Ithaca, New York, USA
Led by Leslie Lok and Sasa Zivkovic, HANNAH Design Office has used 3D printing to create concrete stilts to elevate Ashen Cabin off the floor, stacking layers of concrete to form the cabin’s angular base and bulky extrusions.
Concrete was not only employed for the legs of the cabin but also for a chimney that protrudes from the roof.
The concrete elements (including the curving chimney, fireplace, textured flooring, and furniture) feature a linear pattern marked by jagged edges that showcases the various layers of printed concrete.
The layering of concrete was explored by the studio to reveal the idiosyncratic tectonic pattern that’s created by relentless 3D depositions of extruded lines of concrete.
Ashen Cabin is clad in wavy panels of infested timber, while the windows are framed with linear black plywood.
The irregular-shaped logs cannot be processed in a sawmill, therefore the studio devised a way to cut the logs using a robotic arm and band saw attachment.
The curvature of the Ash is strategically placed to highlight moments of architectural importance, including windows, entrances, roofs, canopies integrated shelving, desk space, or storage. Over time the timber will naturally turn grey to match the 3D printed concrete used throughout the cabin construction.
Internally the walls are covered in the same timber used on the outside of the cabin. 3D printed concrete is used internally to form the flooring that interlocks with the curves in the timber.
The concrete is also used to form a seating platform, a surface for the sink, and the fireplace.
Ash trees that have become infected by the Emerald Ash Borer beetle typically are not used for construction because of their difficult shapes and they can’t be processed using a sawmill.
They are usually left to decompose naturally or burnt for energy, which releases harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The advantage of using this comprised Ash in construction is that carbon dioxide emissions are decreased, and the harvesting of other popular timber species is postponed.
HANNAH chose to use 3D printing technology to help reduce the amount of waste and carbon footprint associated with the project.
3D printing eliminates the requirement of a mold, which reduced the amount of material needed for concrete construction.
By using 3D printing the studio can deposit concrete intelligently and only where structurally necessary.
Ashen Cabin should be looked at as an exploration of sustainable construction techniques rather than a refined architectural form.
The cabin is a prototype that explores construction methods to help develop the future of architectural design and construction.
Project: Ashen Cabin
Architects: HANNAH Design Office LLC.
