Material: Tree bark
Functions: Building protection, rainwater drainage, greening, habitat for small animals
Application: As a flexible facade system
One group in the workshop devised a flexible facade system made from tree bark. The speculators contributed their individual expertise as architects, designers, artists, and balcony gardeners.
Their idea was to use tree bark as a material for facade tiles in the city of the future. The tiles could be individually arranged to create an interesting look for the building. The bark could absorb and filter rainwater, which could then be used to water plants. The exterior walls of houses would become cool green places that could serve as a new habitat for insects and small animals. This speculative application would thus promote urban biodiversity.
»We imagined the facade as a habitat, a water reservoir, and that it could be made of bark tiles. The facade would be irregular because there would be different tiles in different thicknesses.«
»We also thought that the facade would probably not last forever because many plants would grow on it and animals would live in it. Maybe it would wear out within the same time that it takes for a new pine tree to grow in the forest. This forest would then be jointly maintained by the community.«