Archinect - News

2024 showcased the potential of 3D printing in architecture

2024-12-20T08:00:00-05:00

The architecture world witnessed a transformative year in 2024, with 3D printing continuing to broaden the possibilities of design and construction. From high-profile collaborations between architecture firms and technology companies to groundbreaking projects that span continents—and even reach beyond Earth—this year marked a surge in innovation across construction sites and research labs alike.

This year, Archinect’s editorial included exclusive insights from BIG’s Bjarke Ingels and ICON’s Melodie Yashar, digging deeper into a collaboration spanning 3D printing materials, hardware, software, and business models. Elsewhere, we saw notable projects such as North America’s first 3D-printed three-story home and the world’s tallest 3D-printed tower in Switzerland, and innovative research led by institutions including MIT, Princeton, ETH Zurich, and IAAC, dwelling on topics as diverse as fish scales to liquid metal.

To further explore these trends, we have set out the key developments a...

A wave of new hemp designs appear on the horizon in Australia

2024-11-26T15:37:00-05:00

While big architectural gestures commonly feature glass and steel, those building with the material hope to show that hemp can be grand in its own right.

The Guardian points out Public Realm Lab’s Powerhouse Place, the recently named winner of the National Award for Sustainable Architecture at the 2024 National Architecture Awards, as an example of Australia’s embrace of hempcrete and other hemp products as alternative building materials. Hemp is gaining in popularity in the United States after being effectively outlawed until a 2018 federal reclassification paved the way for it to be added to the U.S. building code appendix in 2022.

Back down under, Public Realm Lab’s co-founder Anna Maskiell tells the outlet: "We were really sick of designing buildings that were just less bad, tinkering around the edges with solar panels and that kind of thing. We were really on this mission to try to find a material that was truly regenerative. It’s a very different way of working, but we think there’s a lot of efficiencies in it."

Invisible Studio creates rammed stone yoga studio in UK countryside

2024-11-14T08:27:00-05:00

UK-based Invisible Studio has completed a rammed stone yoga studio for the Newt Hotel in Somerset, UK. Aside from its innovative use of rammed earth, the scheme is defined by a 36-foot-long rooflight made from a single insulated double-glazed unit.

Image credit: Jim Stephenson

The studio is lined entirely in beech slats to provide a "warm and immersive sanctuary-like space." The external skin uses the same rammed stone as the hotel’s adjacent gym, made from local limestone to give it a distinctive red color. Meanwhile, copper detailing borrows from the palette of materials established by the hotel’s Beezantium.

Image credit: Jim Stephenson

“The rammed stone external skin is something we get asked about a good deal, particularly with no roof overhang,” Invisible Studio founder Piers Taylor explains. “The mix is colored only by using local ‘Hadspen’ limestone, which has a distinctive red hue, which is crushed from 45mm to dust. Th...

Gensler works on new hybrid timber data centers for Microsoft

2024-11-04T18:48:00-05:00

A Gensler and Thornton Tomasetti-led data center project that highlights the enormous potential for similar environmentally-minded hybrid mass timber designs in the booming typology is on its way toward completion in the suburbs of Northern Virginia.

The firm is working with Microsoft to deliver a pair of new centers made using CLT materials. Microsoft says their presence will reduce the buildings’ overall carbon footprint by 35% compared to conventional steel construction, and another 65% compared to those made from precast concrete—an important step as such projects gain priority in the new data-driven economy.

Video courtesy of Microsoft

Microsoft has previously committed to becoming fully 'carbon-negative' in its construction footprint by decade’s end, developing a plan that has since seen setbacks due to the volume and pace of expansion and a subsequently high rate of 'indirect emissions' skyrocketing by 30.9% over just three years.

Another innovation meant to combat this i...

Meta announces investment in low-carbon concrete production plants

2024-10-29T17:47:00-04:00

Last month, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) announced its plans to invest in the California-based concrete manufacturer CarbonBuilt on a new line of low-carbon products called Reversa.

The product is said to offer carbon footprint reductions of up to 70% compared to the current industrial baseline. Data centers will ultimately become the recipients of the product innovations. This comes as the technology giant is in the midst of a year in which it anticipates spending $37 billion on the booming building typology.

