Dimitra Almpani-Lekka
Dimitra Almpani-Lekka is an Architect (Dip. Arch. Eng.), bio-designer and architectural design researcher. She is working as a landscape architect in Berlin, with a focus on the support of urban biodiversity in relation to water management in public spaces. For the last years she has been investigating the integration of fungal mycelium into architectural design approaches with the Sci-Art Collective MY-CO-X, and continuing with the Cluster's Myko.Plektonik project in Object Space Agency. Currently she is a PhD candidate at the Architecture School of the University of Ioannina and a member of the Cluster's PhD cohort. She explores architectural structures as active, integrated parts of the environment’s metabolic processes in cooperation with biology. In her thesis Water-Driven Membranes she investigates methods of activating the built environment with the dynamic element of water in order to support urban biological growth and multi-species co-habitations. For the above she studies biological systems and their morphological water related properties from a multi-scalar perspective.
Object Space Agency (Associated Member)
Material Form Function (Pre-Doctoral Researcher)
Material Form Function (Associated Member)
Cluster of Excellence
»Matters of Activity«
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Sophienstr. 22a
10178 Berlin
Articles in Edited Volumes
Miodragović, N., Almpani-Lekka, D. 2024. »Myko.Plektonik - Intertwining the biological and the built environment.« In Operate with Fungi, edited by Meyer, V., Schäffner, W. Berlin: Berlin Universities Publishing, 40-49.
https://doi.org/10.14279/depositonce-21528
Articles
Kourtidis Vlachogiannis, C., Almpani-Lekka, D., Anagnostopoulos, F., Pantazis, E., Pantazis, I., Pangalos, P. 2024. »Growing Sustainability: Mycelium-Based Acoustic Panels in a Circular Economy Context.« Preprint. SSNR.
https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5077655
Almpani-Lekka, D., Pfeiffer, S., Schmidts, C., Seo, S. 2021. »A review on architecture with fungal biomaterials: the desired and the feasible.« Article number: 17. Fungal Biology and Biotechnology, 8 (1)
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40694-021-00124-5
Conference Proceedings
Kourti, A., Zavoleas, Y., Almpani-Lekka, D. 2024. »Complex strategies of urban design and water management in response to persistent environmental challenges.« Edited by Ananiadou-Tzimopoulou, M., Mouratidou, P. Presented at 20+ Landscape Architecture: Education, Research and Practice, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 2 November 2023. Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ziti Publications, 55-63.
https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/30745
Almpani-Lekka, D., Zavoleas, Y. 2023. »The building façade as an active skin: Water bio-remediation through a probiotic layer system.« Marousi: Cosmos S.A..
https://doi.org/10.30955/gnc2023.00106
Others
Almpani-Lekka, D. 2017. S-Phase Architecture: Investigation of the timeless relationship between the fields of Chemistry, Biology and Architecture under a comprehensive view. Diploma Thesis. Trans. of Στη φάση-S της Αρχιτεκτονικής. Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Polytechnic School, Department of Architectural Engineering.
http://ikee.lib.auth.gr/record/335308/
Architectural Projects
Meyer, V., Almpani-Lekka, D., Angulo Meza, A., Cerimi, K., Pohl, C., Schmidt, B., Schmidts, C., Schubert, B., Stelzer, L., Weber, B., Pfeiffer, S. 2021. MY-CO SPACE. Architectural Project. tinyBE, Molecular and Applied Microbiology at TU Berlin. Frankfurt/M, Germany. 26 June 2021 - 26 September 2021.
https://tinybe.org/en/artists/my-co-x/
Exhibitions
Léa Perraudin (project lead), Martin Müller (project lead), Eva Bullermann (exhibition design), Antje Nestler, Kristin Werner (concept) Julia Blumenthal, Richard Ley (support), Dimitra Almpani-Lekka, Bastian Bayer, Eva Bullermann, Michaela Eder, Johanna Hehemeyer-Cürten, Natalija Miodragović, Anna Schäffner, Maxie Schneider (contributors) Visiting Material Futures. Pop-up Exhibition at Futurium. Exhibition. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Futurium. 4 May 2024 - 31 August 2024.
