Ice Formwork system is a set of original solutions developed to challenge environmental and economic performance of concrete prefabrication. Essentially, Ice Formwork is an alternative material base for production of custom-made concrete elements, facilitated through use of regular ice as the moulding material, climate-control fabrication environment, and all possible tools of robotic material processing, subtractive and additive.
Applications
The system has a number of applications that can enrich architectural design while optimizing structural, economic and environmental performances. An example is lightweight rain-screen facade system which delivers extremely durable and aesthetic fiber-reinforced building envelop with mass of 80-100 kg per square meter.
Advantages
Ice Formwork system provides means of complex concrete geometry production avoiding moulding material waste, effectively reducing embodied energy and carbon footprint of concrete products by 40-50%, comparing to a similar fabrication method based on expanded polystyrene.