We featured "Concrete Curtains" earlier but what does concrete have to do with lightweight architecture? Researchers at the Kassel University are exploring new synergies of constructions and materials - including a combination of membrane constructions and concrete.
To create this lightweight building out of concrete, a flexible skin with an embedded membrane structure is inflated with air and filled up with a special concrete mixture such as UHPC (Ultra High Performance Concrete). Once the substance is hardened a solid concrete skeleton allows the building to be finished from the inside.
Instant housing such as these concrete-based Concrete Canvas Shelters are made to save lives in refugee camps. If Kassel's research works out well, building a solid house might become as quick and easy and as blowing up a big balloon?
The next weeks we'll be featuring new applications of well-known materials to refresh our material thinking. We are starting off with a very usual material indeed: concrete!--Please update your bookmarks if you are still filing concrete under "rough and clumsy". The Concrete Curtain by Memux architectural design from Vienna redefines...
Ultrason is one of the high-performance plastics by BASF which is usually found your car's headlights or engine parts. Inspired by the materials properties, the designers at IDEO (Munich) were invited to conceptualize more everyday applications. The HEAT project reinterprets everyday objects such as a hairdryer, lampshade, toaster, kettle and...
The sustainable materials and resources community Ecolect has just launched Limelight, a monthly series dedicated to featuring Ecolect members doing extraordinary sustainable design. The debut designer is Teresita Cochran, CEO and co-founder of SMIT, or Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology. In addition to checking out its Grow hybrid energy device at...
Anyone know why bamboo is becoming so popular? As we've seen in Bamboo, Part I, it's a total bitch to process, so why not stick with wood?The short answer is it's green, sustainable, strong, plentiful, and profitable. As it has been for a while--people have been using it for millenia...
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