06/12/2026
Architecture students Maryann Royster, Ryan Herron and Christian Bravo’s project, Co-Co Crete, was developed in the course Hybrid Automation: Designing with Digital Tools and Material Behavior (ARCH 4990/6990 elective, Spring 2025), taught by Lavender Tessmer.
Funded by the Pennell Center Teaching Grant, this project prioritizes bio-based materials in raw ingredients, formwork assembly, and the creation of highly textured forms. The concrete mix maximizes the content of bio-based ingredients, including fine and coarse aggregates, admixtures, and reinforcing fibers. The combination of soft and rigid formwork enables geometric repeatability of units while introducing buckling, gathering, and pleating on their exterior faces, which can serve as a catchment for soil and promote plant growth.