Month: May 2026

As part of an Erasmus+ teaching mobility at Stellenbosch University (South Africa), ARCHI-SKIN researcher Dr. Jakub Grzybek and Dr. Wojciech Pajerski delivered educational activities focused on bioinspired materials and emerging approaches to sustainable material design.
The course introduced students from the Department of Forest and Wood Science to concepts related to Engineered Living Materials (ELMs), highlighting how living systems can inspire the development of adaptive and environmentally integrated materials. Through interactive lectures and practical exercises, participants explored biological principles as a source of innovation for future material technologies.
The activity supported the dissemination of knowledge and research concepts relevant to the ARCHI-SKIN project while fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field of sustainable and bioinspired materials research.
The visit was hosted by Prof. Brand Wessels at Stellenbosch University.

We’re excited to launch our new project – STAR – Space Testing for Advanced Resilience of Engineered Living Materials 
Building on our ERC project ARCHI-SKIN, which developed living, bio-based coatings for architecture, STAR takes this concept a step further. After receiving an ERC Proof of Concept Seal of Excellence, the project is now supported by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS). 

In STAR, we explore how Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) perform under extreme space conditions – including microgravity, radiation, temperature fluctuations, and limited nutrients. By studying fungal biofilms and their ability to adapt and self-repair, we aim to understand how living materials can maintain functionality in unpredictable environments. These insights could help advance self-healing, sustainable materials for architecture – both on Earth and in future space applications.