people: Elena Vazquez

Join us for the presentation of Tooling with Ice and Sawdust Structures by Julio Diarte, Elena Vazquez, and Mikael Parkman.

This SVP project aimed at exploring the potential of pykrete, a mix of ice and sawdust, as a building material for temporary shell structures in Umeå’s winter. Inspired by traditional and contemporary ice construction techniques developed in cold climates as well as funicular vaults and historical arched construction techniques, researchers designed and tested a reusable and adaptable formwork to cast a shell with pykrete blocks. The formwork was parametrically designed to cast vaults of different widths, and it was successfully assembled and tested using compacted snow blocks. Though, experiments casting Pykrete blocks were incomplete due to lack of proper temperatures below -10°C, leading to brittle blocks that weren’t usable for casting. Researchers plan to test it again next winter as well as reusing the formwork to test other biomass reinforced composite material such as biochar, wood fiber, and mycelium as binder.

A warm welcome to this outdoor presentation where we will offer a typical spring-winter lunch, a barbecue in the sun!

This group brings together researchers exploring possibilities and challenges in the intersection of traditional sloyd/craft and digital design, between hi-tech and low-tech making. Previous example projects include combining traditional and cultural woodcraft with digital laser cutting, and more technical explorations from architectural perspectives on making with recycled and living materials. Another focus is on contemporary subcultures of contemporary makers in relation to traditional crafts, framed as modes of sustainable, post-industrial design practice. The working group also brings attention to tinkering as an investigative practice within the creative fields, ranging from hacking, coding, circuit-bending, and bricolage.

In a Nordic context sloyd traditions embody a specific form of cultural heritage encompassing particular materials and techniques. Research in this working group spans all creative disciplines and works together to publish research articles, conduct hands-on workshops, and exhibitions. Examples include post-industrial approaches to high tech design, new sustainable forms and materials for architecture, traditional woodworking supported by digital fabrication tools.

The Post Industrial Making Group is chaired by Ylva Fernaeus, Associate Professor at Umeå Institute of Design, and Deputy Director of UmArts.

Tooling Ice and Sawdust Structures: Experimenting with Natural Materials and Hybrid Digital/Low-tech Methods to Build Temporary Pykrete Structures.

This research project addresses the pressing need for sustainable alternatives in construction, particularly in Norrland, where imminent population growth necessitates eco-friendly building solutions. The study draws inspiration from historical practices of using snow and ice in construction and aims to advance the application of Pykrete — a composite of ice and sawdust both considered waste in Umeå —in creating long-span shell vaults for temporary structures. Unlike previous endeavors that relied on sophisticated infrastructure, this project will explore alternative low-tech building techniques using digital-based and craft-based methods and tools. The outcomes of this project could significantly contribute to circularity in construction, offering a blueprint for utilizing natural waste materials in innovative and sustainable ways.