AWARD YEAR
2021
CATEGORY
Community
GOALS
Sustainable Cities & Communities, Responsible Consumption & Production, Climate Action, Life On Land, Balance Human & Artificial Intelligence
KEYWORDS
Sustainable Design, digital fabrication, biomaterials , carbon reduction, computational form-generation
COUNTRY
United States of America
DESIGNED BY
Univ. of Tennessee, After Architecture
WEBSITE
http://after-architecture.com/branching-inventory
Branching Inventory
synthesizes material geometry & design intent, reducing embodied carbon and leveraging natural form
Branching Inventory is a full-scale prototype of a novel construction system which allows geometry to be shaped by material, producing architecture that is one-off without the costs typical of the bespoke. Industrialization led to the processing of wood into dimension lumber, resulting in waste and intensive energy consumption. This project questions standardization, demonstrating how material eccentricity can produce novel form while reducing embodied carbon, using democratized and computationally-guided design to create a custom workflow. Branches are scanned, inventoried, and sorted using a low-cost scanning app and parametric workflow, matching natural curvature to the designed geometry and locating stronger branches near the base. The project acts locally and globally: it is demonstrated using regional invasive species bradford pear, incentivizing its removal and use, and its methodology is transferable, creating a refined workflow adaptable to local materials.