Practical Workshops

BIO-BASED MATERIALS IN GLOBAL SETTINGS, 2020

Contemporary Architecture is significantly reducing whole building life cycle energy demand through improvements within buildings and structures. This unit studies bio-based materials that have been used in the construction of our buildings throughout history, from an environmental and socio-economic perspective. The use of bio-based materials, such as strawbale, bamboo, timber or hemp in construction offers a renewable resource that has the potential of negative embodied carbon as energy efficiency increases with stricter codes and regulations.

Site visits and practical workshops are set for students to engage with BBM production and construction requirements within the context of an international and Australian design industry scenario.

For the final assessment of this unit, students were given the option to develop one of three different design projects: 1. Entry for ‘Re-Imagining Play’ competition in Bangladesh 2. Architecture Pavilion 3. Product Design

Featured Projects:

Toolkit of Self-Resilience by Nurul Azman, Lyana Ibrahim, Hafizah Mohammad, and Calvin Thoo Circular Chair by Natasha Nicole and Debaprana Sakar Joinery Pavilion by Ashton Brown

Guest lecturers: Deepti Wetjen, Christian Wetjen, Alexandra Meek, Jairo da Costa