Materials

New concrete vaulted floor suggests path to cutting carbon emissions

March 4, 2022 Rima Sabina Aouf 0

Paul Shepherd stands atop the ACORN vaulted concrete floor prototype at the University of Cambridge

A new type of flooring that uses 75 per cent less concrete than the current standard has been invented by researchers at the universities of Bath, Cambridge and Dundee, who say it could make a “major difference” to the construction industry’s carbon footprint. The UK-based researchers from the ACORN project (the name is short for

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Blast Studio 3D prints column from mycelium to make “architecture that could feed people”

January 18, 2022 Jennifer Hahn 0

3D-printed mycelium Tree Column by Blast Studio with curvy silhouette

London practice Blast Studio has developed a method for 3D printing with living mycelium and used it to form a column that could be harvested for mushrooms before serving as a structural building element. The two-metre-high Tree Column has a ridged, undulating structure reminiscent of a tree trunk. Its shape was algorithmically designed to enhance

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ETH Zurich develops formwork from 3D-printed foam to slash concrete use in buildings

January 10, 2022 Jennifer Hahn 0

Close up of precast concrete slab with hollow cells created using 3D-printed FoamWork by ETH Zurich

Researchers at ETH Zurich have used 3D-printed formwork elements made from recyclable mineral foam to create a pre-cast concrete slab, which they say is lighter and better insulated while using 70 per cent less material. The system, known as FoamWork, sees a conventional rectangular mould filled with 24 mineral formwork elements in different shapes and

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Carpenters Workshop Gallery presents design exhibition on heritage, place and identity

January 7, 2022 Jane Englefield 0

Anava Projects and Ashlee Harrison have curated an exhibition by emerging artists from the US and Caribbean at New York’s Carpenters Workshop Gallery, which includes sculptures woven from kelp and hand-carved furniture. Called New Guard: Stories from the New World, the exhibition is part of the New Guard series by international gallery group Carpenters Workshop

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Three Little Pigs story reinforces prejudices that biomaterials are “terrible”

December 22, 2021 Jane Englefield 0

The fable of the Three Little Pigs highlights negative perceptions about natural construction materials, according to James Drinkwater, head of Built Environment at philanthropic climate organisation the Laudes Foundation. Speaking about the need to increase the use of timber and other biomaterials in construction, Drinkwater said that the well-known children’s story presented natural materials such

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The Dezeen guide to bio-based materials in architecture, design and interiors

December 9, 2021 James Parkes 0

Hermes Victoria bag in Sylvania mycelium leather by MycoWorks

Thinking of using natural materials in your project? Our latest Dezeen guide includes 12 types of biomaterials commonly used in architecture, design and interiors. The term biomaterials is used to describe building materials derived from living organisms including plants, animals and fungi. Plant-based materials, which we mostly focus on in this guide, are becoming increasingly

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The Dezeen guide to bio-based materials in architecture, design and interiors

December 9, 2021 James Parkes 0

Thinking of using natural materials in your project? Our latest Dezeen guide includes 12 types of biomaterials commonly used in architecture, design and interiors. The term biomaterials is used to describe building materials derived from living organisms including plants, animals and fungi. Plant-based materials, which we mostly focus on in this guide, are becoming increasingly

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Cement and concrete industry publishes roadmap to reach net-zero emissions by 2050

October 15, 2021 Alice Finney 0

Forty leading international cement and concrete manufacturers have published a plan to eliminate carbon emissions from one of the world’s most polluting industries. The commitment has been made by members of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA). Together, they represent nearly 80 per cent of the industry outside China. Published ahead of next month’s

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The Dezeen guide to plastic in architecture, design and interiors

September 22, 2021 Jennifer Hahn 0

Thinking of using plastic in your project? Our latest Dezeen guide includes more than 11 types of plastic commonly used in architecture, design and interiors, with links to hundreds of projects for inspiration. Plastics are among the most versatile materials in existence. Defined by their plasticity, they have long carbon chains called polymers at their backbone and can

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UK cement industry sets out roadmap to “go beyond net-zero” by 2050

August 25, 2021 Marcus Fairs 0

UK producers are trialling new types of cement production methods and testing low-carbon concrete recipes in a bid to eliminate carbon emissions and become a net-zero industry. The moves are part of a roadmap that identifies seven ways of decarbonising the industry with the aim of going “beyond net-zero” by 2050. These include running production

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