I trained as an architect at the University of Sheffield where I earned my Masters with Distinction and was awarded the faculty Prize in Environmental Science and a share of the Live Project Prize, as well as an award in sustainability from Tongji University Design and Innovation Centre, Shanghai. I spent 7 years in practice, specialising in building information modelling and visual programming for heritage and contemporary schemes across a range of contexts. In this time I had spent a term as visiting lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
I was subsequently a research assistant at the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment, designing and developing prototypes around bio-construction.
Now I work in research for the UK civil service and continue to contribute to academic writing and computational design in personal and commissioned projects.
In Print and Exhibitions
Exhibition November 2023 - August 2024
London, UK
(above image) Future Observatory Display © Felix Speller for the Design Museum
Future Observatory
Does Knitting belong in a building site?
“A team of researchers from The Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment are exhibiting their latest BioKnit prototype, a catenary arch that spans over two metres, at the Future Observatory Design Research Exhibition in London. The arch demonstrates the design possibilities of a biofabrication system that brings together 3D knitted fabric formwork with mycocrete; a unique formulation of mycelium composite, developed by the researchers for use with soft textile moulds.
The BioKnit Arch is a bespoke site-specific structure designed to fit the exact dimensions of the Design Museum gallery. There is significant challenges in working with such precision using new biohybrid materials, however the accuracy is achieved through a process that integrates parametric modelling, biotechnology and digital fabrication of knitted modules.
The research proposes applications for BioKnit in non-load bearing applications in buildings, for internal linings and to shape space. The ability to produce new geometries, curved surfaces and organic forms is very compelling for future architecture as well as new aesthetics and new tactile experiences that emerge from mycelium coming together with textiles at an architectural scale.”
The 3rd BioKnit prototype was created by the Living Textiles Research Group following months of research with support by the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE). Research team: Jane Scott, Ben Bridgens, Romy Kaiser, and Armand Agraviador, with support from Dilan Ozkan, and Oliver Perry
National Museum of Scotland
Exhibition March - April 2024
Edinburgh, UK
(above image) Component display in the great hall © Ben Bridges
Featured in
BBC News – Read the article here
Edinburgh Science Festival 2024
Growing Room
“A catenary structure that spans four metres in diameter and three metres in height.
The structure, which is Newcastle’s largest ever mycelium knit architecture, demonstrates the design possibilities of a biofabrication system that brings together knitted fabric formwork with mycocrete; a unique formulation of mycelium composite, developed by researchers, and suitable for use as a mycelium render.
The architecture [which was] situated in a disused shop in Newcastle City Centre, makes BioKnit prototypes using fungal mycelium, the research team mixes mycelium spores with water and cellulose rich substrate materials including sawdust and paper fibres.
This forms a viscous paste that is plastered onto the knitted formwork. The environmental conditions are controlled to ensure a dark, warm and humid environment to allow the mycelium to grow.
To generate the extraordinary 3D form, the formwork is knitted in a 3D shape and the structure is suspended. As the mycelium grows, it binds the substrates together and transforms the soft flexible knitted textile into a rigid biocomposite. ”
The Growing Room was a live installation in Newcastle Arts Centre, that was disassembled and displayed as tactile components at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival’s Growing Home exhibition.
The Growing Room was the 4th BioKnit prototype and was created by the Living Textiles Research Group with support from the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE). Development and design by Jane Scott, Ben Bridgens, Romy Kaiser, and Armand Agraviador, biofabricated and incubated by Dilan Ozkan, Oliver Perry, Josie Barber, Keegan Murray and Lucy Matthews.
04 April 2024
Copenhagen, Denmark
Fabricate 2024
The Living Room: New Expressions of BioHybrid Textile Architecture
Jane Scott, Ben Bridgens, Dilan Ozkan, Romy Kaiser, Armand Agraviador
How can the intersection of textile practices, biofabrication, and computation disrupt industrial construction processes to deliver scalable solutions for regenerative architecture? Materialised through a textile logic, this research presents a multi-scalar system where the microscale growth of fungal mycelium is structured by permanent knitted textile formwork to support macroscale biofabrication. The outcome is the ability to grow biohybrid textile architecture from a composite of mycelium, wool, sawdust, and cellulose fibres, sourced from local industrial waste streams.
