Adopting Sustainable Casting In Architectural Technology Education: Hybrid Digital-Analogue Strategies For The Design and Fabrication of Cardboard Formwork

The building sectors’ significant energy consumption and emissions underscore the need to rethink construction practices. Formwork systems, particularly those used in concrete structures, are known to have significant environmental impact, relying on hard-to-recycle materials such as steel, and plastics. In architectural education, precast concrete elements are often fabricated using similar materials, to teach design-to-fabrication workflows that interweave geometry, material constraints, and construction techniques. This study investigates the use of hybrid digital and analogue design and fabrication techniques for cardboard formwork, in the context of teaching architectural technology, with the aim of reducing the impact of materials used in architecture schools. By providing an alternative to traditional casting methods, the research emphasizes material selection and its role in embodied carbon and energy. The study starts with an inquiry on current casting practices and proposes guidelines for reusable formwork in educational contexts, including an algorithmic flowchart to guide design-to-fabrication processes.