John Locke received a Global Finalist 2015 certificate on behalf of the team from The Living architecture lab for their “Hy-Fi” project that is researching zero-carbon bricks using recent advances in biotechnology combined with cutting-edge computation and engineering. As part of the celebration of the Global Awards Bronze prize in New York City, the certificate was handed over by Marc Angélil, member of the Global Awards jury 2015 and member of the Board of the Holcim Foundation. 

Marc Angélil, Professor of Architecture & Design at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), noted the innovation of the project for examining the possibility of creating a structure that is made of a biodegradable substance. The organic bricks, made of a combination of corn stalks and fungal organisms, are carbon free and produce almost no waste at the end of the building’s lifecycle.

John Locke announced that The Living were conducting further lab experiments that expanded on the knowledge developed by “Hy-Fi” to trial further experiences with “live” materials to deliver a more organic building material in the future. The “Hy-Fi” project was an excellent showcase of the potential of compostable bricks and recognition received through the Awards had provided extra motivation and generated momentum for furthering the project.