The Open Thesis Fabrication program, directed by Edouard Cabay and Alexandre Dubor, in its 2017-18 edition will propose to design and test in the Self-sufficient lab of Valldaura a housing prototype that takes advantage of the latest computational tools, the additive manufacturing process, and the great thermodynamic properties of the mud to achieve passive performative system for bioclimatic architecture.

In order to reach this final goal, students will explore passive architectural solutions in a variety of contexts, the making of a series of small scale objects exploring climate attributes of the material and carry through scientific research under the form of academic and scientific articles.

The Zeer Pot Workshop is the first step of this series of experiments in which, by Friday 15th of September, students should design and construct a Zeer Pot, relating the geometry and texture of the print to the climatic performance.

This workshop has been the chance for them to learn how to use a Robot for Additive Manufacturing, how to prepare the soil based material, how to deal with the geometrical limitation of 3D Printing as well as engage with performance driven design.

The workshop will also work on measuring the evaporative cooling phenomenon, in order to derive conclusions on the particularities of your design.