Paul, Jochen (2015). `Bauen mit Müll`, Scheizer Baublatt, Seite 16-19, Rüschlikon, Schweiz Global betrachtet wird Müll in naher Zukunft zu einer wichtigen Ressource: Entwicklungsländer könnten ihre Importabhängigkeit bei Baustoffen reduzieren, die lndustriestaaten wertvolle Rohstoffe und graue Energie einsparen. Notwendig dafür ist ein Umdenken.
Toh, Felicia (2015). `Action for Cities`, Singapore Architect. Issue 04/2015: Education and Research, page 130-137, Singapore The Future Cities: Research in Action exhibition by Future Cities Laboratory featured prominently on the ground floor of URA Centre from 23 January to 13 March 2015. Felicia Toh investigates its key research interests in cities.
Lim, Jan (2015). `Researching the future city`, CUBES. pages 156-157, Singapore An exhibition at the URA Centre presented four years of research and offered practical proposals for the development of sustainable future cities.
Hebel, Dirk E., Marta H. Wisniewska and Felix Heisel (2015). ‘Müll als Rohstoffmine der Zukunft: Möglichkeiten des Bauens mit der Ressource Müll’, COVISS: 01/2015. Februar/März 12.Jahrgang, Seite 12-17, Luzern, Schweiz. Müll ist in unserer Gesellschaft seit Jahrhunderten ein Material, das weder als natürlicher Rohstoff noch als Produkt gesehen wird, sondern als etwas, das wir schnellstmöglich verbrennen oder vergraben möchten. Müll ist sozusagen ein Nebenprodukt, das wir nicht in unser dialektisches Verständnis von ‘roh’ oder ‘verarbeitet’ kategorisieren können. Auf der anderen Seite kann man Müll jedoch auch als einen integralen Bestandteil unserer Ressourcen betrachten und auf diese Weise das Potential dieses Wertstoffs als Grundlage für die Herstellung von neuen Produkten erkennen.
Johnson, Nathan (2015). `Could bamboo replace steel reinforcement in developing countries?` Architecture and Design Australia. Chatswood, Australia. Singapore’s Future Cities Laboratory is working to tap into the potential of bamboo as an alternative to steel for reinforced concrete applications in developing countries. Currently, steel-reinforced concrete is the most common building material in the world, and developing countries use close to 90 per cent of the cement and 80 per cent of the steel consumed by the global construction sector. However, few developing countries actually produce their own steel or cement and are thus forced into exploitative relationships with sellers in100
McGar, Justin (2015). `The Bamboo Revival: Green Structures`, Sourceable. Industry News and Analysis, Australia and Canada Bamboo is one of the world’s oldest structural materials and has been used in construction for centuries. Now new research could potentially bolster its continued resurgence and use as a material in green structures. read more
Bislang sind Häuser und Brücken aus Bambus Einzelfälle. Forscher von der ETH Zürich wollen jetzt aus dem Süßgrasgewächs einen ökologischen und günstigen Massenbaustoff für die Städte von morgen entwickeln. Ein Beitrag von Oliver Ristau im Technology Review Magazin für Innovation. (article in German only)
Ristau, Oliver (2015). `Bambus statt Beton`, Technology Review – Das Magazin für Innovation. Ausgabe 02/2015, Deutschland Bislang sind Häuser und Brücken aus Bambus Einzelfälle. Forscher von der ETH Zürich wollen jetzt aus dem Süßgrasgewächs einen ökologischen und günstigen Massenbaustoff für die Städte von morgen entwickeln.
Hebel, Dirk (2015). `Bioplastik und eine Müllabfuhr für die Weltmeere`, ETH Zukunftsblog. ETH Zürich, Switzerland Das Umweltproblem Plastik hat erschreckende Ausmasse erreicht und wächst stetig. Die dringende Suche nach Alternativen kommt langsam in Gang, mit einigen vielversprechenden Ansätzen. read more
Swiss daily newspaper Tagesanzeiger recently published a report in the research activities of the Assistant Professorship Dirk E. Hebel at the ETH Zürich and the FCL Singapore. You can read the full article here in German.
Hebel, Dirk (2015). `Wundermaterial mit Langzeitfolgen`, ETH Zukunftsblog. ETH Zürich, Switzerland. Fast 270‘000 Tonnen Kunststoffmüll treibt in den Weltmeeren. Plastik ist zu einem Umweltproblem unfassbaren Ausmasses geworden, das bis in die letzten Ecken der Erde vorgedrungen ist. read more
Hebel, Dirk and Felix Heisel (2015). `Simulating the Future`, FCL Magazine N0. 03: Simulation. page 22-25, SEC, FCL Singapore The ADDIS 2050 research project combines the collective activities and collaborations within FCL and African partners over the last few years in Ethiopia, especially in it`s capital Addis Ababa. The title ADDIS 2050 derived from an international conference in November 2012, where FCL, together with the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development EiABC developed a vision for the city of Addis Ababa as well as the Ethiopian nation state at large.
