Nebula Shroom Grove at Burning Man 2024 – All photos by Kristina Chan, unless stated otherwise, courtesy of Understory collective.

Art, Architecture. Mushrooms are deceiving beings. Above the ground, they seem to lead a solitary life, but they actually network with each other through their roots. At Burning Man 2024, Understory, a London-based collective led by Colombian architects and designers, created Nebula Shroom Grove, a forest of parametric fungi-inspired timber structures for solitary souls searching for new connections. Each ‘shroom’ offered a shelter and was topped by a cosy resting area, inviting visitors to relax and relate.

• RELATED STORIES: Read more about Burning Man on Archipanic.

“The main concept was born out of our shared desire to explore themes of connection, community, and the deep-rooted interdependence found in nature,” Understory Creative founders Silvia Rueda, Ana María Ortiz and Lina Castaneda told Archipanic. “Inspired by personal experiences with loneliness and the search for belonging, the project draws parallels between human communities and the hidden networks of nature, such as mycelium—fungi that intertwine their roots to create underground ecosystems.”

This metaphor became the foundation for creating a physical space encouraging real human relations that invited visitors to reflect “on how deeply we are all linked beneath the surface.”

“We wanted people to enter the installation and feel like they’ve stepped into a different world, much like walking into a mysterious forest or gazing at the stars.” But it’s not just about the visuals. “One of our proudest moments was when we saw a group of people sitting together in a circle and having a great time while they were sharing their stories and making new friends.”

The installation also embodies the Colombian spirit, conviviality, family-rooted culture and life, said XXX. The organic design also reflected the lush, natural beauty of the country.

Nebula Shroom Grove was not set on fire on the last night of Burning Man. Instead, it will keep fostering new connections by playing a role in helping kids create a strong community around them at the playground of the Second Sky community hub and event space in Tucson, Texas.

Led by Silvia Rueda, Ana María Ortiz and Lina Castaneda from Colombia, Understory is a London-based interdisciplinary collective of international architects, artists and designers from Venezuela, Ukraine, Canada and the US. The team strives to create spaces that “bring people together, especially in a world where so many of us crave genuine human interaction.”

Nebula Shroom Grove at Burning Man 2024 – Photo via IG by @understorybm.

All photos are courtesy of Understory.