The _OME Experimental Habitat
Exhibition March 2024
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
(above image) Healing Masonry © HBBE
Biogenic Construction: Building the future with microbial minerals
Healing Masonry : Demonstrating biological self-healing for masonry conservation
“Exploring the intersection of biotechnology and design, this exhibition showcases the Living Construction Group’s work on microbial minerals to develop sustainable materials and techniques for the built environment.
Biomineralization is nature’s method of creating durable, robust materials using minimal energy. This process not only produces materials of remarkable complexity but also intelligently designs them to adapt and remodel in response to environmental changes. Harnessing this capability presents a significant challenge for the fields of material science, biotechnology, and design. Our exhibition highlights efforts within the Living Construction Theme of the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE) to pioneer advanced biomineralization techniques employing microbes, allowing design on multiple scales. The exhibits will explore early-stage research into self-healing materials and materials that can remodel themselves under stress. Additionally, we will present more advanced developments in biological cement through innovative casting methods and cements capable of sequestering CO2. The exhibition will also feature commercial applications of this technology, which aims to develop low-carbon bio-composites by repurposing industrial waste.”
The Healing Masonry research prototype is a project of the Living Construction Research Group which introduces a blend of biological self-healing systems into masonry materials, presenting a sustainable alternative to conventional construction. Utilising Sporosarcina Pasteurii for biomineralisation, the project transforms red lime mortar into a visually engaging medium that shifts colour as it repairs itself and highlights the aesthetic and protective advantages of biomineralisation in building materials.
Research by: Magdalini Theodoridou, Derrick Mwebaza, Martyn Dade-Robertson, Angela Sherry, Meng Zhang, Dilan Ozkan, Armand Agraviador, and Oliver Perry
Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts
Exhibition March 2024
Lancaster, UK
Festival of Futures
The Future is a Work in Progress
Some exciting work in which I've been involved with teams of biological, textile and material science trailblazers is being exhibited to the public. If you fancy popping by Lancaster this week, there's the nifty "Festival of Futures" and "the Future is a Work in Progress" exhibition being held at the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts. Come have a look at what the bleeding-edge innovators at the HBBE have been up to in the OME_ experimental habitat; including my small but chaotic contributions to the BioKnit and Healing Masonry prototype installations!
“From light pollution to e-waste and healthy ageing to biomaterials, the Festival of Futures at Lancaster University is all set to show how design research can respond to an array of local and global challenges in collaboration with The Centre for Print Research at University of the West of England, Bristol; The Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment at Newcastle University and Northumbria University; and Lab4Living at Sheffield Hallam University.
The Festival of Futures exhibition includes prototypes from HBBE; BioKnit, ELF, microbial 3D printer Healing Masonry, MycoKnit CompoSit and Fibre Highways.
The Festival of Futures also comprises two symposiums, both open to the public, which are all set to demonstrate howcollaborative design working with partners from industry, health, private and public sectors can provide a better, smarter tomorrow.
Executive Director of ImaginationLancaster Professor Nick Dunn says: “We are delighted to be hosting this festival to demonstrate the transformational power of design and design research for the benefit of people, place, and planet”.
The full programme for the Festival and exhibition opening times can be viewed here where you can also register your free place at the events.”
The OME Artwork : Armand Agraviador
The BioKnit Prototype : Jane Scott, Elise Elsacker, Romy Kaiser, Armand Agraviador, Aileen Hoenerloh, Dilan Ozkan, Ben Bridgens
Healing Masonry: Magda Therordoridou, Derrick Mwebaza, Armand Agraviador, Meng Zhang, Martyn Dade- Robertson
Symposium Biocalibrated: Tools and Techniques of Biodesign Practice 2023
The Snout: Large scale, curved 3-D form from Bacterial Cellulose
Dilan Ozkan, Natalia Pynirtzi, Armand Agraviador, Oliver Perry
Abstract : In the biodesign field, bacterial cellulose is generally used in applications characterised by flat or sheet-like functions. The Snout prototype aims to expand the material’s application into the third dimension, achieving this by still using the BC as sheets but used to cover a three-dimensional formwork. This process involves a systematic examination through material testing, assessing diverse pellicle-to-pellicle attachment methods. Through these investigations, it was discovered that wet pellicles show optimal performance, despite encountering challenges related to slippage during their attachment to the formwork. Consequently, a drying process was necessary before proceeding to other stages. This project led to the successful attachment of the prototype onto the facade of OME (an experimental building at Newcastle University), with ongoing observations focused on evaluating pellicle performance.
