5. Architecture Meets Organic Matter: Sombra Verde and White Spaces

Digital tools deliver high levels of control over a project’s geometry and manufactured parts. Digital modeling, CNC control, in tandem with engineered materials such as polymers, plywood, and metal, ensures the fidelity of the physical product against the digital model. However, the dependence of current digital workflows on standardized materials excludes a range of natural materials that can otherwise offer valuable aesthetic and performative opportunities. This chapter examines how additive manufacturing opens new possibilities for unprocessed materials such as bamboo and raw timber. It proposes and reviews a design and manufacturing workflow, in which the specific properties of more irregular materials are digitized so that the specific information of each element is incorporated into the digital design process. 3D Printing becomes crucial, as specialized parts can be manufactured for the unique characteristics of the raw materials. Design workflows, problems, and benefits are presented through two AirLab’s built projects: White Spaces and Sombra Verde.