Earthen Tectonics will meld digital and analog modes of fabrication, exploring the potential for custom CNC molded modular systems, experimenting with material processes, and designing for water. The material research will focus on experimentation with a traditional rammed earth construction process, exploring variations in material consistency, composition, mixture, and packing techniques.

This builds upon practices of rammed earth construction to consider modular masonry components as an alternative to massive monolithic concrete surfaces. Students will explore how the process of creating rammed earth informs materiality, and experiment with bio-based, recycled, or collected materials and how they impact material performance, aesthetics, surface geometries, and water flows.

Students will learn how to generate surface patterns by producing variable toolpaths using Grasshopper and RhinoCAM that aim to manipulate water flows. These toolpaths will be used to fabricate CNC routed components that will be incorporated into molds for casting the earthen modules.

Driving the research will be an understanding of how customized surface geometries might manipulate water flows by channeling, infiltrating, and collecting water in different ways. The work will consider the material’s interaction with water, including decay, growth, permeability, and filtration. Individual cast modules will be assembled together at the conclusion of the workshop in a collective installation.

Please see this Google Drive folder for course files and other information. Student work must be

uploaded daily to this Google Drive folder.

MATERIALS:

Each student is required to bring the following:

Sketchbook, pencil, pen

X‐Acto knife with #11 blades

Cutting mat, min. 11”x17”

Camera (or phone with camera)