30 November 2023
London, UK
26 October 2023
Denver, UK
Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture 2023
Habits of the ANTHROPOCENE
The Living Room: Knitting as a Strategy to Redefine the Architectural Possibilities of Mycelium Biofabrication in the Built Environment
Jane Scott, Ben Bridgens, Romy Kaiser, Dilan Ozkan, Armand Agraviador
Abstract : The Living Room is a mycelium-knit biohybrid architecture that consists of an exposed knitted formwork on the interior and a smooth mycelium plaster on the exterior, creating a monolithic 4m diameter freestanding structure. The aim of The Living Room is to develop a complex architectural form with doubly-curved surfaces; exploiting the unique properties of a composite system that brings together flexible, shaped, 3D knitted formwork, with mycocrete, a bespoke mycelium paste formulated for use with textile scaffolds. Furthermore, the Living Room seeks to demonstrate how bio-textile fabrication can make use of waste materials and by-products from local industries to grow large scale structures with minimal environmental impact. To achieve these goals, an iterative process was required which integrated physical making at small and large scale, digital modelling, structural analysis, biomaterial experimentation and knit specification.
The design and fabrication process enabled a conceptual design, developed through physical knit prototyping, to be scaled up via digital modelling, to create a large-scale installation with the flexibility to modify the idealised model geometry on site during fabrication. The process is critically examined, and opportunities to improve the form finding and simulation of the knit formwork canopy are identified as key areas for further development.
The Farrell Centre
Exhibition May-September 2023
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
More with Less: Reimagining Architecture for a Changing World
The Living Room
“The inaugural exhibition at the Farrell Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which offers new visions for architecture in the face of the climate emergency.
The Living Room is a bio-fabricated architecture that is grown using locally available waste materials.It is composed of Herdwick wool, a breed of sheep native to the Lake District in north-west England, a mix of sawdust and wastepaper from local mills, and mycelium spores. The use of waste materials benefits regional industries and demonstrates a means to dramatically reduce the environmental impact of construction, whilst allowing us to reimagine the spaces that we inhabit. Our work is a reaction to rigid, hard, permanent buildings, instead we have created a soft, cosy, snug internal space with thick sculpted walls, which can be composted when no longer required.The Living Room demonstrates that responding to the climate emergency does not mean ‘business as usual’ – it means doing things in fundamentally different ways. In this case we demonstrate how truly sustainable architecture may be almost unrecognisable and this transition provides an opportunity to rethink how we build (grow), maintain (nurture) and inhabit the built environment.”
The Living Room was created by the Living Textiles Research Group following months of research with support by the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE). Development and large-scale biofabrication by Jane Scott, Ben Bridgens, Dilan Ozkan, Romy Kaiser, Oliver Perry and Armand Agraviador, with help from Layla van Ellen and Aileen Hoenerloh.
Featured in
BBC News – Read the article here
The Guardian – Read the article here
Dezeen – Read the article here
World Architecture Festival 2023 – Read the article here
TextileS World Conference 2023
Modular Knitted Architecture: Column
Elizabeth Gaston, Jane Scott, Armand Agraviador
Abstract : The transition to net zero energy use in the building sector requires a fundamental rethink of material strategies. Utilising the zero-waste construction capability of knit, this project used craft practice and computational modelling to produce knitted branching structures that demonstrated structural integrity through their complex geometry at an architectural scale. This offers a potentially transformative approach for construction in two ways, firstly by reducing conventional material requirements and secondly by enabling the transition to low-impact biomaterial alternatives.