Contributions to Exhibitions
Almpani-Lekka, D. »Cheimarros.« At the exhibition: On Water. WasserWissen in Berlin. Humboldt Lab, Humboldt Forum, Berlin. Since 10 October 2025.
https://www.humboldt-labor.de/en/exhibition/; https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/17458/on-water-wasserwissen-in-berlin
Mareis, C. (curator), Miodragović, N. (project leader), Almpani-Lekka, D. (bio-designer). »Myko.Plektonik.« At the exhibition: MAKING DIFFERENTLY: Women Rethinking Architecture. Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin. 19 June 2025 - 29 June 2025.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/16950/making-differently-women-rethinking-architecture; https://wia-festival.de/event/making-differently-women-rethinking-materiality/
Miodragović N. (project leader), Almpani-Lekka, D. (bio-designer). »Myko.Plektonik.« At the exhibition: WEtransFORM – On the Future of Building. Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn. 6 June 2025 - 25 January 2026.
https://www.bundeskunsthalle.de/en/wetransform
Zavoleas, Y., Galanos, K., Sionti, E., Katsikis, A., Driva, D., Almpani-Lekka, D., Papagianni, N. »Metabolizing Urban Dynamics: Hybrid Urban Design Approaches beyond Anthropocentric Aims.« At the exhibition: Plásmata II: Ioannina. Ioannina, Greece. 3 July 2023 - 6 July 2023.
https://www.onassis.org/whats-on/plasmata-ii-ioannina-exhibition/the-new-ioannina-discussions-about-art-innovation-and-knowledge/plasmata-ii-ioannina-metabolizing-urban-dynamics-hybrid-urban-design-approaches-beyond-anthropocentric-aims
Talks & Presentations
Almpani-Lekka, D. (Speaker), Sicher, E., Weber, R. (Panel Chairs). Porous Observing to Porous Thinking: Resisting Control in Multispecies Architectural Design. Panel Presentation at the Diffracting the Critical - STS Hub 2025, Fieldscapes - A situated approach to multispecies design. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 12 March 2025.
https://sts-hub.de/25/panels.html
Almpani-Lekka, D. (Speaker), Zavoleas, Y. (Supervisor), Imhof, B. (Session Chair), Gruber, P., Breuil, C. (Organizers). Water-Driven Membranes: Methods of Activating the Building Envelope for More-Than-Human Commoning. Panel Presentation at the International Circular Strategies Symposium 6 - Cultivating Matter. Is the future alive?, Bioreceptivity. Department of Building Construction, I oA, University of Applied Arts, Vienna. University of Applied Arts Vienna. 21 November 2025.
https://www.conftool.net/cs2025/sessions.php
Almpani-Lekka, D. (Speaker) / Dieter, A.-L., Tyradellis, D. (Organizers) Cheimarros: Architectural approaches to drought and the loss of biodiversity in the city. Talk at the The Colours of Water: Brown - On Dry Land, Meet the Scientist – Drought Research II. Humboldt Lab, Berlin. Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss. 12 October 2025.
https://www.humboldtforum.org/en/programm/termin/science-and-humanities/the-colours-of-water-brown-151688/
Almpani-Lekka, D. (Speaker), Surapaneni, V.-A., Dean, M., Nyakatura, J. (Organizers). Poriferans as Design Models for Water-Activated Building Envelopes. Panel Presentation at the Filters in Biology & Biomimetics 2023, Fluid Mechanics, Modelling and Biomimetics II. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 16 May 2023.
