Built with mycelium: A comparative review of architectural case studies (2014‒2025)

The paper aims to provide architects, designers and researchers with a grounded reference to inform future applications and experimentation with mycelium in built environments. It presents a structured, comparative review of twenty-four selected and critically chosen architectural-scale projects employing mycelium-based materials, which were realised within the period from 2014 to 2025. While mycelium has been extensively studied in laboratory settings for its ecological benefits, biodegradability, and potential to be used as a regenerative construction material, its hands-on architectural applications remain experimental, fragmented, and inconsistently documented. While the existing literature often emphasises the science of material, speculative designs, or isolated failures, it lacks a comprehensive comparative synthesis of architectural implementations. Furthermore, many reports omit essential technical details, such as fungal strains, substrate compositions, and growth parameters, thereby severely limiting reproducibility, performance evaluation, and meta-analytics approaches. This comparative review addresses the gap by systematically cataloguing built pavilions, installations, and spatial interventions. Projects are evaluated by using consistent criteria, including typology and scale, fabrication methods, structural systems, performance and durability, as well as lifecycle considerations. Both successful and unsuccessful cases were included to reveal the recurring design strategies, key challenges and innovation trajectories that have so far shaped the evolution of myco architecture. By identifying patterns and documenting experiential insights, this review provides a field guide for those architects, designers, and researchers who are interested in applying mycelium in built environments. It aims to support future experimentation and help establish a more rigorous foundation for the continued development of mycelium-based architectural practices. • A comparative review of 24 mycelium-based architecture projects (2014‒2025). • Multi-criteria evaluation: Evaluates typology, scale, fabrication methods, structural strategies, performance, and lifecycle. • Systematic selection: PRISMA-based selection ensures comprehensive coverage of built projects. • Innovation trends identified: Reveals recurring design strategies and innovation trends in mycelium architecture. • Addresses gaps in data reporting, including fungal strains, substrates, and growth parameters for reproducibility.