Milan, Italy
CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, together with the late Italo Rota (1953-2024), presents the sunRICE a temporary installation that consists of a series of geometrical units created from rice husks – the byproduct of rice processing, which is usually discarded.
The project is designed especially for Milan Design Week 2024 transforming the Brera Botanical Garden into an immersive pathway exploring the multiple uses of rice – from food to experimental construction material.
Evoking the modular, cellular structure of natural materials, starting from a basic triangular form, the units evoke both spatial architectures and Yona Friedman’s metabolic structures, which can grow within nature and transform to accommodate new functions.
The installation is largely composed of silica-based geopolymer RH-GEO, developed by construction material startup Ricehouse: an inert material that hints at a zero-waste production process.
The installation is part of a wider experience that starts with the values of skills and training, then exploring materials research while linking it to food.
The Botanical Garden itself is integral to the meaning of the installation: edible plants including sage, fennel, and other Mediterranean flavors are used by Chef Niko Romito to create a “cookie”, engaging the final sense: taste.
Project: sunRICE
Architects: CRA- Carlo Ratti Associati and Studio Italo Rota
Lead Architects: Italo Rota, CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati
Photographs: Marco Beck Peccoz