Saul, Louis (2015). `Bambus statt Stahl`, Bauen für die Zukunft. Callway Verlag, Seite 71, München, Deutschland Stahlbeton ist aus dem Bau von heute nicht mehr wegzudenken. Aber morgen vielleicht.
Dirk E. Hebel / Marta H. Wisniewska / Felix Heisel Building from Waste Recovered Materials in Architecture and Construction The book provides a conceptual and practical look into materials and products which use waste as a renewable resource for architectural, interior, and industrial design. The inventory ranges from marketed products to advanced research and development, organized along the manufacturing processes: densified, reconfigured, transformed, designed and cultivated materials. A product directory presents all materials and projects according to their functional uses. Take a look inside the book here.
‘Bambus statt Stahl’ (Bamboo instead of Steel) has been published in Switzerland’s leading daily newspaper ‘Neue Zürcher Zeitung’ on Sunday 27th July. The article offers an overview on the recent developments of the Assistant Professorship Dirk E. Hebel in its bamboo composite material research and led to a wide public interest in Switzerland and Europe. The full article can be accessed here.
Very few developing countries have the resources to produce their own steel, and without this material tall buildings and urban development are all but impossible. But what if there were a local, renewable material that could be used instead of steel in reinforced-concrete buildings? And what if that substitute could be manufactured easily? These questions have motivated Dirk Hebel, an assistant professor of architecture and construction at the Future Cities Laboratory, in Singapore, to investigate a bamboo fiber composite as a possible substitute for steel reinforcement in concrete. The Future Cities Laboratory is a research arm of ETH (Eidgenössische Technische100
On July 31st, German Radio WDR5 reported on the chair’s bamboo composite research at the Future Cities Laboratory in Singapore. Above you can listen to the short interview with Prof. Dirk E. Hebel in German.
Civil Engineering is the award-winning monthly magazine of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Reaching an audience of more than 140,000 civil engineers worldwide, this magazine has the largest circulation in the engineering market and provides a compelling editorial mix of engineering projects and trends, engineering science, business and professional strategies, exploration of key issues, and news. The Civil Engineering website provides weekly news and feature content that supplements the content of the monthly print and digital editions. On July 8th, the magazine published a lengthly interview with Prof Dirk E. Hebel on his current material research at the Future Cities Laboratory in Singapore100
The second issue of the FCL Magazine addresses the shifting character of contemporary cities, and examines what this has to say about the fortunes of future cities. Dirk E. Hebel and Felix Heisel contributed an article titled “Cities without High-Rises” in this recent publication, which can be found here. ADDIS 2050 is a so-called ‘synergy project’ at the Future Cities Laboratory in Singapore. It combines the collective activities and collaborations within FCL and African partners over the last few years in Ethiopia, especially in its capital Addis Ababa. The title ADDIS 2050 is derived from an international conference in November 2012, where FCL, together with100
Architectural Blog archdaily reported recently on the ongoing research of CoReSing’s bamboo composite materials for the building industry. “Developing countries have the highest demand for steel-reinforced concrete, but often do not have the means to produce the steel to meet that demand. Rather than put themselves at the mercy of a global market dominated by developed countries, Singapore’s Future Cities Laboratory suggests an alternative to this manufactured rarity: bamboo. Abundant, sustainable, and extremely resilient, bamboo has potential in the future to become an ideal replacement in places where steel cannot easily be produced.” The full article can be found here.
Kieron Monks asks in his recent article on CNN Innovations “Would you live in a house of sand and bacteria? It’s a surpassingly good idea”. The article gives an overview on recent developments in the field of alternative building materials and quotes Prof Dirk E. Hebel referring to mushroom bricks that “I could imagine every structure you would built out of bricks. No high-rises, but smaller scale structures and houses. The material is stronger than concrete, with better insulation capacities”. Read the full article here.
Impulse, the magazine for the German-speaking community in Singapore, recently published a short article on Felix Heisel in their issue “German Researchers in Singapore”. It describes his motivation to work in Singapore as well as his research in urban design and construction materials. The issue is available online here.
The Chair of Architecture and Construction will soon move back to Zürich to continue researching there and to start teaching a design course in the master’s programs – an exciting new task that the members are very much looking forward to. How can years of intensive research be translated into an academic approach? Marta H. Wisniewska writes about this challenge as the team aims to craft an inspiring course for their future students, and use it at the same time as another method to continue their current work. For the full article, please click here.
The CREATE Tower in Singapore sets the scene for vertical networking among its various entities. This kind of setting fosters interactions between the institutions on many levels, informally as well as professionally. Marta H. Wisniewska sees this as a strength. For the full article, please click here.
What we throw away may be a valuable renewable resource for building materials. Marta H. Wisniewska explains the future destiny of refuse in her newest blog entry for the ETH Intranet. For the full article, please click here.