Meta's Head of Clean Technology Innovation John DeAngelis said: “Meta is prioritizing a multifaceted approach to accelerating decarbonization in hard-to-abate sectors like concrete. Our collaboration with CarbonBuilt will help them to deliver a step change reduction in emissions with a clear near-term path to scale. Accelerating the deployment of these types of solutions is critical for driving deep decarbonization and we hope this collaboration can help pave the path fo...

BIG debuts new 3D printed mycelium structure at Scandinavian industry summit

2024-10-25T16:24:00-04:00

A new design from BIG made using 3D printing and mycelium additives is being showcase at a manufacturing summit for industry stakeholders in Scandinavia. The firm says it is "aimed at exploring new ways to reduce spatial and material waste through additive manufacturing and bio-based materials."

I AM MSHRM came together as part of a collaborative effort between the Danish AM Hub , MDT A/S, Naturpladen.

The result, they say, is a rapidly deployable and can be assembled in modular components made from recycled plastic and then filled in with the mycelium additive. This element makes their erection possible without the need for scaffolding. This method likewise reduces the overall volume of printed material, replacing it instead with the mycelium composite in such a way that "significantly lower[s] the overall carbon footprint" according to the firm.

Robotic fabrication and hybrid structural systems are showcased in the University of Stuttgart's new ITECH Pavilion

2024-10-04T18:52:00-04:00

A team of researchers led by Achim Menges of the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) and Jan Knippers of the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) at the University of Stuttgart has unveiled a new pavilion made using a novel combination of bio-based materials.

The hybrid structural system behind the ITECH Research Pavilion 2024 is composed of timber and natural flax fiber polymer composites (or NFPCs). Menches and his colleagues were guided by recent research into fiber-polymer composites. The complete assembly works via the compressive strength of timber and tensile properties.

Image courtesy of ITEK and ICD at the University of Stuttgart

The pavilion was erected within the university’s Stadtgarten. It covers an area of roughly 484 square feet and weighs almost 2,130 pounds. The pavilion's structural capacity was shown to be capable of withstanding 1.5 times its own weight and 1.5 times the outside wind load.

Image courtesy of ITEK and...

ETH Zurich researchers develop robotic process for impact printing earth materials

2024-09-23T12:32:00-04:00

Researchers at ETH Zurich have introduced a new robotic 3D printing method for cement-free low-carbon materials for a circular economy.

Using a technique called 'impact printing,' the team demonstrated a mixture of excavated materials, silt, and clay that was less dependent on additives for its structural strength due to the high-velocity deposition process. Their aim was to "increase the cost competitiveness of sustainable building materials through efficient and automated production."

Image: Girts Apskalns. Copyright: ETH Zurich - Gramazio Kohler Research, Chair of Sustainable Construction and Robotic Systems Lab

First, a custom printing tool was developed that can be integrated on multiple high-payload robotic platforms. The tool was then integrated with a high-payload Gantry system within the ETH's Robotic Fabrication Laboratory. The hardware is also compatible with an autonomous legged excavator system called HEAP, also developed by the Robotic Systems Lab. It has shown...

Diller Scofidio + Renfro partners with biotech company on OXYA green product line

2024-08-26T17:50:00-04:00

Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) is the first American firm to partner with biotech startup Pneuma Bio on a new product line of carbon-sequestering materials made from microorganisms such as algae that can be used in commercial architecture and residential buildings. Their OXYA product line was born out of years of materials research that began at North Carolina State University and continues through a collaboration between the University of Sheffield and the VTT Technical Research Centre in Finland.

A press release states: "Over the next 15 months, the company will cover 15 buildings with OXYA through partnerships with DS+R, hotel chains, and paint manufacturers. Across these building spaces, the materials are proving quite versatile and are being used to cover walls (as liquid wallpaper or paint), windows, fabric for covering furniture, light fixtures & chandeliers, among other things."

UMaine experiments with 3D printed floor panels made from recyclable natural materials

2024-08-10T11:00:00-04:00

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Maine are leading interesting new engineering research into floor cassettes made using recyclable natural materials that are strong enough to be used in multi-story buildings. Thanks to experiments at UMaine's cutting-edge Advanced Structures and Composites Center (which previously contributed to our coverage of bio-based 3D printed homes), engineers were able to produce a capable model made from polylactic acid and lumber by-products, such as wood flour.

