Ronald Rael, a professor of architecture at UC Berkeley and the 2025 winner of the National Design Award for Architecture, is presenting an innovative work at the Desert X exhibition. This installation, created using 3D printing techniques, emphasizes the importance of raw earth materials and their potential for promoting sustainable construction in Los Angeles. Rael, who founded the “Emerging Objects” studio in San Francisco, aims to reconsider the scalability and efficiency of adobe as a building material in this project.
In collaboration with Virginia San Fratello, Rael addresses the challenges of using adobe in Los Angeles and, by utilizing 3D printing technology, reintroduces the material in a modern form that meets contemporary needs. The project employs a robotic nozzle for precise adobe layering, enabling the creation of resilient, beautiful, and efficient structures. Furthermore, this installation not only responds to the environmental crisis but also demonstrates how ancient materials can be revived using modern techniques.
Los Angeles has abundant clay resources that can be utilized for this type of construction, reducing transportation costs and environmental impact. This installation simultaneously bridges tradition and technology in architecture, exploring the potential for using sustainable materials in modern projects.