ARCH_430D Seminar: ‘The Thin Side of Concrete’

Today, building enclosures are sophisticated assemblies conceived through complex processes that merge design, science, and craft. The outermost layer of the exterior wall is the most exposed to natural forces and therefore needs careful attention. Its performative aspects must work effectively over the lifetime of the building, and the design must also be evaluated in terms of function, aesthetics, feasibility, maintenance, and cost.

Concrete has a long history as a building material, dating back to the Romans. It has also provided modern architecture with a versatile material for exploring new kinds of structures and assemblies. In the last few decades, the use of precast concrete has grown due to its strength, durability, resiliency, and cost. As new technologies have emerged, concrete has experienced several improvements, among which the reduction in thickness is perhaps the most remarkable. Emerging technologies have stretched concrete to unprecedented thinness, diminishing its weight while maintaining its strength and integrity.

This seminar focused on the use of thin-shell concrete assemblies as a performative part of building envelopes. Students conducted research and analyzed historic and contemporary uses of concrete in building precedents. They then identified a specific environmental condition for their enclosure to respond to, and advanced their design through detail drawings and study models. In the final phase of the course, students made molds for and casted full-scale concrete mockup assemblies.