The SM2ART Nfloor cassette components can be 3D printed in roughly two-thirds the time it takes for a typical floor cassette to be factory assembled, thus saving labor costs. Scott Tomlinson, a structural engineer at the Center, shared: "This technology holds a lot of promise for the future of sustainable buildings." The project came together at the initiative of the SHoP offshoot Assembly OSM.

The work was also recently on display as part of the ...

IAAC team expands on first 3D Printed Earth Forest Campus in Barcelona

2024-07-30T20:15:00-04:00

Archinect has received new project images of the latest 3D printed building prototype produced on-site in Barcelona’s Collserola Natural Park by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC).

The 100-square-meter (1,076-square-foot) Earth Forest Campus project (also called TEIXIT), which uses local soil and natural materials with a Crane WASP 3D printer, was created in collaboration with Hassell and provides a live laboratory for testing new architectural solutions and sustainable construction methods.

Image: © 3DPA

The team says the "organic spatial distribution" of its design is key to the experiment's success. It stands as proof of concept for the "beginning of a labyrinth that distances itself from repetitive standardized contemporary architectural solutions and demonstrates a high level of adaptation of buildings to their users’ needs."

Image: © 3DPA

The master plan includes a mixture of enclosed, covered, and open spaces supported by natural stone foundations. To...

German researchers discover carbon sequestering concrete additive made from cyanobacteria

2024-07-29T19:37:00-04:00

Researchers from Germany's Fraunhofer Institute have discovered a new bioconcrete solution made using cyanobacteria (formerly known as blue-green algae) that sequesters carbon through a process of photosynthesis. Their work for the “BioCarboBeton” project examined the potential of stromatolites to be used as an additive in traditional concrete mixtures, finding success after mimicking their natural binding processes by using a new technological method.

The project, which aims to scale up production for commercial uses, also found potential applications in insulation material, brick, formwork filling, and even mortar.

Take a look also at similar SOM and Drexel University-led material research for concrete and concrete alternatives that we published in the past year.

NASA tests growing fungi habitats in outer space

2024-06-27T17:52:00-04:00

A team of engineers from the NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley has secured funding for their innovative Mycotecture Off Planet project. The initiative hopes to construct off-planet sustainable housing and furniture designs from mycelial composite bricks.

The $2 million in funding will help the team's development towards a potential future demonstration mission in advance of the Artemis Moon/Mars exploration program, which is being hailed as an important "stepping stone."

A NASA press release stressed its ability to be transferred over for additional use as a building material for structures on Earth, adding that its long-term prospects rely on "science and technology that doesn’t yet exist." Habitations would be grown on the lunar surface using water to a lightweight support material containing dormant fungi.

"Mycotecture Off Planet exemplifies how advanced...

Princeton University researchers develop tougher cement inspired by shells

2024-06-13T14:48:00-04:00

Engineers at Princeton University have developed a new cement composite, inspired by the material found within certain shells, that is 17 times more crack-resistant than standard cement and 19 times more able to stretch and deform without breaking.

The research team was led by Reza Moini, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering. In a recently published article in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, the team reported that creating alternating layers of tabulated cement paste and thin polymer can significantly increase the material’s durability.

Often looking towards biology for inspiration in their work on building materials, the researchers were drawn to a natural material called nacre, also known as mother of pearl. The material is produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer, and it is also the material that pearls are made of. According to the researchers, nacre consists of a hard mineral called aragonite, which are glued together by a soft bio...

Researchers debut mycelium glamping cabin prototype

2024-05-06T17:04:00-04:00

A new experimental demonstration glamping concept that represents likely the first building project made using mycelium in the Czech Republic has debuted from the home reconstruction financier Buřinka with a cross-disciplinary team from Mykilio and the Czech Technical University called MYMO.

Rendering courtesy Buřinka and MYMO

The SAMOROST concept is the latest example of sustainable construction using mushroom-based compounds as an alternative material to insulate external walls, roofs, and floors, as well as other non-load-bearing components. The cabins were designed using special proprietary mycocomposite, which they claim has been proven in lab testing over the past two years to have suitable qualities for residential structures. The experiment sought to improve usability for campers and is being pursued with support from the country’s Minister of the Environment, Petr Hladík.

Rendering courtesy Buřinka and MYMO

Design author Tomasz Kloza, a final year Master's in architecture and...

