Archinect - News

University of Michigan researchers detail new 3D printed upcycled sawdust material for formwork

2023-08-22T13:09:00-04:00

A recyclable alternative material developed by researchers at the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning’s Digital Architecture Research & Technology (DART) Laboratory is providing builders with a more sustainable way of applying concrete casts in the construction process in order to cut down on waste and the environmental impact of projects using the method.

The fully biodegradable BioMatters material is made from sawdust that’s collected and used via robotic 3D printing in the formwork of buildings, an essential element that currently constitutes 40% of all concrete-related construction expenses industry-wide, according to DART.

Image courtesy Tharanesh Varadharajan, Zachary Keller, Muhammad Dayyem Khan/DART Lab

"Other sawdust-based solutions are using other petroleum-based polymers — we use biopolymers which are completely decomposable," DART researcher Muhammad Dayyem Khan said, adding that the formwork, once the concrete has cured, can be full...

Upcycled skyscraper earns 3XN a spot on Fast Company's 'world’s most innovative companies' list

2023-03-03T10:55:00-05:00

Copenhagen-based 3XN has been included in Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies 2023 list. The 50-company-strong list is described by Fast Company as the “definitive chronicle of the novel ideas transforming business and society,” ranging from ChatGPT creator OpenAI to the art collective Mschf.

Sitting at number 32 on the list, 3XN was included “for upcycling an aging skyscraper into a modern office building,” referencing their recently completed Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney, Australia. The 46-story tower has set a high-profile precedent for adaptive reuse and upcycling in tall buildings, with 65% of the original 1976 structure retained including 95% of its core.

Image credit: Phil Noller

“[Quay Quarter Tower] proves that even something as massive as an outdated office tower can be upcycled into something beautiful and relevant,” Fast Company said. “As a growing number of towers age in cities around the world 3XN’s innovative design presents a vision for how to implement a replica...

All that leftover PPE can be used for building materials, according to a new RMIT study

2022-08-25T19:48:00-04:00

Engineers at RMIT University have developed a method to use disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) to make concrete stronger, providing an innovative way to significantly reduce pandemic-generated waste. [...] Joint lead author, Dr Rajeev Roychand, said there was real potential for construction industries around the world to play a significant role in transforming this waste into a valuable resource.

According to the RMIT researchers, an incredible 54,000 tons of PPE waste has been produced daily since the start of the pandemic. "With a circular economy approach, we could keep that waste out of landfill while squeezing the full value out of these materials to create better products — it's a win on all fronts," the team’s research leader and corresponding author, Professor Jie Li, said.

Three separate materials were shredded and then mixed into concrete at rates between 0.1 and 0.25%. Science Daily reports that, among other deliverables, the research found that:

rubber gloves increased compressive strength by up to 22%
isolation gowns increased resistance to bending stress by up to 21%, compressive strength by 15%, and elasticity by 12%
face masks increased compressive strength by up to 17%

According to the scientists, "the next step for the research is to evaluate the potential for mixing the PPE streams, develop practical implementation strategies, and work towards field trials." ...

Print Your City launches its first Zero Waste Lab in Greece

2019-01-17T15:18:00-05:00

Since 2016, the Rotterdam-based research and design studio The New Raw has been experimenting with using plastic waste to create public furniture. Through the 'Print Your City' project—which just launched its first Zero Waste Lab in Thessaloniki, Greece—the firm turns public waste into raw material that is then 3D printed into benches and other street furniture meant to enrich a place.

Zero Waste Lab. Photo by Stefanos Tsakiris.

Equipped with a robotic arm and recycling facilities, residents can bring their plastic waste and design custom urban furniture, shaping the designs and uses of each unique object according to their needs. Residents can pick out the shape and the color for their piece as well as things like which public space to place it in or whether or not it might feature a bike rack or a tree pot.

After settling on a design, Print Your City provides information on the quantity of plastic that will need recycling in order to generate enough raw material. Their initial pro...

Recycled plastic blocks are being used to create LEGO-like architecture

2018-01-10T13:37:00-05:00

A company in Colombia is tackling plastic waste issues and affordable housing with a single ingenious solution: interlocking LEGO-like bricks that can be used to build houses for a few thousand dollars per structure. Walls are formed using a slim slotted brick then framed using a thicker module used for beams and columns, locking the smaller units into place and providing rigid vertical and lateral support.

What to do with the heaps and mounds of plastic piling up all over our planet? Build LEGO's. Conceptos Plásticos' technological innovations make their plastic block homes cost only $5,000. The company is also using this new method to build emergency shelters, community and educational buildings.

These upcycled blocks are designed to be used by anyone regardless of construction experience. Conceptos Plásticos boasts building blocks that are fire and earthquake resistant, cost effective, and durable lasting about 500 years.

Turning waste into building blocks of the future city

2013-07-12T12:32:00-04:00

What if the rubbish was refabricated to become real urban spaces or buildings? If it is plausible to adapt current machinery, how much material is available? At first sight, any sanitary landfill may be viewed as an ample supply of building materials. Heavy industrial technologies crush cars or to automatically sort out garbage are readily available. 3-D printing has exhausting capabilities if adjusted to larger scales.