Circularity presented by RMIT, Polestar and Green Magazine – 3D Printer

“Circularity: Materials + Form” will run from June 27-29th in Fitzroy, Melbourne, showcasing projects from the RMIT Master of Architecture Design Studio and Research Elective

3D Printer from RMIT Architecture on Vimeo.

The research project focuses on the recovery and utilisation of volcanic ash and related materials, such as limestone. Since 2003, these materials have been excluded from government import and export reports, and their production has steadily decreased. This decline and oversight make the study of these materials particularly important.
Pozzolan concrete, a material that has been used since Roman times, is made by mixing volcanic ash with lime to create a durable and strong building material. This classical technology highlights the enduring utility of volcanic materials in construction.
Melbourne is surrounded by more than 200 volcanoes, providing a rich source of volcanic ash and other materials. Despite this abundance, these local resources have not been fully integrated into modern urban construction. This project intends to harness this resource.
In this project, construction materials circulate within the building, and sequenced through a print on demand industrial facility, becoming a site for materials.
From here on, the process of building is cyclical, a long procedure of self-reconstruction rather than large-scale demolition and reconstruction. Origin, city, and architecture have never been so closely connected after economic globalisation.
ZHEN ZHANG & BAILIN CHEN