Henning Larsen debuts Open Detail, a digital biomaterials resource for architects

2024-03-21T18:34:00-04:00

Henning Larsen has unveiled a new tool for designers that allows them access to a database of biogenic materials examples taken from around the world.

The firm debuted its new Open Detail resource at the AEC Hackathon in Copenhagen. Together with collaborators Copenhagen School of Design and Technology (KEA), Ramboll, Speckle, and Chevrant, the entry took home first place for the 'Best Mashup Project' at the Hackathon.

Now, their aim is to "foster a shift towards low-carbon architecture" by making such "tangible" biogenic design solutions more easily accessible to the public and practitioners as an open-source repository and knowledge-sharing platform.

The searchable Open Detail will allow users to contribute and download material details in either 2D or 3D format once actualized. Henning Larsen says this is "only the beginning" for Open Detail, adding that the project's off...

Snøhetta designs hemp-based lighting product inspired by 1970s ateljé Lyktan line

2024-03-13T12:02:00-04:00

Snøhetta has designed a line of lighting products for Swedish lighting manufacturer ateljé Lyktan.

The line, named Superdupertube, sees a revision of the manufacturer’s 1970s Supertube product, which was given a “contemporary makeover through extensive material research.”

Image credit: ateljé Lyktan

Image credit: Jonas Lindstrom

“When ateljé Lyktan challenged us to create a new technical office luminaire, we rediscovered their iconic Supertube from the 1970s,” said Snøhetta Partner Jenny B. Osuldsen about the project. “Our joint decision was clear — let's update and elevate the Supertube to a 2.0 version, guided by our commitment to sustainability and cradle-to-cradle thinking.”

Image credit: ateljé Lyktan

The project began as an exploration into how ateljé Lyktan’s products could be reimagined using locally sourced materials with a smaller ecological footprint. Initial experiments with pine cones and coffee grounds led to the choice of hemp fiber, which the...

Researchers look at the possibilities of wood fly ash by-products as an alternative in rammed earth construction

2024-03-02T08:00:00-05:00

New findings published in the journal Construction and Building Materials from a team of materials researchers working at the University of British Columbia Okanagan's School of Engineering have demonstrated the sustainable qualities of using wood fly ash by-products as alternatives to traditional concrete additives.

The study was undertaken in light of some recent popularity of rammed earth construction in the architectural field, an ancient form of building whose mastery has propelled the 2022 Pritzker Prize winner Diébédo Francis Kéré and several others to prominence parallel with the industry's fight against climate change.

"Everything old is new again and that is precisely why we've been investigating rammed earth construction," Dr. Sumi Siddiqua explained to the UBCO news outlet. "There is an increasing demand for sustainable building products here in Canada and around the world, and materials like fly ash are just the start of a new and important trend."

Siddiqua’s team was...

Researchers use cellulose and algae to create 3D printed architectural material

2024-02-09T13:46:00-05:00

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have published their study into how materials made from nanocellulose and algae can be used as sustainable architectural materials. The research, conducted in collaboration with the Wallenberg Wood Science Center, “shows how the abundant sustainable material can be 3D printed into a wide array of architectural components, using much less energy than conventional construction methods,” according to the team.

Nanocellulose, molecules consisting of hundreds or thousands of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, are already used in biomedicine to 3D print scaffolds for tissue and cell growth but have never been used in an architectural material. The researchers, therefore, mixed nanocellulose fibers and water with an algae-based material called alginate to produce a 3D printable material with architectural uses in mind.

“For the first time...

Better green materials are still needed to trigger a revolution in the building sector, experts say

2023-12-14T13:56:00-05:00

Repeated calls for the decarbonization of architecture are sometimes met with criticisms as to their lack of substance, and in some cases, practicality or overall feasibility, Canada's National Observer tells us.

The only mycelium binders on the market are, for example, unsuitable to certain weather conditions, according to Yale Center for Ecosystems and Architecture’s Mae-ling Lokko. Other products like composite wood materials can contain formaldehyde, which puts a damper on the new heights mass timber designs are reaching in Europe and North America. The current limitations of bio-concrete, hemp, and algae materials are also well-known.

To enact a truly revolutionary turn, both additional investments into developing new alternative products and a better understanding of a building’s end-of-life recyclability are needed, Lokko and Naomi Keena of McGill University's School of Architecture told the paper.

