ROTH ARCHITECTURE MATLAB
OFFICE: Roth Architecture
LOCATION: Francisco Uh May, Mexico
ROTH ARCHITECTURE PROJECT TEAM: Jordy Baez & Eduard Galkin
ROTH R&D PROJECT TEAM: Elizabeth Cohn-Martin, Luis Rivero & Estefania Mejia
INTERIOR DESIGN TEAM: Abigail Perez
CONSTRUCTION TEAM: Paul Bautista, Pedro Muñoz, Jordy Baez, Fernando Artigas, Mario Lopez, Alexandre Jacquebelt, Jose Daniel Roque, Carlos Córdoba
IMAGE CREDITS: Roth Architecture, LLC
DESIGN, PLANNING & PROCUREMENT
The Materials Research Laboratory within the FabLab is an especially important space for the R&D team. While all FabLab areas were fully equipped with varying tools and supplies, this space was designed and equipped with a high level of detail needed for a variety of diverse material development related activities. Full tool and material procurement lists as well as spatial programming needs were generated prior to the start of construction as a variety of conditions and HVAC requirements were needed for the different MatLab zones.
Materials in development include studies in both biobased materials as well as more standard construction materials that the team hopes to improve upon. A number of active projects look at utilizing waste stream materials and addressing common issues in this region of Mexico related to plastic wastes and sargassum seaweed which arrive to beaches in Tulum negatively impacting local ecology and tourism initiatives.
Materials studied include:
Salt brine byproduct/waste product from desalination, concrete alternatives, sargassum seaweed composites, mycelium, calcium carbonate from eggshells, biofabrics and flexible bioplastics, earthen constructions and clay plasters, bamboo, biobased waterproofing and resin alternatives.