research

Regenerative practices for a circular economy

About Us Intro

Our research on the circular bioeconomy aims to scale up a new material language in tandem with explorations into creating a nexus between processes of the biosphere and technosphere. Multiple bioregenerative protocols are being implemented to include the reuse and recycle of existing organic materials with the aim to contribute to a circular design strategy. Waste from existing industry and food spoilage ends up filling landfills,representing a significant environmental problem today. The decomposition of organic matter waste releases large quantities of methane, a greenhouse gas that is responsible for trapping heat in the atmosphere, significantly contributing to climate change. Our approach to the circular economy is exemplified through the Calcareous Arabesque project.

Calcareous Arabesque wall installation for the Waste Age exhibition at the Design Museum, London

In response, novel lightweight and biodegradable composites extracted from specific food residues offer a potential low-cost resource for the construction industry, mostly for interior spaces. Material explorations are being developed with a variety of cross-linking techniques and compositions to obtain desired properties in terms of material strength, hydrophobicity, and viscosity.

Cal-X material development and 3D extrusions

Beyond combating rising levels of waste, these materials address a shortage of raw material, while reducing embodied carbon costs in the built environment. Aimed at a variety of applications,complex geometric patterns are being robotically extruded and milled to create latticed structures for ceilings and walls.

Manufacturing of Calcareous Arabesque by B-Made team at UCL Here East (photo © Richard Stonehouse)

Selected publications:

Parker, B.; Cruz, M. 'Calcareous Arabesque, UK / Calcium Carbonate'. In Construction and Design Manual: 3D Printing and Material Extrusion in Architecture (eds. Kostas Grigoriadis and Guan Lee). DOM Publishers. Berlin, 2024

Panagiotidou, V.; Koerner, A.; Cruz, M.; Parker, B.; Beyer, B.; Giannakopoulos, S. '3D extrusion of multi-biomaterial lattices using an environmentally informed workflow'. In Frontiers of Architectural Research 11, 691–708. Beijing, 2022

Meng, J.; Alnaeb,D.; Salmane, A.K.; Devadass, P.; Cruz, M.; Parker, B. 'A robotically extruded sugar waste composite for a circular biomateriality in architecture'. In Structures and Architecture A Viable Urban Perspective?; CRC Press. London/New York, 2022. ISBN 9781003023555

Fuldauer, L. I., Parker, B., Yaman, R., & Borrion, A. 'Managing anaerobic digestate from food waste in the urban environment: Evaluating the feasibility from an interdisciplinary perspective'. In Journal of Cleaner Production. Elsevier. Amsterdam, 2018

Cruz, M. 'Paramateriality'. In Architectural Materialisms: Nonhuman Creativity (ed. Maria Voyatzaki). Edinburgh University Press. Edinburgh, 2018

Cruz, M.; Colletti, M. 'Advancing the Vernacular: Hi-tech Meets Low-tech'. In HABITAT (ed. Sandra Piesik). Thames and Hudson. London/New York, 2017