Concretion

Contribution to the 12th International Exhibition of Architecture at the Venice Biennale 2010

Austria under Construction / Curated by Eric Owen Moss

Austrian Pavilion, Venezia, Italy

2010

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1. INTRODUCTION

BUILDING WITHIN THE EXISTING CONTEXT / REINTERPRETATION OF STANDING STRUCTURES

These investigations aim at combining spatial interventions and potential new usages with the improvement of energy efficiency in the redevelopment of existing structures. The aim is to develop a new building component that stores energy, acts as thermal insulation, is load bearing and can also function to extend and connect spaces. This project should thus be seen as contributing towards the development of future-oriented techniques within the field of building refurbishment.

REALIZATION / APPLICATION IN BUILDING REFURBISHMENT

The introduction of ‚thick‘, ‚alive‘ building components made of insulating concrete, emerging from a new technique for mold-making and pouring, are proposed as solutions to this issue.

1.1 CONCRETE AS MONOLITHIC MEDIUM

The addition of new elements to existing structures expands or compresses spaces. Concrete is applied as a monolithic, massive medium that – due to its particular composition – stores energy and creates space. The inclusion of passages, niches, openings redirect the view or channel the light to reveal the inner life of these objects.

1.2 REALIZATION OF FREE FORMS / FORM WORK AND POURING

This project aims at applying the digitally developed design form concepts existent within architectural education and practice, to relevant component production methods and materials. Flexible membranes are introduced as new components in the production of formwork. Furthermore this new technique for design and construction opens up new possibilities in the fabrication of exposed concrete.

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2. CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS

2.1 A STYROFOAM LOVER WITH (E)MOTIONS OF CONCRETE, LOS ANGELES 2009

A site-specific installation in the Gallery Space of the Southern California Institute of Architecture, SCI-Arc

WWW.ZOTTLBUDA.AT/SCIARCGALLERY-E.HTM

REALIZATION AND APPLIED MATERIALS:

█Introduction of latex membranes as part of the formwork and
as partitioning plane of simultaneously filled ‚twin-forms‘

█Mixture of recycled styrofoam and cement (product name: Thermozell)

█Production of prefabricated twin objects

2.2 CONCRETION, CONTRIBUTION TO THE 12TH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE VENICE BIENNALE 2010

This project is also linked to the results obtained from the installation at SCI-Arc, Los Angeles (see 2.1). The materials initially used were reviewed and reconsidered: The latex-skin seemed to be too delicate and cost-intensive in building practice; it has been replaced by flexible textiles – spandex. To improve the load-bearing capacity the mixture of recycled styrofoam and cement (Thermozell) has been replaced by lightweight concrete with expanded clay (Liapor). The counterweight within the molds has been replaced by loose aggregates (i.e.: sand or material with the same specific weight as concrete; in this case, with Liapor). This procedure allows for the aggregate to be removed easily when opening the mold and to be reused on the site. Therefore this technique can be used in prefabrication as well as in the production of cast-in-place concrete.

This new manufacturing technology was tested in the course of a workshop at the Bauakademie Wien – a training centre for the construction industry. In a series of tests the ingredient-mix of the concrete and the textile were checked. The introduction of spandex textiles opens up a new field in the fabrication of exposed concrete.

REALIZATION AND APPLIED MATERIALS:

█Introduction of spandex membranes as part of the formwork

█Mixture of lightweight concrete with expanded clay (product name: Liapor)

█Production of cast-in-place concrete; counterweight is replaced by loose aggregates that can be reused on-site

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3. CONCLUSIONS / FURTHER PROCEEDINGS

The current and projected investigations extend the topic of the improvement of energy efficiency within the building industry: At present the discussion is limited to thermal protection and the insulation of façades. This thesis adds contextual and cultural topics (new uses) as well as the aspects of design and aesthetics (free forms through textiles in form work). Therefore this project substantially contributes to the development of future-oriented methods in the field of building refurbishment.

This system in combination with conventional formwork techniques allows for the realization of free forms – forms that are at present predominantly developed in digital media and often end up in unsatisfying results in their physical transformation (i.e.: dissolution into polygons, complex production of 3D-milled form work).

The results of this investigation so far do not represent a production process that can directly be applied in building technology, but plans for continuation and further immersion of this project are in progress. The obtained results of this present series of experiments, in combination with the theoretical and conceptual approach, prove the innovative potential.

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CONCEPT SUSANNE ZOTTL, MARIO BUDA█STATIC ENGINEER BOLLINGER, GROHMANN, SCHNEIDER ZT GMBH; REINHARD SCHNEIDER█CONSULTANT CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY DR. ROLAND TRAVNICEK█TEAM WORKSHOP DOMINIK BUDA, JULIA DRÖPKE, STEFAN PRENNER, CHRISTINE SCHINDLER, ALEXANDRA SCHÖLER, PETER SCHÖLER, STEFANIE THEURETZBACHER█TEAM BAUAKADEMIE MATTHIAS BINDER, MICHAEL CSERKO, FERENC KULHANEK, MANFRED KURZ, ING. CHRISTIAN LANG, RUDOLF SUCHER, MICHAEL BACHMANN, MARKUS LEB, MATTHIAS MANQUET, SEBASTIAN MIRAKOVITS, KEVIN REIMANN, MANUEL URBAN

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THIS EXHIBITION MADE POSSIBLE WITH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM: BETONMARKETING ÖSTERREICH, www.BETONMARKETING.AT █ VEREINIGUNG DER ÖSTERREICHISCHEN ZEMENTINDUSTRIE, WWW.ZEMENT.AT █ VERBAND DER ÖSTERREICHISCHEN BETON- UND FERTIGTEILWERKE, wWW.VOEB.COM █ GÜTEVERBAND TRANSPORTBETON, WWW.GVTB.AT █ LIAPOR WERK FEHRING, LIAS ÖSTERREICH GESMBH, WWW.LIAPOR.COM/AT █ BAUAKADEMIE WIEN, LEHRBAUHOF OST, WWW.BAUAKADEMIE.CO.AT █ WOPFINGER BAUSTOFFINDUSTRIE GMBH, WWW.WOPFINGER.AT █ WIETERSDORFER & PEGGAUER ZEMENTWERKE GMBH, WWW.WUP.AT