living armour:
weeping clay brick
clay 3D printing workshop
Karen Muscat and Lyna Loumi
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This project was influenced by the function and appearance of lizard scales as well as case studies in using clay as a bio-receptive evaporative cooling material. The holistic vision and concept was clearly outlined to be a scale-like brick with gaps and texture to provide opportunities for the growth of organisms, and water catchment - a weeping brick which could act as a host for all types of creatures and plants; an element which performs like a ħajt tas-sejjieħ (maltese random dry-rubble wall).
The initial design goals and challenges were: to create biomimicry of a particular biological tessellation and to produce a tessellation that creates playful interaction (through light and movement). In addition, the goal was to create something which can support a living wall through its texture by allowing for air to pass, water and seeds to be collected in small pockets and to allow for evaporation.
This project was influenced by the function and appearance of lizard scales as well as case studies in using clay as a bio-receptive evaporative cooling material. The holistic vision and concept was clearly outlined to be a scale-like brick with gaps and texture to provide opportunities for the growth of organisms, and water catchment - a weeping brick which could act as a host for all types of creatures and plants; an element which performs like a ħajt tas-sejjieħ (maltese random dry-rubble wall).
The initial design goals and challenges were: to create biomimicry of a particular biological tessellation and to produce a tessellation that creates playful interaction (through light and movement). In addition, the goal was to create something which can support a living wall through its texture by allowing for air to pass, water and seeds to be collected in small pockets and to allow for evaporation.
