2022-2023, Winter & Spring Quarters, 20 weeks, UCLA
Group Project with: Thomas Koyama
Architecture in the Anthropocene should take on issues of climate and duration. In this studio, we are reclaiming an existing concrete mixing factory into a concrete testing and research institute. Concrete is a material that, cradle-to-gate, consumes 16.6 cubic kilometers of water each year, or about 500 million gallons per hour. Concrete is a material with a high carbon footprint, generating 1 pound of CO2 for every 1.6 pounds of cement, and accounting for 8.6% of global CO2 emissions. It is an incredibly durable material; projected to perform for about 100 years in modern applications, and capable of enduring for over 2,000 years. It is fireproof, performs well under compression, and can be reinforced with steel for tensile purposes. Concrete is not limited to non-planar geometry and offers a wide variety of construction methods and finishes: it can be poured in place, precast as panels, cast and assembled as discrete modules, and can incorporate various other materials. Concrete can also be recycled into aggregate for future pours; 1 metric ton of recycled concrete saves 6,182 liters of water and 900kg of CO2.
The future of concrete lies in discoveries regarding its sustainability, especially with regards to its production process and potential for recycling.
As we continue to create, use, and reuse concrete, we must invest time and energy into more sustainable methods of production and consumption. The solution is not to abandon the use of this material and lose its versatility, beauty, and structural qualities, but rather to alter our approach to the use and manufacturing of concrete, which is only possible through experimentation and research.
During our early concrete material studies, we were interested in the dichotomy of characteristics between the smooth, planar surfaces and the more irregular and “crunchy” aesthetic that was produced by incorporating crumpled paper as part of the formwork. We were interested in how this irregular aesthetic could be applied across different materials and scales; whether it is a perforated metal rainscreen facade or precast concrete panels in the exhibition space. As materials and spaces become crunchy, their character is altered, the way they interact with and filter light becomes more complicated, and the feeling they give spaces is changed.
Our metal facade is one expression of the crunchy, and serves to filter and manage sunlight, in addition to semi enclosing the exterior areas of our visitor programming. Layering the panels creates a moiré effect in some areas, allowing this expression of crunchy to play heavily with light, transparency, and viewpoints. The use of the crunchy in public spaces as precast concrete panels is intended to showcase the capabilities of concrete, as one of our core design intents is to celebrate the versatility and beauty of our chosen material.