One challenge of working with knit at an architectural scale is the dimensional limitations of fabrics manufactured using industrial machines with a needle bed width of 1.85m. Large-scale work can be assembled from multiple pieces, however reconfiguring knitted fabric by joining fabric panels compromises the performance of the material, limiting multidirectional extensibility and the inherent strength the material. Significantly, the challenge of computational modelling of knitted fabric is exacerbated when fabric characteristics are transformed at the joins.
This project found solutions using traditional grafted knit seams that retain the structural performance of the knitted fabric and enable more accurate computational models. This was tested at three scales using hand and digital processes leading to further development with three-dimensional CNC production.
Textile Intersections 2023
Modular Knitted Architecture: Column
Elizabeth Gaston, Jane Scott, Armand Agraviador
Knitted Modular Architecture: Column investigates form generation through collaborative, interdisciplinary digital/physical practice for novel architectural formwork design.
Abstract: The use of knit in the production of architectural formwork offers two solutions to the negative environmental impact of the construction industry. Firstly, the 3D shaping capability of knitted fabric provides a zero-waste production method for complex form. Additionally, knit can be produced using regenerative fibres and low-impact bio-materials.
Branching topologies were produced in hand-knit, using knit-thinking which uses a knit designer’s technical and tacit knowledge in a thinking-through-making methodology to produce prototype 3D knitted modules.
Development of the knitted modular column moved between the material practice of hand knitting and digital modelling using a bespoke Grasshopper design system. The digital modelling system introduced sliding variables to control quantities, dimensions and variance of knitted modules which were combined to reveal a lexicon of complex 3D geometries.
Production of knitted modules at a 1:1 architectural scale would require digital knit production of individual modules joined through seaming. Conventional commercial seaming technologies affect the material properties of the knitted fabric at the join which adds complexity to the digital modelling process. This work explored joins using the craft practice of grafting, which replicates knit structure and maintains fabric properties throughout, enabling accurate digital modelling.
The interdisciplinary design approach moved fluidly between a physical and digital design environment where the development of each practice was informed and informed by an understanding of the other to allow innovative and versatile development of experimental form in architectural research.
Construction Energy Environment and Sustainability 2023
Demonstrating the potential of biological self-healing for conservation through the healing masonry prototype
Magdalini Theodoridou, Derrick Mwebaza, Armand Agraviador, Angela Sherry, Meng Zhang, Martyn Dade-Robertson, Paul James, Ben Bridgens, Ruth Morrow,
Abstract : The option to heal our built environment, as an alternative to new construction, has the potential to become a more ethical approach. The Healing Masonry prototype investigates the application of emergent biological self-healing systems to masonry materials. It seeks to engage a wider audience in the repair of the built environment, specifically historic environments, and aims to go beyond demonstrating mechanical performance and durability to explore the visual communication of processes that are otherwise invisible through an exhibited installation at the HBBE experimental house, the OME.
Red lime mortar samples, either with smooth surfaces or imprinted patterns were treated with Sporosarcina pasteurii to induce biomineralisation. After seven healing cycles, a stable deposit of calcium carbonate was observed on the surface. Following further cycles, sequential increase in calcium carbonate precipitation was observed along with a gradual colour change from red to white. For units with surface textures, calcium carbonate deposition initially occurred in the fissures. All cube modules have been displayed to highlight surface textures and colour variation. Each unit can be rotated and demounted for further inspection. The results indicate biomineralisation has the potential to heal damage and protect materials from further deterioration, while preserving marks of cultural significance. Current and future work focuses on improving the biological process efficiency, application methods, tailoring self-healing to respond to different stimuli, and exploiting engineering biology to develop genetic toolkits that enhance MICP production in Sporosarcina. Engagement activities with external stakeholders and qualitative data collection will continue to take place in the OME, through workshops and public open days.