Dirk E. Hebel’s newest contribution to the ETH Zukunftsblog: Afrika wächst und wandelt sich. Oft ist eine Entwicklung nach westlichem Vorbild oberstes Ziel. Doch gibt es nicht sinnvollere Wege? Diese Frage bewegte mich während eines mehrjährigen Aufenthalts in Ostafrika. Seither ist mir der Kontinent eine Quelle der Inspiration für nachhaltiges Forschen und Handeln. To read more, please click here.
From the forests of Indonesia to the skylines of future cities. The rapid urbanization in emerging market countries sparks a search for new and better building materials. This video is part of the ‘HSBC Canada in the Future’ Series, directed by Meg Andersen, The Mark Studios, Toronto Canada.
Founded in 1995, art4d is a magazine created by designers for designers. Through its 11 annual issues, art4d positions itself in absolute contrast to the contemporary field of shelter and decoration titles. art4d has and continues to pioneer the exchange of ideas, presented in intelligent narratives accompanied by vivid images, as standard editorial practice. Art4d serves the community of design, artistic, and creative professional and participants within Thailand – within Asia – and worldwide. art4d 210 is entitled SMALL TALK: The Interview Issue – Conversations with eight architecture studios.
The move to Singapore two years ago was a 180-degree turn when coming from Ethiopia. Both countries cannot be more different, yet both could learn a lot from each other. Marta H. Wisniewska shares her rich multicultural experiences in an insightful column. For the full article, please click here.
CoReSing’s Marta H. Wisniewska will be one of four Opinion makers for the ETH Intranet this year. Reporting on her experiences as a Researcher at the Future Cities Laboratory in Singapore, she also draws comparisons to her former position at the Ethiopian institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development in Addis Ababa. To follow her blog, please click here (ETH staff only).
Dirk E. Hebel’s contribution ‘Local Alternatives: Replacing Steel with Bamboo’ has been published in ‘The Economy of Sustainable Construction’. About the Book: 30 specialists from around the world challenge the question of (higher) costs related to sustainability of the built environment The Economy of Sustainable Construction is a publication inspired by the 4th International Holcim Forum and examines how sustainability can deliver a robust response to fiscal challenges. The book evaluates current architectural practices and models, and also introduces materials and methods to maximize the environmental, social, and economic performance of buildings. Contained within its 400 pages are essays, reports,100
Dirk E. Hebel and the group’s research on Advanced Fiber Composite Reinforcement has been featured in The Edge Singapore on December 09th, 2013. The article titled ‘Bamboo could replace steel in reinforced concrete, says Future Cities Lab’s Hebel’ describes the background and research aims of the project. The Edge Singapore is a weekly magazine on business and investment and also includes a daily blog, which can be found here.
Dirk E. Hebel and the group’s research on Advanced Fiber Composite Reinforcement has been featured in the Straits Times on November 10th, 2013. “Now, researchers from the Future Cities Laboratory, a collaboration between Singapore and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich), hope to harness the flexibility and strength of bamboo fibres to replace steel rebar used in reinforced concrete. As Singapore goes through a construction boom, it is paying more attention to greening the construction process – from studying the use of bamboo to reinforce concrete, to calculating the carbon footprint of buildings. Recently, the Building100
CoReSing has recently contributed to three new publications: AFRITECTURE: Building Social Change Where a term like “Western architecture” is likely to conjure a gamut of specific examples ranging from the Colosseum to the Empire State Building, “African architecture”-whether ancient or modern-still connotes very little for a general audience in the West. Happily, this is changing, as Africa’s recent economic boom is transforming the urban landscape across the continent, and yielding a rich new crop of architects and buildings with a range of approaches and solutions as diverse as Africa itself. This opulently illustrated volume, with informative texts by the architectural100
On September 6th 2013, the editors Dirk E. Hebel and Stephen Cairns launched the new FCL Magazine with its first issue ‘Technology’. The FCL Magazine is a periodical about research. It does not aim to present unquestionable research results, nor fully worked out ‘solutions’ to the myriad dilemmas that contemporary and future cities unfold. Rather, it aims to show things which are not yet fully resolved, work in progress, approaches to longer term issues. In so doing, the magazine will embrace mistakes and failures. It will celebrate questions, highlight methodologies, and revel in the shaping of research. FCL Magazine is100
ETH Globe published in its latest issue called “The particle tamers” an article on the research of the Chair of Architecture and Construction Dirk E. Hebel at FCL Singapore called “Bamboo – rock-hard iron substitute for the tropics” by Samuel Schlaefli. “Bamboo grows quickly, is common in tropical countries, and some species have a greater tensile strength than steel. It would be an ideal alternative to imported construction steel for the rapidly growing cities of the south, which is where the Future Cities Laboratory in Singapore comes in.” See also: www.ethz.ch/about/publications/globe
Dirk E. Hebel, Felix Heisel BAMBOO COMPOSITE REINFORCED CONCRETE in: SMART CITIES, The Next Generation, Focus South East Asia, Berlin, 2013, pp. 46-49