A Scalability Assessment of Biofabrics as an Alternative Architectural Construction Material

Abstract

This research explores the scalability of biopolymer applications in recent biobased textile design applications for architectural construction. It particularly focuses on the transition from laboratory experimentation to architectural construction practice with the aid of computational design and digital fabrication. The research aims at harvesting spatial structures through the re-characterization processes for desired material properties. The methodology is divided into four steps: Modification of the biofabric formulation derived from bacterial cellulose (BC); tensile strength tests; computational design and digital fabrication of a catenary geometry as a scaffold; bioassembly process; and observations at different environmental conditions after the removal of the scaffold. The results have shown that the material properties, such as the tensile strength, structural integrity, high capacity of water detention, and heat insulation, differentiate bacterial cellulose-based biopolymers as circular alternatives to the current conventional architectural construction materials and processes, having us reevaluate our connection with nature through architecture.