Materiality and digital technologies: concrete experiments for the built environment

Abstract

Purpose: This paper presents the applied research and design work on innovative and sustainable building products developed by an undergraduate architecture seminar course. It presents the case for innovative uses of cement-based products, while framing the proposals within a global shift toward environmentally responsive and bio-integrated materials. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology utilizes a process of hybridization between digital fabrication and analog making methods that is framed within the larger design discourse and that intersects the digital design process with material know-how. The approach engages local problematics and applies advanced technology and the integration of natural behaviors to develop a rich applied design method. Findings: Through the presented work and proposed building products, critical findings and outcomes emerge, ones that relate to the design process itself and others to the designed products. Originality/value: The research presented here proposes novel approaches to cement-based building systems utilizing digital and analog fabrication, and original design solutions that engage with their context and provide active and crucial environmental performance. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.