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To Grow a Building Uses Local Soil + Roots as Building Materials

08.03.22 | By
To Grow a Building Uses Local Soil + Roots as Building Materials

Living in a world that’s in the midst of a climate crisis, it would be naive to think there’s any area of life that it won’t eventually touch. Thankfully, there are people out there working towards solutions. During Jerusalem Design Week 2022, and following the theme of ‘For Now,’ a group of designers created an outdoor performative lab space. Here they debuted To Grow a Building, an architectural project that proposes using local soil and roots as structural elements. Buildings would germinate, bloom, dry up, produce new material, and then return to the same soil to do it all again.

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

Designers Elisheva Gillis, Gitit Linker, Danny Freedman, Noa Zermati, Adi Segal, Rebeca Partook, Or Naim, and Nof Nathansohn explored the possibility of buildings that are 3D printed using organic materials. A custom-made robotic arm uses digital workflow to build small structures with a mix of soil and seeds. When finished printing layers on top of one another, the structure sprouts seeds. The exterior is covered in vegetation while the interior fills with dry roots – a new and strong material in itself. The need for alternative resources is only increasing, and the process behind To Grow a Building could be one of them.

organic growing compound being 3D printed into a shape by a robotic arm

organic growing compound being 3D printed into a shape by a robotic arm

The project was supported by Rogovin, a company that promotes ecological innovation in the field of real estate.

organic growing compound being 3D printed into a shape by a robotic arm

organic growing compound that's been 3D printed

3D printed material

3D printed material

organic growing compound that's been 3D printed

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

3D printed material with small plants beginning to grow

organic growing compound being 3D printed into a shape by a robotic arm

organic growing compound being 3D printed into a shape by a robotic arm

To learn more about To Grow a Building, visit 2022.jdw.co.il.

Photography by Dor Kedmi.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.