27 June 2023
Funchal, Portugal
27 June 2023
Funchal, Portugal
Construction Energy Environment and Sustainability 2023
Biomateriome: microbe-material interactions in the built environment
Angela Sherry, Katie Gilmour, Beatriz Delgado-Corrales, Romy Kaiser, Paula Nerlich, Armand Agraviador
Abstract : BioMateriOME was co-designed to shed light on the microbial world with which we share our living spaces by providing accessible solutions to increase societal awareness and understanding of indoor surface microbiomes. BioMateriOME combines a public materials library with microbiological monitoring of surfaces, to gauge human perceptions of microbe-material interactions and to characterise microbes inhabiting conventional and novel biomaterials in the built environment, respectively.
In the OME, built by the HBBE, two complementary prototype installations were implemented:
1) BioMateriOME-Public (BMP): A visual, tactile materials library for public interaction and participation that conveyed a narrative around each individual material, from historic construction materials through to bio-fabricated materials. BMP was housed in the exhibition space of the OME to encourage interactions with visitors/publics and created an opportunity for learning by providing an accessible gateway to knowledge through play/interaction from which opinions and perspectives on the materials were gauged. Feedback and reflection on the materials library from publics and peers will be presented.
2) BioMateriOME-Experimental (BMX): Panels composed of a range of surface materials were installed in the OME studio apartment to investigate the development of indoor microbiomes over time in replicated experiments. Swabs of surfaces were periodically collected, followed by DNA sequencing of microbial fractions.
Differences between microbiomes which inhabit conventional surfaces compared to biomaterials will be presented, which sheds light on the invisible microbial world inhabiting common indoor surface materials (e.g., wood, glass, plastic, metal) and innovative bio-fabricated materials (e.g. mycelium-composite tiles, bacterial cellulose, carbonate mineral tiles). Research outcomes from BioMateriOME will provide evidence of microbe-material interactions in the indoor built environment and will contribute to a growing case for designing and constructing our built environments with microbes in mind, for the benefit of our own human wellbeing, which could eventually be codified into benchmark standards and building regulation.
De Gruyter | Birkhäuser Verlag
Bioprotopia: Designing the built Environment with Living Organisms
Editors: Ruth Morrow , Ben Bridgens, Louise Mackenzie
Armand Agraviador provided editorial assistance for the book and co-authored 5 chapters between 2021-2022.
Designing with living materials: thoughts on the paradigm shift and an overview of the state of research
What is “Bioprotopia”? It is the vision of a world with buildings that grow, self-heal and create virtuous cycles where waste from one process feeds another. A vision where the spaces that we inhabit are attuned to both the human occupants and non-human microbial ecologies.
This is the first book to ground the concept of biotechnology in the built environment in tangible, large-scale prototypes. With rich visuals, it presents materials and processes that exploit the many possibilities of shaping the built environment with micro-organisms. At the same time, scientific and technical challenges are discussed, pointing to the need for a shift in thinking and culture to ensure progress.
- First comprehensive publication on the state of research
- Demonstrates the use of renewable materials in design
- Illustrative, scientific documentation for design professions and researchers
15 April 2023
06 December 2022
Advances in Applied Microbiology | Vol. 122 (In Press)
BioMateriOME: To understand microbe-material interactions within sustainable, living architectures
Beatriz Delgado-Corrales, Romy Kaiser, Paula Nerlich, Armand Agraviador, Angela Sherry
Abstract : BioMateriOME evolved from a prototyping process which was informed from discussions between a team of designers, architects and microbiologists, when considering constructing with biomaterials or human cohabitation with novel living materials in the built environment.
The prototype has two elements (i) BioMateriOME-Public (BMP), an interactive public materials library, and (ii) BioMateriOME-eXperimental (BMX), a replicated materials library for rigorous microbiome experimentation. The prototype was installed into the OME, a unique experimental living house, in order to (1) gain insights into society's perceptions of living materials, and (2) perform a comparative analysis of indoor surface microbiome development on novel biomaterials in contrast to conventional indoor surfaces, respectively.
