Aura is a sustainable light installation using mycelium attached to a large wooden panel that creates a star light effect, backlighting the mycelium and accentuating its beauty.

Mycelium is the root of a mushroom that can be combined with a substrate, such as hemp to create a completely compostable, carbon neutral material.

The notion of Aura is to have multiple panels placed in large commercial spaces to create an impactful display. Pina; a Mexican style restaurant in Kelham Island, Sheffield was chosen as a suitable location – having an ideal building for this type of installation to be fitted. The intention behind placing it in a public space was to increase awareness of mycelium and its brilliance as a sustainable material. As fungus is often seen as something that’s unclean and unwanted, this is a way to change peoples’ perception; to show that fungus can be fascinating and has endless possibilities for the future of design. It is one of the most revolutionary materials in the upcoming bio-based industry, and is already being utilised to replace leather, plastic packaging and more.