How can a better understanding of materials and the building industry guide our design choices? This studio is part of a series where each semester will investigate one particular material in depth, examining the full building process from the extraction of raw materials, production of elements, transportation, building technology and life cycle. ​

This semester we will study regenerative and recycled composites with low impact on our environment. Learning about their current use through a historical and technological lense, we will seek to understand their future potential in form-making and the architectural project. 

This course will simultaneously examine the building industry, trying to get an overview of how it works and reflecting on its culture and environmental impact. Learning from traditional building techniques and material science, we will experiment with a range of new materials and discuss how we can develop better practices that can be implemented in new and innovative ways. We will research the manufacture of buildings and building components and develop prototypical designs for a medium size building project on a given site.

Wasted !

wasted | ˈweɪstɪd |

1 used or expended carelessly or to no purpose

2 weak or emaciated

3 in state of delusion 

Waste, like money, is a human construct, a measure of use and value. The conventional way of thinking about waste, rubbish, trash, garbage, is as meaningless or worthless material. Yet, the thing, like the concept, is created. A broken bill is trash; a vintage record is gold. The status of waste is relative. 

This studio will focus on the lack of understanding of the environmental impact of materials and their life cycle: how is raw matter extracted, processed and eventually disposed of or reused? We will look at resource extraction practices that leave great scars on the earth and an enormous amount of construction and demolition waste behind, putting land under pressure and disrupting ecosystems.

Take for instance, clay. Clay is a product found in large quantities around the world. When excavation for a construction site occurs, clay is removed and treated as a waste product. Clay however is an extremely versatile construction material that has fantastic structural, acoustic, thermal and aesthetic qualities. The same can be said for many other by-products from the agricultural and mining industry. Often seen as incidental or invitable secondary results, residue, they are discarded as garbage. 

We will ask why earth, bio-​based and reused materials are still not widespread in the construction sector; and we will reach out to different local industries in order to experiment with new material sources and explore their architectural potential. Some examples of such materials are low-carbon geopolymer concretes, earth and fiber composites and bio-based materials such as mycelium.