Growing as building
pathways of Living Architecture
experimentation with biology, architecture and engineering
The GrAB project
Vienna, November, 2015
The exhibition explores different pathways of Living Architecture, experimentation with biology, architecture and engineering.
The underlying research work looks at growth patterns and dynamics from nature to apply them to architectural visions of a self-growing house. The exhibition presents ideas, approaches and concepts for grown structures evolved by an interdisciplinary team from the fields of architecture, art, biology, robotics and mechatronics.
Architectural concepts for growing structures
“GrAB – Growing As Building takes growth patterns and dynamics from nature and applies them to architecture with the goal of creating a new living architecture. The aim of the project GrAB is to develop architectural concepts for growing structures. Three main directions will be investigated: transfer of abstracted growth principles from nature to architecture, integration of biology into material systems and intervention of biological organisms and concepts with existing architecture. Key issues of investigation will be mechanisms of genetically-controlled and environmentally-informed, self-organised growth in organisms and the differentiation of tissues and materials.” (GrAB)
The mycelium experiments target the creation of solid building material, produced directly from cellulose–based waste products. As mycelium grows, it solidifies the shapeless matter (matter-generating process) within a specific timeframe. I worked closely with different models used for defining the form, such as organic shells, cotton membranes, 3D printed forms and cardboard structures.
Project lead: Dr. Barbara Imhof, Dr. Petra Gruber
Project team: Mag.arch. Waltraut Hoheneder, Dr. Tanja Oberwinkler, MA. Arch. Damjan Minovski, ing. Viktor Gudenus, arch.Ceren Yönetim, arch. Ioana Binica, arch. Mariya Korolova, arch. Rafael Sánchez Herrera, arch. Laura Mesa Arango, arch. Andreas Körner, arch. Mohammedneja Shikur
Cooperation Partner:
Dr. Angelo Vermeulen, Delft University of Technology, Participatory Systems, NL
Prof. Julian Vincent, University of Bath, Biomimetics, Mechanical Engineering, UK
Prof. Thomas Speck, University of Freiburg, Botanischer Garten, Plant Biomechanics Group, DE
Funding body: FWF, Austrian Science Fund, PEEK Programme for Advancement and Development of Artistic Research
Connection at Angewandte: Institute of Architecture, studio Greg Lynn