Future lunar and Martian bases will face numerous challenges, including minimising the need for logistical support from Earth. Extraterrestrial habitats will consist of living cells and service modules, designed to function in an integrated and sustainable manner. The lunar base will be the ideal test bed to develop and test the solutions needed to overcome these challenges in preparation for missions to Mars.

On the Red Planet, it will be crucial to rely on local production of materials for buildings, structures and equipment, using 3D printers. These technologies could exploit indigenous resources, such as regolith, or innovative organic materials.

Mush Room is a living system composed of self-contained modular cells, designed for the colonisation of the Moon, Mars and other planets. It utilises Mycelium, an extraordinarily versatile fungus with exceptional properties that can be transformed into a wide range of materials and applications related to architecture and design. The inspiration behind the project stems from the gradualness with which each society develops in a specific context. This approach has been reinterpreted through the use of a material that grows and evolves gradually by exploiting the indigenous resources of the target planet without the need to transport materials from Earth.

The habitat is built with an inflatable structure composed of two layers of ETFE, a polymeric fabric with high structural properties and corrosion resistance, enclosing a layer of organic material. Once the structure has been positioned, transported to the planet by an autonomous spacecraft and anchored to the ground, the fungi can begin to grow, feeding on the organic layers. The inflatable structure is reinforced with ribs that help maintain stability during the mushroom cementing process. This phase lasts about three weeks. Next, the rovers attach the frames of the openings and connect the various modules together. The system is then pressurised for habitation.