Robotic Ecotectonics: Ceramic Hydro-Growth
Fall 2023 • Advanced Research Studio
Under the academic study of Ehsan Baharlou
The focus of this studio was to engage in the design and construction of eco-composite envelopes through the use of robotic additive manufacturing techniques. Meiling Fan and Jena Lahham focused on developing a 3D-printed ceramic module for soilless cultivation to explore alternative, sustainable material systems of ecological design. The final artifact is the result of a 3D printed earthenware clay vessel which is kiln-fired, filled with water, and coated in a bio-ink of hydrogel and microgreen seeds.
FastCompany | Innovation by Design 2024 Honoree. Read it here.
Research Aim
To explore the potential for edible urban growth as applied through systems of soilless cultivation, passive irrigation, and biomaterials.
Testing for the hydrogel’s consistency, nutrients, texture, and application, the final hydrogel recipe contained 240g deionized water, 4g agar agar, 2g xanthin gum, and 2.4g hydrogen peroxide.
This hydrogel would later be passively irrigated through a water-filled ceramic module that was 3D-printed, air dried, and kiln-fired.
In the context of our project, hydrogel had 3 main properties that would benefit the system:
Nutrient dense makeup of agar agar, which is derived from red algae
Passive cooling effects due to evaporation, drawing heat away from its surroundings
High water content and retention that would hold enough water to sustain a living system
Bio-ink applicationWater-filled ceramic moduleSelecting ceramic for our structure was directly informed by looking to indigenous practices of passive irrigation. Baked, unglazed and buried clay pots are referred to as Olla irrigation where the porosity of the clay allows the contained water to slowly seep out to the surrounding plants. Where traditional Olla pots are fired between 1800-2000 degrees Celsius, through a series of firing tests, we finalized our firing temperature at 1870 degrees (cone 05) based on the performance of water absorption.
After iterating through multiple possibilities of surface texture and aggregation for compatibility with the hydrogel, it brought us to this version of our design where (1) there is more depth and dimension (2) interlocking of curved edges incorporated into the design rather than straight edges for vertical stacking. Leveraging the use of generative design, we were able to control the curvature and depth by freely manipulating the surface in 3 dimensions.
3D-printed with potterbotAir dried, kiln fired, and bio-ink coated moduleThe material system consists of ceramic as the structure to the system, with hydrogel as a soilless substrate, microgreens as edible growth, and water as a component to passively irrigate and sustain the system. Each component is vital to maintaining the cycle.
Discussion
Whether this acts as an indoor garden wall in a kitchen to have access to fresh greens or as a partition wall between noisy, hot urban spaces - there’s a versatility in the passive cooling and edible growth of the ceramic structure. In regard to life cycle, after applying the hydrogel and seeds, there is virtually no daily maintenance as long as the water containment unit is functioning. After a week, the greens can be harvested and while most of the hydrogel should be dissolved, any remnants can be easily peeled or wiped. While the project contains a newly developed material system, there is still much to be researched in it’s larger context to architecture and how using methods of soilless cultivation and passive irrigation systems can impact future building practices.
A special thank to you Dr.-Ing Ehsan Baharlou for the academic expertise, mentorship, and material support throughout our research exploration.
Additional recognition to Eric Schmidt and Assistant Professor Conrad Cheung at the Arts Department for aiding in the kiln firing of prototypes as well as Trevor Kemp for providing training on the FabLab Potterbot and associated tools.