Decomposition & Restoration (biomaterials, landscape, and construction waste)

Whereas traditional architecture is a negotiation between building and site, modular architecture fractures the site from factory-built modules. This relationship led us to focus on the impact of construction on the land, and how this one-directional flow of delivered material can fit in with architecture’s evolving role in supporting the environment. We designed biomaterial packaging for wrapping modules, and once modules are transported on site, can be used for the geotechnical conditions specific to its settings.

School of Architecture | Graduate Architecture
Students: Amy Chien, Marissa Zhao
Faculty: Carlos Arnaiz, Kerim Eken
There are thirty-five samples of bioplastic that range from one inch to one foot in actual size. The coloring of the samples derived from the food-grade ingredients we used from the formulas we consulted, and range from deep red to yellow to brown. The textures of the plastics resembled rubber, crisp cellophane, and hard PVC. There is a label in the top-left corner that labels this the bioplastic material library, and each sample is labeled in order to be referenced in a separate appendix for detailed description of the formula that the sample represents.
The bioplastic formula for our final product used cellulose and organic honey for its flexibility, strength, and aesthetics, but we also experimented with chitosan, agar agar, gelatin, cellulose, and red ochre clay. Biodegradability was central to how we envisioned this material’s life after use as a modular architecture building wrap.
Each of the six images shows a photograph of a landscaping setting, and superimposed on the ground is a line drawing suggesting the form of a geotextile. In the first row, the first image shows a ski slope with a chairlift, and round voids on the slope. The second image shows a beach bluff with driftwood, and a wavy branch-like bunch at the bottom of the bluff. The third image shows a salt flat, and a net over the ground. In the second row, this fourth image shows a football stadium with artificial turf, and round voids on the turf. The fifth image shows a cleared ground with packed dirt and rolls of drainage fabric lined up, and a tight net drawn over the drainage fabric. The sixth and last image shows cars parked on a pervious paver surface of concrete with grass growing through, and the shapes of the voids in the concrete traced from the underlying photograph.
The restoration aspect of our project leverages the disconnect between landscape and factory-built modules by replicating site remediation techniques. We considered possible destinations for modular architecture and used the form and use of geotextiles to the shape or healing of variable site conditions–whether near shorelines, steep slopes, or unstable soils.
There are twenty-seven samples of biorubber that range from one inch to one foot in actual size. The coloring of the samples ranges from the black of the biochar ingredient to the yellow of the gelatin ingredient. The textures of the biorubber resembled cement, marshmallow, and rubber.
The life cycle analysis diagram consists of four intersecting loops and shows symbols of seeds in the soil, food, plate, and utensils, a garbage can, conveyor belt machinery, a supermarket cart, chemistry glassware, an explosion that represents unexpected failure, two trays stacked, a factory with smokestacks, a semi-truck, stacked rectangular boxes that represent architectural modules, a perspective view of a module with biomaterial peeling off, an image of biomaterial on the face of a ski slope, a detailed view of the repeating pattern of the biomaterial, a symbol of snow and rain, and the image of seeds in soil appearing two more times to complete the loops. A perspective drawing of a rectangular module with the biomaterial pattern is at the loop’s intersection.
The drawing in perspective of three square layers is showing the different forms of each layer of biomaterial that combine to make one continuous panel. The labels for each layer read "Reinforcement layer: metal wire or woven fiber," "Padding layer: biorubber," and "Weather layer: bioplastic."
The drawing in perspective of three square layers is showing the different forms of each layer of biomaterial that combine to make one continuous panel.
The drawing of two sequences of symbols that merge into one sequence depicts the process of making these biomaterials. The top row of drawings shows pouring bioplastic into a flat form or tray to air cure. Below this top row is a square casting mold with a woven pattern of biorubber poured, which is then shown without the square mold. A clock indicates the air curing time of biorubber, right after which the bioplastic is combined with the curing biorubber. The last image in the sequence is the end of a rectangular module with the fabricated biomaterial applied on the exterior of the module walls.
The image of three squares of mixed materials above and three squares of black patterns shows the photograph documentation of our physical models. Bioplastic, biorubber, and metal wire supported in a wood frame in the top three photos, and the bottom three show biorubber poured in each of the three pattern designs for our fabrication molds.
The image of three squares of mixed materials above and three squares of black patterns shows the photograph documentation of our physical models. Bioplastic, biorubber, and metal wire supported in a wood frame in the top three photos, and the bottom three show biorubber poured in each of the three pattern designs for our fabrication molds.
Link to the project documentation.
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