They are called Engineered Living Materials and operate on the principle of “working with nature, not against it.”
The ARCHI-SKIN project is based on the research of these materials. It is funded by the European Research Council (ERC), and is developing a new class of bioactive, self-healing, and sustainable coatings inspired by fungal biofilms.
A breakthrough for the construction industry and the green transition.
Dr. Jakub Grzybek, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researcher, attended the 5th international scientific conference “WOOD–SCIENCE–ECONOMY: Sustainable Solutions and Digitalization in the Forest-Wood Sector”, held 3-5 December 2025, in Poznań, Poland.
Dr. Grzybek presented the Archi-Skin project with the poster presentation titled “Beyond Traditional Coatings: Toward Engineered Living Materials for Architecture”. Co-authors of the poster are researchers Dr. Anja Černoša, Ana Gubenšek, Dr. Wojciech Pajerski, Dr. Ihab Malat and Dr. Anna Sandak from InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM.
At the conference, participants took part in a Horizon Europe networking session that enabled intensive individual exchanges with international attendees as well as discussions on project ideas and potential collaborations. They also visited Brzechwa, a producer of prefabricated wooden houses and carried out a field visit to the Oborniki Forest District (State Forests).
The conference was organized by Łukasiewicz – Poznań Institute of Technology, Poznań University of Life Sciences and Industry Contact Point – Digital Transformation.
Dr. Anja Černoša, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researcher, welcomed at InnoRenew CoE, a group of representatives from the Slovenian Third Age University.
She presented the ARCHI-SKIN project, which develops bioinspired protective coating based on living fungal biofilms and other natural components. Additionally, she outlined other ongoing projects at InnoRenew CoE. Then they toured the building and laboratories, where she introduced interesting aspects of the architecture and explained the main functions of the laboratories.
The visitors were also greeted by Dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researcher and coordinator of the ARCHI-SKIN project, and by Dr. Andreja Kutnar, acting department chair of InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM.
Dr. Anja Černoša, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researcher, attended the 13th Development Day of the Forest-Wood Sector, titled “The Great Green Wave of Change – An Opportunity to Increase Added Value?”, held on 13 November 2025, in Ljubljana.
She participated in the session dedicated to examples of good practices from companies and projects, and presented the ARCHI-SKIN project, funded under the Horizon Europe ERC programme.
This year’s event focused on the current topic of implementing EU environmental policies and exploring opportunities to increase added value and support the development of wood and furniture companies. Participants discussed examples of good practice, adaptation strategies across the EU, government policies, support mechanisms and the role of researchers in helping companies transition toward sustainable business models. They also discussed the upcoming implementation of several Green Deal directives and their impact on the forest-wood sector’s future development.
The event brought together representatives from companies, research institutions, architecture, ministries, and students. It offered an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest developments, hear examples of good practice and exchange views with key stakeholders in the forest-based sector.
It was held within the framework of the Ambient and home plus fair, and organized by SPIRIT Slovenia with the financial support of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport.
The ARCHI-SKIN project contributes to the rapidly expanding field of Engineered Living Materials (ELMs), pioneering approaches where architecture and biology merge to create adaptive, self-sustaining, and environmentally responsive surfaces. These materials are designed not only to protect buildings but also to sense, react, and evolve together with their surroundings.
Within the broader European research landscape, ARCHI-SKIN builds upon the expertise developed at InnoRenew CoE, where several research initiatives explore living materials as part of a growing ELM research line. Together, these projects investigate how biological systems can inspire new models of regenerative and circular design.
A newly released ELM Research Line brochure presents this collaborative ecosystem, showcasing how InnoRenew’s ELM projects contribute to a shared vision of sustainable innovation – from living coatings and biohybrid composites to adaptive architectural interfaces. The document captures the essence of ELM research: bridging material science, biotechnology, and design culture to shape the future of the built environment.
By integrating biological principles into architectural design, ARCHI-SKIN helps redefine the boundaries between the living and the constructed – turning surfaces into active participants in ecological regeneration.
