MD
MARIJA DOBRILOVIC
MELBOURNE
WHY TRASH?
INNOVATION HUB
05 / 11 / 2022
Location: Swinburne University, SR building
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Current Occupancy:
The site is currently home to a dilapidated 2 story nursing student block.
“The way we see it, waste is what you call something when you have no idea what to do with it. The fact that waste exists anywhere is more a testament to our lack of imagination than it is to the inherent value of any material”
(ed Gorgolewski 2018)
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My project, ‘Why Trash?’ explores if we can create architectural value from Styrofoam waste packaging. While simultaneously reducing the embodied energy of a building and reducing the use of valuable construction materials.
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In Australia and around the world we are facing material shortages and waste issues. With our insane consumption of materials, lack of regeneration, and obsession with all things ‘new’, we have created a problem of material scarcity.
To begin addressing this issue, my project ‘Why Trash?’ proposes taking a single-use, and mass-produced product - Styrofoam waste packaging and rediverting it from landfills to create architectural value.
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FLOOR PLANS
MATERIAL PROTOTYPING (VOID FORMERS)
To test if Styrofoam waste packaging was a feasible construction method, a small scale prototype was conducted.
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While this was successful it still brought into question if this system would be suitable for large scale construction.
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TEST
On construction sites materials can be treated quite roughly. And during slab pours the void formers would typically be stepped on/ walked over.
Therefore a compressive strength test was conducted to see how the material would perform.
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It's important to note that the geometry performed differently, with the corners of the packaging being the strongest and withstanding 75kg of force before breaking.
And the sides were notably weaker, with failure through bending.
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This helped to narrow down the decision to using fruit packaging, as smaller forms would be stronger and is a high consumption and accessible material.
SIP PANELS - FROM WASTE PACKAGING
While traditional SIP Panels offer many benefits the issue is that alot of styrofoam is being produced to make them - and it is all only used once.
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This system aims to make SIP panels from Styrofoam waste packaging. The concept was inspired by gym equipment 'rack systems', that can easily be modified to accommodate different-sized waste packaging.
By avoiding glues we can keep the plywood panels untarnished and create a container for Styrofoam which will be SIP panel.
The panels will slot together using a male-female joint connection to create a wall system.
EXISTING & NEW
CONSTRUCTION DETAIL
EXPLODED AXON STRUCTURE
