A 3d printable Biopolymer Composite incorporating Kombucha SCOBY: Towards a locally adaptive architecture using living biomaterials

In this paper we investigate the integration of living bacteria into a 3D printable biopolymer composite for architectural applications. We specifically focus on incorporating cellulose-producing bacteria to grow 3D bacterial cellulose in-situ as a localised protective skin on a printed geometry. To produce and test large-scale samples, the research relaxes controlled lab conditions and pursues a more resilient culturing method, a kombucha culture or SCOBY. This paper reports exploratory experiments that assess the compatibility of the living bacteria with the biopolymer composite matrix, the printability of this new material, and the ability to reactivate the bacteria post-printing to grow 3D bacterial cellulose films on the samples. Our findings show successful bacterial reactivation and significant bacterial cellulose growth. These findings contribute to the field by demonstrating a novel approach to creating printable engineered living materials, and by identifying their potential to enable localised adaptation in large scale architectural elements.