ago
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Teaching Recap • Spring 2026 ARCH 132 - Basic Design Studio • More from the first-year undergraduate Basic Design studios... In Spring, students worked on designing small scale dwellings / microhomes at Hartley Woods at the Arboretum at Penn State. This project marks their first “building” design. • Shown here are the works of students from Section 4: [1-7]: Cecilia Del Duco (@ceciliadelduco) [8-13]: Megan Kort (@megan.aak) [14-19]: Maura Nagle (@maura_nagle) • Instructor: Benay Gursoy (@pusurkusur) TA: Luke Gochis (@luke_gochis) • Spring semester full studio teaching team was: @jameskalsbeek @afro_tecture_studio @houmanriazi @delphinelewandowski, Eric Sutherland and myself, as well as our TAs @mahtabkhabir @luke_gochis @yasaman_ghf • #basicdesign #beginningdesign #basicdesignstudio by @format.lab
1
5 months ago
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Teaching Recap • Spring 2026 ARCH 132 - Basic Design Studio • This year, I coordinated the first-year undergraduate Basic Design studios in Fall and Spring. In Spring, students worked on designing small scale dwellings / microhomes at Hartley Woods at the Arboretum at Penn State. This project marks their first “building” design. • Shown here are the works of students from Section 4: [1-6]: Shelby Manges (@shelby_manges) [7-12]: Evan Burns (@skinnymanunderice) [13-18]: Daniel Sun. • Instructor: Benay Gursoy (@pusurkusur) TA: Luke Gochis (@luke_gochis) • Spring semester full studio teaching team was: @jameskalsbeek @afro_tecture_studio @houmanriazi @delphinelewandowski, Eric Sutherland and myself, as well as our TAs @mahtabkhabir @luke_gochis @yasaman_ghf • #basicdesign #beginningdesign #basicdesignstudio taken in Stuckeman Family Building by @format.lab
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5 months ago
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Teaching Recap • Spring 2026 ARCH 132 - Basic Design Studio • In Spring, students in the first-year undergraduate Basic Design studio worked on designing small scale dwellings / microhomes. First couple of weeks of the semester was dedicated to studying various microhome precedents mainly through iterative drawing and model-making. • Shown here are drawings and models of various precedents by students in Section 4. 3-5: Cecilia Del Duco @ceciliadelduco 6-7: Lucy Daley @lucy.daley_ 8-9: Shelby Manges @shelby_manges 10-11: Evan Burns @skinnymanunderice 12: Megan Kort @megan.aak 13: Mia Barnes @themialisa 15: Maura Nagle @maura_nagle 16: Melanie Marroquin @melaniemarroquin_ 17: Eli Rosenberry @elirosenberry 18: Daniel Sun • Instructor: Benay Gursoy (@pusurkusur) TA: Luke Gochis (@luke_gochis) • Spring semester full studio teaching team was: @jameskalsbeek @afro_tecture_studio @houmanriazi @delphinelewandowski, Eric Sutherland and myself, as well as our TAs @mahtabkhabir @luke_gochis @yasaman_ghf • #basicdesign #formspaceorder #beginningdesign #basicdesignstudio taken in Stuckeman Family Building by @format.lab
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5 months ago
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Teaching Recap • Fall 2025 ARCH 131 - Basic Design Studio • Second half of the Fall semester in the first-year undergraduate Basic Design studio was dedicated to craft. All students first got their woodshop and lasercutter trainings. They then designed and built “interventions on and/or around their studio desk spaces.” • Section 3 students individually designed and fabricated paper lanterns, while collectively designing and building customizable shelving units to expand their desk spaces and hold their paper lanterns above their desks. In doing so, they used all the fabrication equipment available at school, from woodworking tools to cnc-milling machine, from lasercutters to 3D printers. • Shown here are the works of students from Section 3: Angela Alacio Rivas @angelaalacio.r Griffin Tyler @gt_des1gn Emily Zezyus @emilyzezyus Anusha Nayak @anusha.nayak18 Michael Wood @mw567282 Kat Carrol @kitkat07180 Cadence Killian @cadence_killian Aubrey Olson @aubreyoli Dylan Ngo Elyssa Dzyak • Instructor: Benay Gursoy (@pusurkusur) TA: Luke Gochis (@luke_gochis) • Fall semester full studio teaching team was: @jameskalsbeek @afro_tecture_studio @houmanriazi @clarissa.arch @panurban and myself, as well as our TAs @mahtabkhabir @luke_gochis @yasaman_ghf • #basicdesign #beginningdesign #basicdesignstudio #polyhedra #geometry taken in Stuckeman Family Building by @format.lab
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5 months ago
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