Download the ELM Research Line brochure here – > https://zenodo.org/records/17106693
A recent article in the journal Engineering, titled “Biology Inspires Innovative Materials Science”, explores how living systems are transforming the design and functionality of next-generation materials. The publication discusses how biological processes and adaptive mechanisms found in nature are increasingly being translated into material engineering — leading to innovations that regenerate, self-repair, and respond to environmental stimuli.
Within this broader context, the article highlights ARCHI-SKIN as one of the European initiatives pioneering the integration of living organisms into architectural surfaces. The project’s vision – to develop living architectural skins capable of adapting to environmental conditions and contributing to building health — illustrates how bio-inspired research is moving from the laboratory to real-world architectural applications.
By bridging architecture, biology, and materials science, ARCHI-SKIN contributes to a new generation of Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) that promote sustainability, circularity, and resilience in the built environment. The Engineering article provides valuable recognition of this emerging field and situates ARCHI-SKIN among the key projects advancing bio-integrated design at the European level.
Read the full article in Engineering
The newspaper Delo published a podcast with Dr. Anja Černoša, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researcher.
The Supermoč podcast, hosted by Petra Kovič, offers relaxed, open conversations with Slovenian entrepreneurs about what gives them motivation and their “superpower”. It features discussions with successful Slovenians about what they do, how they work, and the energy and perseverance they bring to push the boundaries in their professions.
In the podcast, Dr. Anja Černoša presented ARCHI-SKIN project, led by Dr. Anna Sandak. The project focuses on developing advanced bioactive protective coating based on fungal biofilms. Researchers are studying how the structure and function of fungi influence the formation of protective layers, aiming to create materials that can self-heal and respond to environmental changes.
You are kindly invited to read the article and watch the podcast.
As a part of the Science4EU campaign the European Commission featured research projects that are creating new boundaries of knowledge and innovation with EU support. Among the presented projects is ARCHI-SKIN, led by dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researcher.
ARCHI-SKIN project develops bioinspired protective coating based on living fungal biofilms and other natural components. Its goal is to create materials that can self-heal and adapt to their environment, providing surfaces with sustainable and long-lasting protection.
You can watch the European Commission’s video as part of the Science4EU campaign where dr. Anna Sandak and dr. Anja Černoša share their thoughts and visions about the future development of this filed.
Watch the video here.
Project ARCHI-SKIN, led by dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researcher, was featured in the newly published European Research Council report – Mapping Frontier Research on the New European Bauhaus.
ARCHI-SKIN was presented as one of the projects that develop innovative solutions for a more comfortable build environment. It aims to develop a living, bio-inspired protective coating that uses engineered fungal biofilms to protect surfaces like concrete, metal, plastic, and biomaterials. The coating will be self-healing, adaptive, and environmentally responsive, combining living cells with bio-based ingredients. It brings life into materials, creating coatings that interact with their environment and offer sustainable, innovative protection.
Dr. Sandak explained: “Our technology has strong potential to transform surface protection in architecture, offering coatings that are self-regenerating, non-toxic, and environmentally responsive. These properties can dramatically reduce maintenance, extend material lifespans, and support carbon neutrality goals.”
You can read more about the recently published report here: https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2025-10/New-European-Bauhaus.pdf
You can read more about the ARCHI-SKIN project here: https://archiskinproject.eu/
Four engineered living materials (ELMs) projects were presented at the NextGen Materials 2025 conference, held 23-25 September 2025 in Hamburg, Germany.
Dr. Anna Sandak delivered an oral presentation about the progress of the ERC ARCHI-SKIN project, and presented both a poster and a pitch on the EIC Pathfinder project REMEDY.
Dr. Wojciech Pajerski joined virtually, presenting the Biolumicoat and Livemat projects during the online poster session.
NextGen Materials 2025 brought together experts in materials science, engineering, computer science, and physics from both academia and industry to explore cutting-edge advancements in materials science.
This event is organized by the German Society for Materials Science (DGM), which is the largest scientific and technical society in the field of materials science and engineering in Germany.
