Shin Tae-ho has worked on ‘material-oriented designs’ that connect technology and design with a focus on materials. He proposed mushroom mycelia as a daily material in the near future and presents , which is an extension of his work from the previous year. He manufactures furniture with mushroom mycelia and goes beyond discovering an alternative material to display the broader range of possibilities in various aspects through the production of specific results.
Mushroom mycelia is not as widely known as wood or plastic but it takes an active approach towards its audience as a material closest to nature. Shin Tae-ho cultivates and processes mushroom mycelia using natural methods to produce furniture. It is obvious that his focus is on the symbiotic relationship with essential nature rather than relying on what is artificial and technical. The concept of creating a substance based on the cycle and flow of ecology is connected to the aesthetics of material ecology and presents an intriguing perspective.
is produced as a virtual furniture brand shop named 'IKARE' with the purpose of creating an industry for new materials and not to replace something that already exists. The 'IKARE' shop consists of a connection from material to production, and Shin Tae-ho expands this to each individual instead of restricting this to just the exhibition space. This means that anyone can make an alternative material and use it to produce products. Ultimately, a future of the New Normal where alternative materials are the norm implies to the audience that it is connected to the idea of the principal agent of production being all individuals.