BEYOND | call for projects
ENTRY #15 | bioplastic morphologies
Project Brief
The project started with the exploration of bioplastics, which are made with various types of starch (potato, tapioca…), water, vinegar and glycerine and possible aggregrates such as plaster powder. Bioplastics, being viscous materials, can take whatever shape you force them to have. However, there is an interesting aspect of this type of material that can be explored.
By elongating a viscous paste between two surfaces, the three dimensional volume that the material occupies increases one of its dimensions and subsequently the other two dimensions reduce. The result is the creation of dendrites that converge towards the centre of the elongation distance. This configuration makes structural sense as it creates a multi-directional support system.
The bioplastic material and the elongation manipulation system are then explored for an architectural application.
The shape that the viscous material acquires is translated into a bridge, which spans between two points. This was the most direct translation of the configuration.
At a small architectural component scale I designed a bioplastic viscous brick system. Each component is made with a flexible surface used to stretch the viscous plastic material. The elongated components can be stacked one on top of each other like a brick wall.
At a bigger scale, a wall system is explored by stretching linear elements over longer distances. Changing the initial conditions of the surfaces and playing with difference types of elongation process, interesting forms can be achieved.
Project Credits
Marilu Valente
Affiliation/Organisation:
Merged Vertices, France
Affiliation/Organisation Website :
Organized by :
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With the collaboration of :
