ASHES & ASHES CABIN Ithaca, NY 2017 -2019 - ACSA
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ASHES & ASHES CABIN
Ithaca, NY
2017 -2019
ASHES & ASHES CABIN
ASHES & ASHES Cabin is a small building 3D-printed from perish without purpose while releasing carbon dioxide in the
concrete dust and clothed in a robotically fabricated envelope atmosphere. Dead ash trees form an enormous and untapped
constructed from irregular ash wood logs. The cabin has a material resource. This project proposes to take advantage of the
footprint of 3x3 meters and lifts off the ground on 3D printed Emerald Ash Borer’s carnage to appropriate irregularly shaped
legs which adjust to the sloped terrain. The concrete structure ash trees for construction. By implementing high precision 3D
is characterized by three programmatic areas, a table, a storage laser scanning and robotic based fabrication technology, “waste
seat element, and a 6.5m tall working fireplace. 3D printed wood” transforms into an abundantly available, affordable, and
from concrete and sliced from trees, the project aims to sustainable building material. No longer bound to the paradigm
reveal the 3D printer’s highly idiosyncratic tectonic language of industrial standardization (a wooden 2x4), this project
while additionally questioning preconceived notions about revisits bygone wood craft and design based on organic, found,
material standards in wood. The custom 3D printing process and living materials. Architecturally, the naturally bent wood
explores how the layering of concrete, the relentless three- planks create enclosure and are strategically assembled to create
dimensional deposition of extruded lines of material, and the window openings, framed views, awnings, door handles, or
act of corbelling can suggest new strategies for building. Built entrances.
without formwork, concrete 3D printing eliminates substantial
construction waste. Printed in components on a self-built large- Custom Fabrication
scale 3D printer, the cabin aims to demonstrate the architectural Utilizing a KUKA KR200/2 with a custom 5hp band saw end
potential and tectonic of concrete 3D printing. For its envelope, effector, the research team can saw irregular tree logs into
the cabin utilizes wood which is widely considered as “waste”. naturally curved boards of various and varying thicknesses
The invasive Emerald Ash Borer threatens to eradicate nearly (up to 2 mm thin). The boards are arrayed into interlocking
all of the 8.7 billion Ash trees in North America. Most of SIP façade panels and solid off-cuts are structurally integrated
these trees cannot be processed by regular sawmills and are in the assembly, resulting in a minimum waste fabrication
therefore regarded as unsuitable for construction. Mature ash method. The curvature of the wood is strategically deployed
trees with irregular geometries present an enormous untapped to highlight moments of architectural importance such as
material resource. Through high-precision laser scanning and windows, entrances, roofs, canopies, or provide additional
robotic fabrication on a custom platform, this project aims to programmatic opportunities such as integrated shelving, desk
demonstrate that such trees constitute a valuable resource and space, or storage. By adjusting the thickness of the bandsaw
present architectural opportunities. cut, the robotically carved timber boards can be assembled as
complex single curvature surfaces or double-curvature surfaces.
From the ground up, digital design and fabrication technologies The SIPs are insulated using a two component closed-cell foam
are intrinsic to the making of this architectural protoptype, which is fully biodegradable. The façade assembly is fully
facilitating fundamentally new material methods, tectonic ventilated, is detailed to manage shrinkage and transformation
articulations, and forms of construction. At various scales, the of wooden boards to offset the air drying process, and does not
cabin’s performance, structure, and architectural expression require an additional rain screen. Geometric form finding and
are inherently derived from its digital construction protocols, assembly protocols from form-to-log and log-to-form have
materiality, and design logics. been developed for this project. High precision 3D scanning
is utilized for fabrication and timber stock inventory selection.
Emerald Waste Wood Integrating 3D laser scanning, the mass-customized fabrication
The invasive Emerald Ash Borer threatens to eradicate most of process calls for constant feedback between the material and
the 8.7 billion Ash trees in North America. Since its discovery in digital realms.
the United States in 2002, the Ash Borer killed tens of millions of
ash trees and has drastically transformed entire forest ecosystems ASHES & ASHES Cabin is a fully functional building
in the process. In New York State, where ash trees constitute constructed from concrete and wood. Its architectural
about 10% of the tree population, the Emerald Ash Borer was expression and function are profoundly derived from the
first discovered in 2009 and has since rapidly spread across the digital design and fabrication technologies developed for this
southern half of the state. Infested ash is often comprised of project. By addressing the complex realities of building and
mature growth, including many trees with irregular trunk and construction, the authors believe that this project advances
fork geometries. While such trees could be used for construction, a research discourse that increasingly focuses on full-scale
they are typically regarded as economically “invaluable” (worth implementation of new fabrication techniques and material
$ 0.25 per tree), as they cannot be processed by regular sawmills. tectonics in architectural projects (not installations) across
As a result, most of the dead ash trees end up as firewood or scales.
3D printing process using gravel as support material for material cantilevers.
Self-built large format 3-axis gantry 3D printer.
On-site casting and assembly of foundation leg modules. 3D printed components act as sacrificial formwork layers for the reinforced concrete structure.
On-site construction process and material expressions of corbeling.
Custom rebar cages fabricated from no. 4 rebar steel.
Cabin section. Naturally curved boards mark and accentuate windows, entrances, roofs, and programmatic elements such as shelving and storage.
Wood skin envelope facade panel components. Geometric form finding and assembly from natural (found) logs.
Robotic board slicing of naturally bent boards from bent ash logs.
KUKA KR200/2 with custom 5hp bandsaw.Robotic wood slicing strategies and various resulting surface curvatures. Modular building components and architectural wood articulations.
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CORNER DETAIL ISOMETRICS
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1. EPDM ROOF MEMBRANE 7. CLOSED CELL SPRAY FOAM INSULATION 13. INTEGRAL LOG POST
2. ROOF COVERBOARD 8. INTEGRAL CORRUGATED DRAINAGE PLANE 14. INTERIOR LOG SHEATHING
3. RIGID INSULATION 9. FIXED GLAZING 15. EXTERIOR LOG SHEATHING
4. PLYWOOD SHEATHING 10. PLYWOOD SPANDREL 16. 2X4 INTEGRAL WOOD BOTTOM PLATE
5. 2X6 WOOD RAFTER 11. OPERABLE GLAZING 17. 3D PRINTED CONCRETE FORMWORK
6. 2X4 INTEGRAL WOOD TOP PLATE 12. PLYWOOD WINDOW BOX 18. POURED CONCRETE INFILL
Sectional detail and axonometric of corner module.Cabin interior.
Floornement: 3D-printed floor pattern.
Door detail.Emerald Ash Borer: “has Mature and infested ash tree with 3D model of irregular tree geometries, high Robotic log slicing utilizes killed at least tens of irregular growth features: “waste” precision 3D scan: geometric rationalization otherwise “unusable” trees and millions of ash trees so far wood without economic value. of waste wood components. wood geometries for the cabin’s and threatens to kill most building envelope. of the 8.7 billion ash trees throughout North America” (Source: USDA).
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