Narratives for recovered polymers to new architectural building components. Design through a search for imperfection

This research led project develops critical practices into architectural narratives for recovered polymers and explores the synergy of structures and architecture at building scale, engaging with the practice of recovery, construction and application. The work categories polymer type capacities for applications by research and production in the form of a series of prototypes and prototyping relevant to inform larger initiatives of applied construction and assembly of recovered polymers as a material for architecture. The work investigates adoptions of current state of the art robotic processes, 3D printing and milling, to use recovered polymers towards the use as custom building components. Specifically, the project investigates the potential of recovered polymers for:
•Exploring new forms of material tectonic expressions embedded in process of production
•Knowledge into material recovery, life cycling and product performances in respect to their final climate impact
•Categorizing polymer type capacities for structural, construction and assembly application
•Mass customization techniques and values of component design as an integrated part of holistic design development
•Differentiated surface expression available through 3D printing, milling and production
The research project follows an iterative prototyping process extending the scope for design and design evaluation, to move creativity to new frontiers in geometry, tool collaborations and environment interaction, and as a consequence, beyond computer simulation to built artefact and production. The project assumes an open-thinking and production laboratory approach as a means of accumulating knowledge to inform design development and application. This relies upon a design, and development – build process, where new knowledge has been accumulated via explorations of material performances, from laboratory to construction mock-ups, having the intention of end product development for practice adoption and applications.
The primary material is recovered polymers, and research development has focused on techniques for producing stable building material that stems from recovered polymers that can be re-processed sometime in the future for further applications and uses. The project accumulates knowledge into material life cycling and product performances in respect to their final climate impact, but focusses principally on the architectural qualities embedded in control of production techniques and facilitating longer term patinas of material surfaces to extend the aesthetic beyond the common judgements of polymers as short term, disposable and clinical in its appearances. Inherent qualities of the respective polymers frame the research investigation. Polymers are strong, robust, flexible and translucent. The experiments have therefore focused on how the inherent material qualities drive a design brief towards specific investigations. Specifically, this entails studies into kinetic translucent design facades and claddings that can be responsive to light intensities and directions, offering dynamic sun screening that can track paths of light to either exclude, or include sunlight, dependent upon light intensities – and at the same time allows the material to explore aesthetics induced through production and patinas obtained over time while exposed to the Danish environment.