Orlagh Casey’s poster during the NI Science Festival – Innovation in Action (February 2026)

Orlagh Casey presented her work on sustainable architectural materials. Orlagh’s research investigates the potential of mycelium‑based composites (MBC) as lightweight, bio‑based components for use in architecture. Her work focuses on how woven hemp textiles can be integrated as structural skins within biologically grown material systems. Using computationally generated principal stress lines (PSL) as a guide, she explores reinforcement strategies that merge structural logic with bio‑fabrication, pushing the boundaries of what environmentally conscious design can achieve.

Her project represents an exciting intersection of biology, computation, and architecture—illustrating how innovative thinking can reshape the materials and methods of future construction.