Aircrete Model Shelter

Project Type: Independent

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Duration: July - December 2018

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In this project, I designed and built a model ‘rest break’ shelter for Dubai’s construction workers. I took this on independently when I saw the Dubai workers taking breaks outside in the blowing sand, heat, and dust. My shelter is designed to be lightweight and easy to erect. For this reason, I chose to use aircrete – a mixture of foam and cement – as a building material.

 

In order to make aircrete, I built a foam maker. I constructed it from PVC pipes, barbs, valves, garden hose, tubing, and scrub pads. Once hooked up to an air compressor soapy liquid can is turned into dense foam! After mixing foam with cement I used a laser-cut acrylic mold to form the bricks.