#SuperGreen
green facades · material development · sustainable · material revolution
The repositioning of materials in architecture from superficial surfaces to elements that need to be understood through physical contact and informed research-lead exploration, has begun.
As architects take a step away from the digital space and back into the world of materials, the growing question among practices and universities is: Can material development be harnessed into a design-led practice?
This research project proposes a new methodology that locates the architect within the early stages of material development, in collaboration with other experts, and questions what the architect’s contribution is to the process. The specific process in question is the development of a sustainable facade/component, made of concrete using waste streams and acting as a biotope for plants, microbes and micro-organisms. The project throws up many questions e.g. Why can’t building façades grow/absorb water or dirt? Can a concrete façade act as a habitat or biotope? These questions are framed both within the context of design and material development. [PhD Research Project]
