Rethinking the Building

Rethinking the building with earth in Architecture.

The relation between architecture and building technologies has played a significant role in the advance of both through the history. In a context of digital revolution, we need to ask ourselves: What are the capabilities of digital tectonic in earth architecture? This research attempts to answer to this question based on the results of an on-going work developed at digital fabrication laboratory Vitruvius Fablab-IUL in Lisbon. The main goal is to explore the capabilities of advanced digital fabrication processes within earth construction to generate low cost self-build housing solutions. Digital fabrication opens the possibility to economically produce customized building components on-site, based on the introduction of material and production logic into the design process. This challenge has been addressed by adopting a methodology that explores parametric generative design and computer-controlled manufacturing technologies to develop building solutions with earth. This paper reports the initial development of a self-build constructive system based on four digital fabrication processes with earth.

Bárbara Varela

Processos Digitais. Depoimento. Paio, Alexandra; Silva, Brimet, in D|Digital. Revista arqa – Arquitectura e Arte. Dicionário 2000-2016. 1 (122), 2016, p. 50-55.