In desert climates, extreme heat and dry air are not just uncomfortable, they can be life-threatening. Virginia San Fratello and Ronald Rael of The Emerging Objects Corporation may have found a natural cooling solution for increased safety and comfort in arid areas.
Evaporative cooling is the process of adding water to the air, causing the temperature to drop, and increasing the moisture in the air, 3ders reports. The technique itself is ancient, but San Fratello and Rael have applied it to a 3D-printed brick prototype, called Cool Brick.
The prototype was inspired by the Muscatese Evaporative cooling window, a system that combines a wood screen and a ceramic vessel filled with water. The Cool Brick is made of porous ceramic bricks set in mortar. The bricks absorb water and are designed as 3D lattices that allow air to pass through the wall.
The water held in the micropores of the ceramic bricks evaporates as air moves through the system, bringing cool air into the building interior. This process results in cool, moist air while using less energy than other cooling techniques.
The Cool Bricks are modular and interlocking, meaning that they can be assembled as needed for the particular space where they’re installed. The lattice structure creates a tight bond when set in mortar. Meanwhile, the shape of the brick creates a shaded surface on the wall, keeping that portion of the wall cool.
The Cool Brick can be viewed at Data Clay: Digital Strategies for Parsing the Earth until April 19, 2015, at the San Francisco Museum of Craft and Design. Tehton 3D, a 3D printing company that specializes in custom applications for ceramic 3D printing, sponsored the project.
Related Stories
Sponsored | Brick and Masonry | Sep 16, 2016
Stone and fire: The Museum at Prairiefire blends natural stone and man-made masonry to create an architectural icon
The museum tells a story of geology, culture, and the practice of prairie landscape management through intentional burns.
Brick and Masonry | May 11, 2016
Brick primer: Periodic inspection and maintenance for brick masonry walls
Though brick masonry is highly durable, it is still important to conduct regular inspection of the building façade to identify problems and plan to replace old materials.
Brick and Masonry | May 9, 2016
Preventing and treating distress in brick veneer cavity walls [AIA course]
The design, detailing, and installation of brick cavity walls become more demanding as masonry construction becomes more complex. To earn 1.0 AIA CES learning units, study the article carefully and take the exam.
| Jan 28, 2016
AIA CES class: The rainscreen approach to a better building envelope
Building envelope expert Bradley Carmichael of Hoffmann Architects explains how rainscreen wall systems work and evaluates the effectiveness of various rain-control methods, including mass walls, perfect barriers, and masonry veneers. This AIA/CES class is worth 1.0 learning unit.
Architects | Oct 20, 2015
Four building material innovations from the Chicago Architecture Biennial
From lightweight wooden pallets to the largest lengths of CLT-slabs that can be shipped across North America
Cultural Facilities | Mar 13, 2015
New Orleans observation tower to feature 320-foot double-helix gondola ride
Tricentennial Tower will take visitors on a 300-year journey through the city's history before landing them at the top for a 360-degree view of the Crescent City.
Mixed-Use | Jan 26, 2015
MVRDV designs twisty skyscraper to grace Vienna's skyline
The twist maximizes floor space and decreases the amount of shadows the building will cast on the surrounding area.
| Jan 20, 2015
AIA course: Building with brick, stone, and masonry
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
| Dec 29, 2014
From Ag waste to organic brick: Corn stalks reused to make construction materials [BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report]
Ecovative Design applies its cradle-to-cradle process to produce 10,000 organic bricks used to build a three-tower structure in Long Island City, N.Y. The demonstration project was named a 2014 Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
| Dec 28, 2014
Robots, drones, and printed buildings: The promise of automated construction
Building Teams across the globe are employing advanced robotics to simplify what is inherently a complex, messy process—construction.
