University of Pennsylvania

HarvesStra: Farm to Farm Biocomposites

Yasaman Amirzehni, Alia Almusafer, Mu Cao, Tom Wyburn, Hong Wei, Qinming Hou

HarvesStra is a collaborative project with PennFarm and PennDining that develops bio-based composites for an outdoor classroom using agricultural and food waste. Inedible fruit pits, peels, and crop residues from campus sources are processed into materials through drying, grinding, and mixing with sustainable binders at DumoLab. These composites are digitally fabricated into furniture and cladding using 2.5D and 3D techniques. The resulting stools, shingles, and panels are tested on-site to evaluate durability and environmental performance over time.

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/penn-researchers-food-scraps-building-materials/

Dr. Laia Mogas-Soldevila, a licensed architect and biomedical engineering PhD, pioneers the field of biomaterial architecture by integrating life science practices into bio-fabricated material systems for design. As a professor at Penn and director of DumoLab Research (DLR), she develops water-based design and fabrication methods for responsive and regenerative building systems recognized in global exhibitions and influencing academic leadership across manufacturing, architecture, and materials innovation.