"This is reishi," a type of oyster mushroom that grows in this part of England, says Parker, a researcher at the University of Melbourne. Over the past fortnight, he 3D-printed the basic box shape, using sawdust and plant-based biodegradable plastic, before cultivating fungus to gradually grow over the sides. This method of producing objects from the sturdy root-like mycelium of mushrooms has been employed in architecture to make everything from chairs to bricks, "because it grows relatively fast [and] strongly," Parker explains.