Eco parametric architecture: circular design & digital fabrication

Abstract

New design concepts and paradigms enable innovations that not only apply to the technological environment, but also result in great opportunities to generate relevant social impacts. A good example is the use of creative tools for adaptability of buildings, such as Biomimicry that makes it possible to bring inspiration from nature to inspire new ideas. The circular economy is a model that combines economic development with responsible use of natural resources and minimizes environmental impact. It reinserts waste back into the production process, using it as raw material for new products and reducing the volume of waste that reaches nature. On the other hand, digital manufacturing allows the production of non-standard construction components through parametric modeling, and additive or subtractive manufacturing. This optimizes production time and allows new compositional configurations without wasting resources. In this context, Biodesign principles are a viable and effective option. Thereby, this article intends to reflect on the architecture of popular housing, making the interaction between the concepts of the biodesign with the technological resources and the new paradigms already mentioned, resulting in something that we can classify as eco-parametric architecture. For this purpose, we will analyze the social context of the residents of the city of Recife, Brazil. Thus, in order to reflect on how the design professional can contribute to solve the lack of housing that persists for decades, this article intends to propose a concept of eco-parametric architecture for low-income housing that involves such innovations.

Keywords: Digital Fabrication, Popular Housing, Parametric Design, Circular Economy

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1003359