This review summarizes the BioMateriOME prototype and its use as a tool in combining microbiology, design, architecture and social science. The use of microbiology and biological components in the fabrication of biomaterials is provided, together with an appreciation of the microbial communities common to conventional indoor surfaces, and how these communities may change in response to the implementation of living materials in our homes. Societal perceptions of microbiomes and biomaterials, are considered within the framework of healthy architecture. Finally, features of architectural design with microbes in mind are introduced, with the possibility of codifying microbial surveillance into design and construction benchmarks, standards and regulations toward healthier buildings and their occupants.
Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture 2022
Hybrids & Haecceities
BioKnit: the coordination of computation with material investigation in the design of biohybrid textiles towards architectural integration.
Armand Agraviador, Jane Scott, Romy Kaiser, Elise Elsacker, Aileen Hoenerloh, Ahmet Topcu, Ben Bridgens
Abstract : This research paper evaluates a hybridized computational and material-based approach to form-finding in a biohybrid structure. It reports on the fabrication of BioKnit; a system that integrates knitted fabric, mycelium composite and bacterial cellulose panels in the fabrication of a self-supporting installation that stands 1.8m high with a 2.0m diameter base. The form-finding opportunity of designing for growing materials that transition from soft to hard was explored using catenary geometry. This approach enabled the optimization of form during the fluid growth phase to produce an efficient free-standing structure in a final solidified state.
The paper discusses how catenary geometry was used to define parameters for knitting and mycelium and how they were applied to the design of a 3D knit preform. In addition, the paper evaluates the success of the bespoke growth chamber fabricated for this research. The growth chamber was designed to support the hanging preform as a catenary vault during growing and optimize mycelium growth via environmental controls. Findings of the research highlight the significance of computational methods to enable the design and construction of biohybrid textile systems that move from an assimilation of discrete material elements with defined boundaries to a cohesive technological approach.
26 October 2022
Philadelphia, USA
06 July 2022
Aalborg, Denmark
International Conference on Structures and Architecture 2022
Knitted cultivation: Textiling a multi-kingdom bio architecture
Jane Scott, Romy Kaiser, Dilan Ozkan, Aileen Hoenerloh, Elise Elsacker, Armand Agraviador, Ben Bridgens
Abstract : The BioKnit prototype is a free-standing architectural construction fabricated using knitted fabric, mycelium, and bacterial cellulose. This paper documents the experimental work that underpins the development of BioKnit and presents a new methodological approach; the Living Textiles strategy that combines biological experimentation with parametric modelling and knit programming. Using knitted fabric, this fabrication system is capable of easily achieving complex, curvaceous architectural forms, as well as providing an integrated scaffold and mould to guide biomaterial growth and expression. This paper highlights specific aspects of the Living Textile Strategy to enable scalability, biocompatibility and material expression to extend and enhance the range of qualities achievable in architectural bio-construction
Subsequently published in the Book Structures and Architecture A Viable Urban Perspective? Edited By Marie Frier Hvejsel, Paulo J.S. Cruz. 08 July 2022
International Construction Energy Environment and Sustainability Conference 2021
Healing Masonry prototypes; demonstrating the immune response of masonry materials
Magdalini Theodoridou, Armand Agraviador, Martyn Dade-Robertson, Derrick Mwebaza, Jennifer Wright, Meng Zhang, Paul James, Angela Sherry, Ruth Morrow, Ben Bridgens, Carmen McLeod
Abstract : This paper introduces a number of experimental prototypes for the OME, an experimental house built in the heart of Newcastle University campus, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, where the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE) researchers come together to collaborate, test and demonstrate their technologies at large scale, as well as to showcase their work to the industry and to the public. The Healing Masonry prototypes presented in this paper express natural weathering and self-healing, i.e., the ability of the materials to heal themselves, while embracing imperfection and unique history of matter. Heritage conservation measures usually require processes that would restore performance in the least ‘invasive’ way. However, not all traditional repair methods disguise damage and repair.
Two prototypes aim to demonstrate the potential of advanced biotechnological systems to provide materials with an in-built immune system ready to repair damage before it becomes critical, not forgetting to:
appreciate and care for existing objects/structures by extending their lives instead of replacing them [Sustainability];
highlight the irreversible nature of passing time and the ephemeral aspect of matters by calling attention to ‘flaws’
[Aesthetic];
yet, prolong service life and revitalise [Durability];
enact principles of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) e.g.: anticipation, reflection, engagement/inclusion,
action/responsiveness.
