Rethinking indigenous and ecological building materials through the means ofadditive manufacturing

Abstract

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing can be a feasible strategy that can significantly reduce the time and manual laborrequiredand translateinto skilled laborand reduce the wastage of material required during construction. The process in all would also be cost-effective (van Woenselet al. 2018). The challenge posed is theproper implementation of additive manufacturing for full-scale clay-basedbuilding materials.Clay-based architecture or mud architecture has been prevalent in India for centuries. Mud construction techniques have been utilized in various climatic zones based on the context and cultures. The versatility of the material allows it to be used as small modules like mud bricks and tiles to grandiose rammed earth walls. It is a highly adaptable material that can change its function as per the strategies used. Another important aspect is the skilled labor that is required to achieve clay architecture techniques (Salas, L. 2022). The rise of cement construction has affected skilled labor, forcing people to migrate to the cement construction sector. The essence and knowledge of these vernacular construction strategies are thus slowly disappearing.This study will bea significant part ofrealizingthe usage of local material to develop futurehabitable spaces. Thehelp of innovative material systems and 3D printing will help incorporatetraditional materialsand translatethem into solving dwelling problems.