Prolific dome-shaped homes: Blending Tech and Soil
Tecla is indeed the synthesis of years of research and a humble abode that truly pays homage to ancient architecture and21st-century technology.
Taking the form from the figureless earth to the earth as a house figure, the dream of a 3D Clay printed house has been brought to reality with the conception of an eco-habitat model namely TECLA. Stationed in Massa Lombarda (Ravenna, Italy), this advanced home is a magnificent collaboration of Mario Cucinella Architects and the 3D printing technology of WASP and is solely because of the eco-sustainability research of the SOS- School of Sustainability. Taking its name after ‘Technology and Clay’, it is a nearly zero-emission project, in which the value of raw materials is amplified by digitalisation. The study of bioclimatic principles and vernacular construction practices has been brought to the foray which has reduced wastes and scraps. The 3D tech has minimised the use of human and energy resources as well.
Offering a low carbon and affordable dwelling, the interior space of TECLA is roughly 650 sq. ft. Built layer by layer using an intricate latticework pattern, the overall structure is two circular spaces joined together with a living zone and a night zone, accommodated with a bedroom and a bath. With minimalistic furnishings like tables and chairs, the place uses the WASP’s Marker Economy Starter Kit, consisting of 3D printers. With each printer having a printing area of 50 sq. m., the shapeless matter is computerized and managed to build modules of any shape. The processing involves excavation of soil, removal of stones and gravels with a sieve, and mixing the soil with water in a concrete mixer which makes the solid walls. The printer squeezes the mix through a nozzle which stacks thin layers on the walls. A complicated process including 200 hours of printing and 7000 machine codes to 350 layers of 12mm, it also includes 150 km of extrusion as well 60 cubic meters of natural materials for consumption of 6KW.
Establishing the vision of cutting-edge construction with organic materials, this double dome has curving walls and arched ceilings. By using soil, the environmental impacts of making cement are avoided, and also it reduces transportation costs. Presented forth as a solution to contemporary problems like climate change and housing shortages, it is relatively sustainable and cheap and designed to be resilient and energy-efficient.
