BEYOND | call for projects
ENTRY #30 | b.1/o. cement
Project Brief
B. 1/O. CEMENT harnesses local resources within the UAE and fuses them together to generate a biological composite. Borrowing material technology from the medical industry, our version of bio-cement is a process concreting sand by the biorhythms of cyanobacteria. Utilizing sand and microalgae as the two main raw materials, our site within the UAE region becomes the optimal test bed for developing this material system at an architectural scale. Our intentions are to project the capabilities and limits of our system into UAE life and develop structures that activate human settlement within the desert.
Another facet of our project is to study the morphological generation of bio-cement in relation to a constantly evolving landscape. Therefore, our system is twofold in its development. On one side it is an additive expression of solidified sand, whilst on the other it is in a constant state of eroding and forming to the winds desires. It is to this effect that simulation of both digital and analog models is key to the research and development of our prototypes.
Both digital and analog modeling are structured upon an individual algorithm by starting the certain inputs, and then critically reflect in the outcomes. Based on the feedbacks, the merits and demerits within the algorithm are easily be evaluated and thus are used in designing the next modeling.
The prototype presents the construction generated from an analog modeling process that simulate the relationship between wind and sand dunes. In actual environment condition, dunes are accumulated gradually by wind. During this, the bio-construction could established progressively in a repeated manner that the cyanobacteria is arranged in between two adjacent heights of sand levels. This construction-creating path is as the same approach that 3D-print technology constructs models. Based on this, the binder is dropped layer by layer in order to model the construction that might be created in the desert region.
The prototype suggests the usage possible for local people regarding to the creation of the spatial structure. However, this prototype mainly underlines the relation causality between wind and dunes-morphology transition. The further research will be kept evolving alone the actual site.
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