Halfforms

Research


Project description


Halfforms
Material agency in spatial formations

 
Assuming sustainability as a prerequisite for a future building culture, the research project integrates separate approaches emerging in architectural discourse and related fields into a methodology for understanding the architectural potential of vulcanized fiber and developing a prototypical building system. Vulcanized fiber is a little-known, industrial, cellulose-based product produced in sheets. Besides a good ecological balance, this material is durable, strong, and lightweight, offering significant potential for architectural application. Of special interest is the material’s natural deformation as a result of the drying process. It not only produces a distinct, natural form aesthetics, but also a potentially improved structural performance as well as an ambiguous functionality and spatial quality. In this context, it is essential to study the levels of control between form definition and a self-forming process.

The project builds on developments in paper-based construction and aims at investigating the aesthetic, functional, spatial, and constructive potential of plant-based vulcanized fiber, used as building components in architecture. Understanding the distinct characteristics of parts and the emerging implication for potential correlations is the basis for a bottom-up method of designing spatial structures. Hereby, natural-physical phenomena are combined with a hybrid working method of digital and analog techniques - to formulate a contemporary articulation of sustainable architecture.

By following the dynamic principles of distinct materials to conceptualize architectural environments beyond utilitarianism, this research aims to activate a new resource in architecture and expand the aesthetic, functional, and spatial norms of sustainable building culture.

Organization


 
 


Research Institution

Innsbruck Universität
Department of experimental architecture
Building Design and Construction

Funding Institution

Austrian Science Fund
Arts-Based Research  program (PEEK)
Research project number AR 808-GBL
2023 - 2027

Project lead

Karolin Schmidbaur

Researchers

Lukas Allner
Gonzalo Vaíllo


Expert Support

Prof. Dr. Thomas Bechtold
Prof. Dr. Tung Pham 

Universität Innsbruck
Research Institute of Textile Chemistry und Textile Physics (Material Science, Ecology)

Prof. Dr. Matthias Gondan-Rochon

Universität Innsbruck
Institute for Psychology
Department of Quantitative Methods (Psychology)

Mag. Arch. Moritz Heimrath

Bollinger + Grohmann ZT, Vienna,  (Structural Engineering)

Gwyllim Jahn

Fologram, Founder (AR Applications)

Dr. Susanne Witzgall

Academy of Fine Arts
Head of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, Munich (Theory)

Industrial Partner

Ernst Krüger GmbH & Co KG

Geldern, Germany (Vulcanized Fiber)

Contact





Department of experimental architecture
Building Design and Construction
Technikerstrasse 21 / 3.OG Nord
6020 Innsbruck - Austria

Phone: +43 512 507 64610

hochbau@uibk.ac.at



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