The TRC Prototype Pavilion is the result of an ongoing research project that explores the nature and potential of textile reinforced concrete (TRC). ItisconstructedbyEPFL ENAC studentsin civilengineeringandarchitectureanda groupofinvitedarchitecturestudentsfromSalvador de Bahia, Brazil. Built during a period of three weeks in Summer 2019, it will be continued in 2020 and 2021 at the Smart Living Lab in Fribourg.
At the basis of the research project lies the crossing of contemporary structural research into textile reinforced concrete with architectural work in ferrocement done in Brazil by the architect Lel…from ca. 1970-2000 (ArgamassaArmada). Textile reinforcedconcreteallowstoreiteratea buildingtechnique-ferrocement-thatwas highlydevelopedin Brazilbut in thelast yearswas nearlyabandoneddue tolarge problemsofcorrosion. TRC (usingnon-corrosivereinforcement) ison theotherhandstartingtobeusedin Europe, yetfora verylimited fieldofapplications. It holds the promise to drastically reduce the CO2footprint of concrete; its structural potential however is still not fully explored and its application potential unknown to most engineers, architects and scientists in practice. The TRC Prototype Pavilionaimsat exploringthestructural, architectonicandenvironmental dimensionsofTRC andsharethemwithourprojectpartnersin Salvador de Bahia.
All elements of the pavilion are produced by students in the Atelier PopUP of the Smart Living Lab. The formworkisdonein foldedmetal, a reinterpretationofthetechniqueusedin Brazil. Due totheirlightness, elementscanbecarriedandassembledbyhand. The pavilionisentirelydemountableandtransportable.
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