Active-Casting

Active-Casting explores the use of bespoke computer numerical controlled (CNC) manufactured knits to produce volumetric textile formwork for casting glass-fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC). As a collaboration between experts in architecture, textile fabrication, and civil engineering, the research investigates multimaterial, functionally graded knit formwork as a fully seamless system to cast concrete. Working with controlled characteristics such as elasticity and stiffness of yarn type and knit structure, the soft textile is conceived as the vessel that defines the performative characteristics of volume, geometry, and surface detail. With only a minimal frame to suspend the volumetric cast, hydrostatic pressure “inflates” the fabric formwork, creating a dynamic form-finding process that eliminates the need for typical molding materials such as wood or foam. While active formfinding processes for CNC knit casting have been explored as an open-face, GFRC-sprayed system, the Active-Casting process produces a finished surface on all faces, embedded with expressions in form and surface detail from the knitted formwork. The precast units using this process reduce the amount of construction waste for formwork production, proposes a more automated fashion for manufacturing the formwork, and produces casts with complex geometries difficult to accomplish with traditional casting methods.