In a city with an expanding creative community, architect Jason A. Silva, AIA started a collaborative called SacDigiFab [Sacramento Digital Fabrication and Design by Architects] with the following idea: SacDigiFab believes in Sacramento's talent and design innovation where beautiful data generates inspired temporary public architecture.
In 2012, Jason started working with a local packaging company to provide die-cut and stamped corrugated materials for full-size structure prototyping. From thousands of parts, folded and assembled with only white glue and friction fitting, the scale of the structures was limited only by the number of volunteers.
Corrugated cardboard has been the material of choice due to its durability, structural strength and ease of fabrication. With the parts adhered with ordinary white glue, the design potential is almost unlimited. Provided by our sponsor, American River Packaging, the corrugated material starts from recycled sources and when we’re through, it’s donated local groups, where they use it for weed abatement in organic gardening and for craft projects. Extra material is returned to American River Packaging, where it is shredded and processed through their anaerobic digester. Combined with post-processing food waste, the anaerobic digester converts it to methane gas, which is run through a turbine to create electricity, which in turn, powers the plant that fabricates the cardboard. The closed-loop material life-cycle reinforces the value of this form of experimentation.
The 2012 BTWN Pavilion was formed as a 140 foot long structure of 4"x8" tubes that rose up from the ground, only to be truncated and reformed into bales of recycled material (seating). The tubes are designed with a custom end-cap that reinforced the structure.
The 2013 .WAV Pavilion is created from three to four thousand telescoping triangle tubes with the final structure reaching over 30 feet in height.
Core design & leadership:
Jason A. Silva, AIA
Ginger Rhodes
Steven Colasanti
Daniel Gordon Christman-Jenson
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