Canada and its vast reserves of agricultural waste derived from applicable c...

ETH Zurich researcher develops 3D printed insulation foam using recycled materials

2023-12-01T11:48:00-05:00

ETH Zurich has published details of new research into lightweight building components produced using 3D printing. Led by doctoral architecture researcher Patrick Bedarf, the Airlements project centers on cement-free mineral foams derived from recycled industrial waste.

Working within the institution’s Digital Building Technologies group led by Professor Benjamin Dillenburger, Bedarf’s project emerged from a doctoral thesis on lightweight insulating construction elements, and how complex shapes could be manufactured with fewer material inputs. Bedarf ultimately deployed a sustainable insulation material produced by the ETH spin-off FenX using recycled industrial waste.

FenX’s mineral foam material is mostly made from fly ash, a waste product from industrial blast furnaces. Bedarf’s process then deploys 3D printing to shape the material into bespoke building parts without the need for formwork, which is traditionally only partly reusable and more time-consuming.

“Without automation, ...

University of Maryland researchers develop 'cooling glass' that can redirect a building's heat into space

2023-11-17T11:54:00-05:00

Researchers aiming to combat rising global temperatures have developed a new 'cooling glass' that can turn down the heat indoors without electricity by drawing on the cold depths of space. The new technology, a microporous glass coating, can lower the temperature of the material beneath it by 3.5 degrees Celsius at noon, and has the potential to reduce a mid-rise apartment building's yearly carbon emissions by 10 percent.

The technology was developed by a research team at the University of Maryland, led by Distinguished University Professor Liangbing Hu in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. The coating functions by reflecting up to 99% of solar radiation to prevent buildings from absorbing heat. It emits heat in the form of longwave infrared radiation into space. The phenomenon is known as radiative cooling, in which space serves as a heat sink for the buildings.

According to the research team, their glass is more environmentally stable than previous attempts at cooling coatings. The glass can be applied to a variety of surfaces, such as tile, brick, and metal, which makes it scalable and available for wide use. The researchers envision the new material as a key contributor to the solution to climate change due to its potential to reduce a structure’s energy usage and carbon footprint. The team is now working to further test the glass and understand its practical applications.

...

SOM unveils new algae-based Bio-Blocks technology at the Chicago Architecture Biennial

2023-09-29T14:01:00-04:00

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has debuted a new concrete alternative material as part of its participation in the fifth Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB 5), which is taking place now through February 11th at multiple locations citywide.

The firm’s Bio-Blocks technology is being presented as a replacement for traditional Concrete Masonry Units (or CMUs) and can reduce emissions on a project by up to 8% if used at scale. The blocks were fabricated with help from Prometheus Materials using microalgae that were then subject to the company’s patent-pending photosynthetic biocementation process. The results seen therein offer a one-metric-ton total offset, according to the product team.

Displayed in a spiral construction courtesy of the International Masonry Institute and J&E Duff, Inc., in The Mews space at their 167 Green development in the city’s Fulton Market District, the product demonstrates its future potential as a building...

Coffee grounds can make concrete a little stronger, too, according to a new RMIT study

2023-08-28T11:58:00-04:00

Engineers in Australia have found a way of making stronger concrete with roasted used-coffee grounds, to give the drink-additive a "double shot" at life and reduce waste going to landfills. [...] Published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, the study by RMIT engineers is the first to prove that waste coffee grounds can be used to improve concrete.

The study found that three different coffee ground samples each increased their concrete pour’s compressive strengths by up to 30% once their organic compounds were broken down through pyrolysis. The discovery could go a long way in combatting issues such as food waste and the carbon impact of concrete’s still rampant use as a construction material worldwide. RMIT will follow up with additional mechanical and durability tests on the same samples.

"Our research is in the early stages, but these exciting findings offer an innovative way to greatly reduce the amount of organic waste that goes to landfill," the paper’s co-lead author, Dr. Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch, explained. Discarded PPE may also have a stirring second life in construction, according to a separate study the same team of researchers published last year.

MIT researchers create strong, ultra-light architected materials using kirigami techniques

2023-08-24T14:02:00-04:00

Researchers at MIT have developed a lightweight architected material inspired by the cellular structures found in natural materials such as honeycombs and bones. Produced with techniques borrowed from the Japanese kirigami paper-cutting technique, the strong metal lattices are lighter than cork while also holding customizable mechanical properties.

