Belgian design studio WeWantMore designed an experimental installation for this year’s edition of HIX London – an event that brings the international hospitality community together. Referring to this year's edition's theme, ‘Great things will grow’, WeWantMore designed a bar that would grow towards the event while at the same time being an example of what one of these great things might be – mycelium as a design material. The design of the mycelium bar draws inspiration from shapes and textures found in and on shells. It illustrates the infinite source of inspiration nature can be, both aesthetically and structurally. The overall shape of the mycelium bar has a sacral feel to it, almost like a tomb – a metaphor for burying a traditional way of thinking and reflecting on new ideas when designing spaces.

While looking for a collaboration for the production of the bar, WeWantMore came into contact with La Succulente and French artist Côme Di Meglio. Ruud Belmans, Creative Director at WeWantMore and a product designer by education, wanted to explore the boundaries of what is possible with the material. Mycelium has been used before in product design but creating a large-scale project with it is a unique occurrence.