Almpani-Lekka, D., Miodragović, N., Meyer, V., Pfeiffer, S. Myko.Plektonik - An Exploration of Fungal Growth on Structural Textiles. Talk at the MY-CO PLACE: Architecture of sustainable growth, MY-CO PLACE at BHROX bauhaus reuse, Berlin. Hybrid. 10 July 2023.
https://www.tu.berlin/en/mikrobiologie/news-details/2023-my-co-place-im-bhrox-am-ernst-reuter-platz-12523-3172023
Almpani-Lekka, D., Miodragović, N., Meyer, V., Volpato, A. Interweaving Architectures of the Future with Fungi. Talk at the Driving the Human: Seven Prototypes for Eco-social Renewal. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 10 May 2023.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/10912/driving-the-human-seven-prototypes-for-eco-social-renewal
Almpani-Lekka, D. Indoor Water Bio-Remediation System. Poster presentation at the Scaling Matters: From the Lab to the Field, MoA Retreat at the Landgut Stober. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 13 September 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/9125/scaling-matters-from-the-lab-to-the-field
Events & Workshops
Almpani-Lekka, D., Miodragović, N. (Contributors) / Nestler, A., Werner, K. (Organizers). Growing Architecture - Co-Desigining with Fungi II. University of Applied Sciences (HTW), Berlin. 20 September 2024.
https://www.holitopia-festival.com/the-tangible-futures-workshop
Almpani-Lekka, D., Miodragović, N. Growing Architecture - Co-Designing with Fungi. Futurium. The workshop series organized and moderated by Antje Nestler and Kristin Werner, in cooperation with Eva Bullermann, Richard Ley, and Julia Blumenthal. 13 June 2024.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/14049/growing-architecture-co-designing-with-fungi
Vera Meyer, Nora Wilhelm, Erik Göngrich (Mitkunstzentrale), Dimitra Almpani-Lekka, Pelin Asa, Karola Dierichs, Lynn Hyun Kieffer, Aarhus School of Architecture, Anna Kubelík, Robert Stock. Symbiotic Futures 1.0. Berlinische Galerie. 5 June 2024.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/13726/?preview
Nestler, A., Ott, C., Wegener, F. (organizers), with contributions by Akbal, Z., Almpani-Lekka, D., Beyer, B., Dierichs, K., Eder, M., Farmer, J., Fekonja, L., Krauthauen, K., Miodragović, N., Queisner, M., Rodrigues, L., Singer, N., Stein, C, Winkler, C. Open Space – Active Matter on Stage. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Berlin. Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 8 November 2023 - 9 November 2023.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/11681/open-space-active-matter-on-stage
Teaching & Courses
Almpani-Lekka, D., Ingaruca-Moreno, M. Designing with Fungi. Course for exchange students of the TU-Berlin NCUT dual program., Faculty VI - Planning Building Environment - Institute of Architecture - TU Berlin. 9 April 2025 - 28 May 2025.
Almpani-Lekka, D. Biodiverse Architectures in Urban Environments: Architectural Design for More-than-Human Commons. Course for exchange students of the TU-Berlin NCUT dual program., Faculty VI - Planning Building EnvironmentInstitute of Architecture. 8 October 2025 - 12 November 2025.
(Co)Supervisions of Qualification Theses
Almpani-Lekka, D. 2023. Second supervisor of Alexandre Benjamin Nicolet. Living Soles: Exploring scaffolding Strategies in Mycelium Composites for Footwear Application. Master thesis, supervisor Inglesias, R., M. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 'Open Design' Master Program.
Schäffner, W., Almpani-Lekka, D. 2023. Second supervisor of Javier Deyheralde. Bridging Mycelium: Design processes towards an alternative experience of time in architectural pedagogy. Master thesis, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Universidad de Buenos Aires, ›Open Design‹ Master Program.
External Grants, Fellowships, Scholarships & Residencies
Almpani-Lekka, D. 2025. Water-Driven Membranes. Fellowship. Cluster of Excellence ››Matters of Activity‹‹.
Almpani-Lekka, D. 2021. Fellowship in »Object Space Agency«, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«. DFG, Fellowship.
Podcasts & Videos
Almpani-Lekka, D. (Author), Ley, R., Landau, M. (Producers). MAKING_Facades Host Life. Video. 3 minutes, 11 September 2025.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75LBuJD0B64