Zachary Alan Smith’s final thesis at NewSchool of Architecture and Design was
inspired by the evolving use of concrete in structural forms, in particular the
use of the material by architect Rudolph M. Schindler in La Jolla, San Diego,
where six of the original 12 housing units designed by Schindler still exist,
as well as by Smith’s interest in how concrete is incorporated into the Salk
Institute building, also in La Jolla. Smith’s thesis project is a study into
concrete structural forms that proposes a design to collect water for storage
or irrigation purpose. The form of the design is based on the system of water
collection adapted by the Namibian
Desert Beetle, which collects moisture on its back and then drinks the
water from its own structural system of folds by tilting its back. The design
proposal is applied to two specific scenarios: housing pods in Oxnard that
could be used by migrant farm workers during the farming season and tourists at
other times; and placement near a water
treatment plant in Chicago to collect rainwater. A third case scenario would
provide customized solutions for homes collecting water run-off in suburban
areas for slow-drip irrigation. Through these case studies, the project
explores the advances and future potential of concrete material as an
affordable and flexible structural component.
Excerpt
from thesis by Zachary Alan Smith:
As drafting and design become predominantly
digital, architects are exploring forms and shapes that challenge traditional
architectural structural notions. Consequently, these new forms are pushing the
boundaries of traditional building materials and what can actually be built.
Conveniently, however, we likely do not need novel materials to produce these
newer digital forms—we can instead look to new applications of a material we
have used for centuries.
Concrete has
traditionally been a popular material within architecture, owing to its
strength, temperature control, abundance, and cost-effectiveness. However,
there are also features of concrete that make it an ideal material for building
more contemporary digital forms that have traditionally eluded the transition
from digital to physical form. As software allows us to design forms, shapes,
and concepts that defy flat plane geometries, concrete carries the potential to
respond to these dimensions while also maintaining its structural integrity.
Concrete is an ideal candidate for a cost-effective, widely-available material
that has seen improvements in its structural properties over the past 10-20
years. I will describe here the evolution of concrete as a building material
that makes it ideal for pushing forward modern architecture in realizing structures
that have previously only been ephemeral conceptions.
Similar to how many newer
3D modeling programs break down complex curvature into
polygonal meshes in order to create both
accuracy and infinite flexibility, we can pixilate a curved form into several rigid polygonal
plates and connect them with a flexible membrane to generate complex moulds. Then, Glass Fiber
Reinforced (GFR) concrete—with its increased strength, rapid cure times and spray
application—will allow the moulds to be very thin and thus highly flexible compared to
traditional concrete forming methods. Furthermore, these moulds are both inexpensive to produce and
can be re-used to create a large variety of curved forms and shapes.For more information:
Anna Cearleyacearley@newschoolarch.edu Tel. 1-619-684-8791
Cell. 1-619-301-3701