Through the Healing Masonry prototypes, this research will develop enhanced biotechnological systems which will be, for the first time, 1) highlighted for their unique function, 2) exploited for their interaction with the aesthetics of the materials 3) taken outside the lab to understand their co-existence with other biological processes (e.g., biodeterioration).
12 October 2021
Coimbra, Portugal
12 October 2021
Coimbra, Portugal
International Construction Energy Environment and Sustainability Conference 2021
Microbe-Material Interactions in the Built Environment
Angela Sherry, Beatriz Delgado-Corrales, Romy Kaiser, Paula Nerlich, Armand Agraviador
Abstract : In a world still reeling from a global viral pandemic, what do we really know about the microbes that share our indoor spaces and proliferate on household surfaces? We aim to shed light on the invisible microbial world inhabiting common indoor surface materials (e.g., wood, glass, plastic), as well as innovative construction materials; including biocomposites (bioplastics, biomaterials), textiles (3D-knit, new yarns) and bio-fabricated materials (mycelium, bacterial cellulose).
In a unique, experimental living house, the OME, built by the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE), we will implement two installations:
1) BioMateriOME-P: A visual, tactile materials library for public interaction and participation that will convey a narrative around each individual material, from historic construction materials through to novel bio-fabricated materials. The installation will be housed in the exhibition/fabrication space of the OME to encourage interactions with visitors and publics.
2) BioMateriOME-X: A number of panels composed of a range of different surface materials, which will be used to investigate the development of indoor microbiomes in replicated experiments. The installation will be housed in the OME apartment (studio, kitchen, shower) in order to characterise the succession of microbial communities across different surface materials over time.
BioMateriOME-P will create an opportunity for learning by providing an accessible gateway to knowledge through play/interaction, from which we will also seek to gauge opinions and perspectives on the materials, which will help us to shape new materials, biotechnologies and ideas that are essential for research into sustainable construction materials going forward.
BioMateriOME-X will enable comparative and longitudinal studies of microbes on surfaces composed of different materials to visualise, quantify and characterise microbial interactions on indoor surfaces. State-of-the-art, high-throughput ‘omics’ technologies will be used as well as microscopy and microbial quantification. The aim is to generate microbial data to be able to define a ‘healthy indoor microbiome’ and consequently develop novel biotechnologies to promote, sustain and modulate the microbiome to create healthier indoor environments, which will benefit human health and wellbeing.
By means of public events, hosting workshops and research dissemination, the BioMateriOME installations will team Science and Design to show how we choose to interact with materials, how we can utilise microbes to produce novel biomaterials for sustainable construction, and how we can further begin to understand microbe-materials interactions within the indoor built environment.
International Construction Energy Environment and Sustainability Conference 2021
Bioknit Building: Strategies for living textile architectures
Jane Scott, Dilan Ozkan, Aileen Hoenerloh, Emily Birch, Romy Kaiser, Armand Agraviador, Ben Bridgens, Elise Elsacker
Abstract : The urgency for a more sustainable building sector is leading researchers to investigate biohybrid strategies utilizing living materials within composite systems. Mycelium, the root network of fungus, has been successfully developed as a binder in the production of bulk composite elements, grown as bricks or other preforms. Research undertaken by our group is focused on the biocompatibility of knitted fabrics as a scaffold for growth, highlighting the potential to tune material properties using textile fibres, yarns, and fabrics as a hierarchical structuring system.
Alongside developments in mycelium bioknit composites, our group is investigating the potential for bacterial cellulose knit composites. Bacterial cellulose is a cellulose produced by certain kinds of bacteria, is also of interest to the building sector because there is established manufacturing capabilities via industrial fermentation processes. Whilst commercial applications have been focused on the food industry (Nata de Coco is a well know South-East Asian food), the ability to synthesize functionalised cellulose from microbes has huge potential within construction.
