|Digital Matter
|Fricks
Upcycled Foamed Bricks
|Team
Claudia Elzbieta Gowgiel, Pinelopi Filothei Karali, Julina Simantob
|Faculty
Areti Markopoulou, Nikol Kirova, Daniil Koshelyuk
|Project year
2023-24
Fricks is a solution designed to mitigate the environmental challenges posed by traditional construction practices. Crafted primarily from recycled brick waste, Fricks exemplifies a shift toward circular economy principles by transforming discarded materials into thermally efficient and lightweight building components. These porous geopolymer bricks are designed to be integrated into facade systems to improve thermal insulation of the buildings.
Within the European Union, construction and demolition waste (CDW) accounts for nearly one-third of all waste produced. Spain, in particular, faces a critical challenge, with brick and ceramic residues constituting over 50% of the waste generated by the construction sector.
The production process begins with collecting brick waste from demolition sites. The bricks undergo a series of refining steps, including the removal of plaster or cement residues, crushing into aggregates no larger than 2 cm, and grinding them into a fine powder. This brick powder is then combined with an alkaline solution to initiate the geopolymerization process, forming the base material. Through the controlled addition of foaming agent, various grades of porosities are generated. This controlled porosity ensures optimal thermal performance and lightweightness, making Fricks versatile for a range of architectural applications and contexts. Through iterative material testing two grades of porosity are achieved: layered and uniform.
The material composition and state allow for different ways of fabrication such as casting into standardized panels or 3D-printed for highly customized designs. Advanced parametric tools in generative design enable users to personalize facade systems according to specific needs. Once finalized, the components are printed and cast, and assembled directly on buildings, enhancing thermal efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Unlike traditional materials, this material composite does not require additional energy for drying, as the components air-dry naturally. This significantly reduces the energy footprint of production.
Standardized Panels
Standardized Panels Details
Aggregation of Standardized Panels
3D Printing Catalog for Customized Panels
Final Prototype with Customized Pieces
Final Prototype Detailing
