Digital and Manual Craft Using Earthen Materials in Architecture

Structures built with raw earth and no cement or synthetic stabilizers have the potential to minimize embodied energy and climate-change impacts. Earthen building processes—contemporary versions of ancient knowledge—are promising components of climate-friendly design that require further exploration and demonstration. To address the potential of earthen materials, students from Columbia GSAPP, in collaboration with the Natural Materials Lab, have been exploring in-depth research on natural materials.

Engaging with theories and hands-on experiences, students developed a range of earth-based mixtures and tested their fabrication mechanisms, including digital 3D printing, mechanical pressing, and manual craft. Students drew inspiration from traditional techniques such as adobe rammed earth, cob, clay plasters, and straw bale construction, to speculate the futures of earth materialities. The class studied the performance and environmental benefits of each speculative project, while making a sensitive choice of materials, technical details, and fabrication processes.

Co-hosted by 1014 and Columbia GSAPP Natural Materials Lab.