ods | sustainable cities and communities
The building is a project of the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia that prioritizes respect and adaptation to the environment and applies sustainability at its best
The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) has presented the first building in Spain made with clay and a 3D printer. The prototype, built at the Valldaura Labs facilities (Barcelona), represents the bridge between the past – vernacular clay architecture – and the future – large-scale 3D printing technology. Its creators assure that this technique will not only serve to change the architecture of the future, but that it will be very useful when dealing with the current climate and housing crisis around the world.
TOVA is the name given to this innovative commitment, the first of its kind in Spain, which has also been carried out with one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly construction methods that exist today.
The construction took only seven weeks to complete and only zero kilometer materials were used to reduce its carbon footprint and apply high sustainability standards, as well as a WASP crane, that is, an architectural 3D printer.
General view of the prototype, which uses egg whites and aloe for its waterproofing.
The construction process has not generated waste, since the materials were obtained within a radius of 50 meters. The structure was made with local clay, mixed with additives and enzymes, to achieve the structural integrity and material elasticity necessary for optimized 3D printing.
The foundation is made of geopolymer and the roof is made of wood. To ensure durability, a waterproof layer was added, using raw materials such as aloe and egg whites.
“The building takes into account the climatic conditions of the Mediterranean: the volume is compact to protect itself from the cold in winter, but it can be opened and expanded during the other three seasons of the year to enjoy the outside”, they explain from the aforementioned research institute.
The peculiar shape of the walls insulates and contains the air, which protects from the sun in summer and prevents heat loss in winter.
The walls are made up of a network of cavities that insulate and contain the air, so that heat loss is avoided in winter, while in summer they protect from solar radiation.
It is a project with carbon emissions close to zero since its envelope and the exclusive use of a local material translate into the reduction of waste. Bearing in mind that current construction methods are responsible for 36% of CO2 emissions, TOVA is a pioneering example of low-carbon building.
The possible applications of this construction model are endless: from homes to public spaces, both indoors and outdoors. In combination with other construction systems, it can give rise to complex and innovative buildings that would reduce the environmental impact of construction.
In addition, this a prototype of sustainable housing could be built anywhere in the world. “It demonstrates a promising technique that opens the door to solving problems of access to housing in vulnerable areas or in temporary settlements, offering options for the creation of affordable and more sustainable spaces,” maintain its creators, thinking of an uncertain climate future.
The interior of the TOVA building.
3D printing (or additive manufacturing) allows highly customizable houses for different uses, for example in the case of housing and service communities.
With this and other projects, the IAAC responds to climate and migratory emergencies that are increasingly serious, providing new solutions that contribute to resolving the global housing crisis that will have to be faced in the future, caused by large migrations or natural disasters.
“This example of rapid construction could serve to respond to urgent and massive housing needs, as could be the case of communities for asylum seekers,” they add from the IAAC.
training for the future
The project is the result of the constant research carried out by the IAAC to find new ways to face the social and environmental challenges of the future through its various education and research programs.
In addition, it has been developed within the framework of the IAAC 3dPA Research Postgraduate Course, whose objective is to train young architects and construction researchers, and to explore the possibilities of 3D printing in this sector.
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