Durabric - the secret behind the Droneport shell

Initiated by Lord Norman Foster, the LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction supported the construction of a prototype Droneport shell at the 15th International Architecture Biennale in Venice. The structure consists of 18,000 Durabrics made of compressed earth and cement and were optimized by the LafargeHolcim Research Centre in Lyon to meet the specific requirements of the project. The challenge was to ensure a compressive strength of at least 10 MPa of the building blocks, while minimizing the weight and size by comparison to the standard Durabric.
LafargeHolcim developed Durabric to build basic infrastructure and affordable housing in emerging parts of the world. Learn more about how the Droneport ​together with Durabrics can improve the quality of life and watch statements by architect Norman Foster, structural engineer John Ochsendorf, BRG project leader Hannes Hofmann as well as LafargeHolcim CEO Eric Olsen, and Carlos Espina, head of the LafargeHolcim Research Centre.

[@junal27]

Those vaulted structures are built in Mexico without the need of temporary support of forms, any ring is closed before the next one, beautiful structures. I imangine the same in Iran. Of couse smaller span

[@pyalot]

Cool, but has nothing whatsoever to do with drones. It's just another way to build space spanning structures.

[@B30pt87]

Eight percent? That's not bad - even Rammed Earth uses similar percentages of cement.

[@pinegd1]

What about non-compression forces like earthquake shaking and huricaine winds?

[@HolcimFoundation]

Thank you for your interest - seismic loading has certainly be researched. For more information see: Michiels, Tim & Adriaenssens, Sigrid & Jorquera-Lucerga, Juan. (2017). Parametric Study of Masonry Shells Form-Found for Seismic Loading. Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures.

[@B30pt87]

@@HolcimFoundation Thank you for the recommendation. I live in California, so seismic loading studies are of interest.

[@OffGridInvestor]

All designed by people who have NEVER talked to real africans to understand that this wouldn't work out in Africa.... they have enough trouble getting the train systems to work and you think drones will make it??? How are people in a continent where the average unemployment rate is over 50% and those ACTUALLY EMPLOYED average $2 a day are going to be able to fund this type of thing. AND THEN MAINTAIN IT.

[@johnsmithington3167]

Uuuuhh..... I think, given the context of it being shown at an architecture Biennale (fancy italian speak for biennial convention), the point is the building method and material cost less. Therefore, better for developing countries in Africa. Also, how the majority of footage/narration had no drones in it and there only being one other english comment thread before you posted, that cleared it up a year before you submitted yours, I'm not sure drones were the point?

[@TheVideostutubo]

Son 4 pechinas de una basilica en el imperio romano

[@marianodeanquin]

no, es boveda vaída,

[@NhykGD]

seems old but didn't went to fruition.

[@foxmulder3980]

Thumbs down