Image courtesy of the researchers via MIT

Using kirigami techniques, the MIT team led by Professor Neil Gershenfeld of the Center for Bits and Atoms has produced plate lattice structures on a larger scale than was previously possible. The structures are described as "steel cork" by Gershenfeld due to their lightweight nature combined with high strength and stiffness.

“To make things like cars and airplanes, a huge investment goes into tooling. This manufacturing process is without tooling, like 3D printing. But unlike 3D printing, our process can set the limit for record material properties,” Gershenfeld said in a statement.

Image courtesy...

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...

Woven eucalyptus screens define BE_Design’s Komera Leadership Center in rural Rwanda

2023-07-13T12:36:00-04:00

New York / Kigali-based BE_Design has completed a facility in rural eastern Rwanda designed to provide health, education, and mentorship programs to young women. The Komera Leadership Center, which also serves family development initiatives and community gatherings, is described by the team as “a much-needed community and education hub for local residents.”

Image credit: Bruce Engel

At the heart of the building, a flexible space functions as a gathering hall or a series of classrooms depending on its configuration. Large, hinging translucent panels divide the space into three classrooms when closed, or a large meeting hall when opened at 90 degrees. When fully opened to 270 degrees the space can accommodate larger events such as performances and ceremonies.

Image credit: Bruce Engel

The material composition, formed primarily of woven eucalyptus screens and brick patterns, is inspired by the traditional “Imigono” art originating from th...

BIG designs off-grid 'adventure village' Vollebak Island

2023-06-01T14:29:00-04:00

BIG has shared details about their latest collaboration with British clothing company Vollebak to design a self-sufficient, off-grid island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Named after the brand, the 11-acre Vollebak Island is intended to be fully powered by carbon-neutral energy.

The island site centers around the 6,426-square-foot Earth House, a village-like series of nine interconnected buildings clustered under a man-made hill, and the 947-square-foot Wood House, a standalone garden suite structure on the island’s eastern shoreline.

View of Vollebak Island's Earth House. Rendering: MIR. Image courtesy Vollebak

Each space on the island is made from material tailored for their specific uses, including stacked seaweed, compacted earth, hemp, glass brick, and locally-sourced stone. The island will be powered through a combination of offshore wind, geothermal energy, and solar power, with the energy stored in Tesla power walls.

The Earth House. Rendering: MIR. Image courtesy Vo...

Termite mounds hold secrets for energy-efficient buildings, researchers find

2023-05-30T10:58:00-04:00

Researchers have uncovered a methodology for reducing energy consumption in buildings by studying the structure of termite mounds. Led by Lund University’s Dr. David Andréen and Nottingham Trent University’s Dr. Rupert Soar, the research suggests that the properties of lattice networks in termite mounds, known as an ‘egress complex,’ can be copied to optimize the interior climate of buildings.

“Here we show that the ‘egress complex’, an intricate network of interconnected tunnels found in termite mounds, can be used to promote flows of air, heat, and moisture in novel ways in human architecture,” said Andréen about the study, which was recently published in Frontiers in Materials.

Image credit: Dr. David Andréen

The team grounded their research in the egress complex of Macrotermes michaelseni termites in Namibia, which they observed appeared to promote moisture regulation and ventilation. The mounds are regarded as some of the world’s largest biological structures, capable of reachin...

A Japanese teahouse prototype made from food waste debuts at this year’s Venice Biennale

2023-05-08T13:18:00-04:00

Japanese architecture and engineering firm Mitsubishi Jisho Design has unveiled details of a sustainable teahouse project at the upcoming Venice Architecture Biennale, which takes place from May 20th to November 26th in what is now its 18th edition.

The Veneti-An Tea House prototype is included in the European Cultural Center’s Time Space Existence exhibition, which runs parallel to the fair in the city's Giardini Marinaressa Gardens. According to its designers, the scheme is meant as a place of “renewed connection.” Its structure is composed of food waste products, adding to the intended exploration of themes of environmental protection and sustainable design.

Image courtesy Mitsubishi Jisho Design

The components are culled from local coffee grounds and pasta (common waste products in Italy, according to the designers) made using Fabula Food Concrete, a University of Tokyo-born Japanese product that entered the market only recently and offers architects the chance to build using a m...