The research presented in this paper will focus on bringing these two alternative biomaterials together using textile thinking and knitting technologies. This paper reports on analysis of the growing conditions necessary for bioknit composite systems, adopting a multi-kingdom approach that utilises knitting as a scaffold for mycelium and bacterial cellulose growth. Analysis of the development of an architectural bioknit prototype reflects on the success of the composite system and demonstrates how this new bioKnit composite system can be applied at a building scale. This will establish a new fabrication system for living textile architectures and demonstrate the significance of textiles as a tool to transform the understanding of biomaterials in the built environment.
12 October 2021
Coimbra, Portugal
8 September 2021
Novi Sad, Serbia
Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe | Towards a new, configurable architecture
Configured Knitting, Grafting as an assembly process for knitted architecture.
Jane Scott, Elizabeth Gaston, Armand Agraviador
Abstract : There is a growing interest in knit as a material system for architectural research in a workflow that integrates computation and digital fabrication in the design and specification of highly engineered fabrics. However, the dimensional limitations of industrial machines mean that large scale work may require assembly from multiple pieces. Reconfiguring knitted fabric by joining fabric panels disrupts the performance of the material, challenging the computational model when fabric characteristics are transformed at the seams.
The aim of this research is to evaluate the potential for grafting, a traditional joining method for knitted fabric, as an assembly technique for architectural scale knitted prototypes. The paper presents an overview of knitted loop geometry focusing on the impact of loop construction in textile joins. The paper presents experimental research conducted using unconventional off-machine techniques at two scales, demonstrating how grafting can be used to assemble 3D structures without compromising the integrity of the material. Findings highlight the significance of this technique and suggest how the work could translate to digital fabrication.
The Legacy of Occidentalism in Metro-Manila
How have perceived Western aspirations influenced the development of Metro-Manila’s urbanism and architecture throughout history; and what effect has this had on its populace?
Armand Agraviador
Read essay
Urban Episodes (Green) and Case Studies (Yellow)
Live LGBT
Armand Agraviador, Gopi Bhuptani, Yuting Dai, Nicola Dale, Richard Fennell, Yaying Feng, Elin Friberg, Valandis Kallis, Yu-Hsiang Lai, Niamh Lincoln, Kelly-Marie Rodgers, Katherine Wong, Yibo Yang, Simon Chadwick, Florian Kossak
LGBT Sheffield is a charity organisation linked to Sheffield City Council that aims to work with the existing services in the city to provide a wealth of support and information for people who fall within the diverse spectrum of minority sexualities and gender identities that are often referred to under the umbrella of the “LGBT Community”.
Live LGBT is a project that evolved out of the need for a dedicated space in the city centre that can cater to people of all ages within this category, many of whom are under-represented and have limited access to support. Working closely with LGBT Sheffield, existing support organisations and various community groups, the Live Sheffield team has explored potential strategies for what this space should be, how it should be organised and what relationship it should have with both the LGBT community and the wider population of Sheffield.
The research included mapping local, regional and national LGBT stakeholders; homophobic and transphobic crime statistics; and schemes already in place that work towards better fairness and equality – allowing us to observe areas that were lacking in provision of support, as well as community groups that could benefit from reinforced links to a greater LGBT network.
We simultaneously scrutinised international precedents for LGBT community strategies from data and our group’s personal experience. This was coupled with more focused field trip studies of established centres in Manchester and Birmingham.
Live LGBT hosted a series of participatory consultation events in association with a range of local LGBT organisations and in conjunction with special occasions including National coming out day. All the events were highly interactive and produced a wealth of opinions, drawings and data. Participants were invited to engage in: a mapping game allowing people to express what parts of the city they felt comfortable or unsafe in expressing their identity – revealing areas in which a community centre may be better suited; a puzzle game giving the opportunity to experiment with organising spaces in adjacency and privacy – informing layouts for a centre; and a façade game that encouraged debate about visibility and how a centre should relate to the streetscape.
The six weeks’ worth of research and analysis was compiled into a 100 page document accompanied with guides and tools for further community participation events and a design brief for the realisation of a community centre before being handed over to LGBT Sheffield to continue the project’s legacy.
