Towards Modular Natural Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Architecture

Driven by the ecological crisis looming over the 21st century, the construction sector must urgently seek alternative design solutions to current building practices. In the wake of emergent digital technologies and novel material strategies, this research proposes a lightweight architectural solution using natural fiber-reinforced polymers (NFRP), which elicit interest for their inherent renewability as compared to high-performance yarns. Two associated fabrication techniques are deployed: tailored fiber placement (TFP) and coreless filament winding (CFW), both favored for their additive efficiencies granted by strategic material placement. A hypothesis is formed, postulating that their combination can leverage the standalone complexities of molds and frames by integrating them as active structural elements. Consequently, the TFP enables the creation of a 2D stiffness-controlled preform to be bent into a permanent scaffold for winding rigid 3D fiber bodies via CFW. A proof of concept is generated via the small-scale prototyping and testing of a stool, with results yielding a design of 1 kg capable of carrying 100 times its weight. Laying the groundwork for a scaled-up architectural proposal, the prototype instigates alterations to the process, most notably the favoring of a modular global design and lapped preform technique. The research concludes with a discussion on the resulting techno-implications for automation, deployment, material life cycle, and aesthetics, rekindling optimism towards future sustainable practices.