Title: Architectural Ceramics
Location of Proejct: North Carolina State University
Project Completion Date: N/A
Firm Name:

Short Description: The Ceramics Lab was founded at the School of Architecture to explore ceramic assemblies carrying on the rich tradition of North Carolina clay craft, and to create space for critical discourse about the use of (digital) technology in architecture. Current facilities feature clay 3D printers — a Delta Wasp 40100 Clay and 3D PotterBot Micro 10 —, working and glazing areas, and a Skutt 1027-3 ceramic kiln. The goal moving forward is to expand on the possibilities for working with clay — to combine techniques such as extruding and casting with computational-additive capabilities.

Architect's Statement: During the Fall 2021 semester 13 students in the Architectural Ceramic Fabrication course developed projects following from study of regional ceramics and contexts including a visit to institutions in the Seagrove, North Carolina area, one of the largest concentrations of working potters in the United States and using exclusively local (Star, North Carolina) STARworks clay bodies, students each designed and produced small vessels moving between custom Grasshopper (-to-G-code) definitions, 3D-printing, glazing, and firing. Learning from these experiences, the class then began iterating concepts and prototyping units for a permanent installation on a site at NC State in coordination with the campus landscape architect, eventually arriving at a design for a unitized screen wall made of two highly variegated vertically-stackable modules. A mock-up testing assembly strategies and glazing options are currently underway.

Interested in developing this dual narrative of traditional and digital means of making this research continued on with a small team. This team is interested in refining the aforementioned installation as well as pursuing new directions with texture, irregularity, and interface. We’d like to create works that hold and channel, that have bodily and experiential qualities: water devices such as spouts (gargoyles) and rain chains, door handles, and the like. To that end, we’ve experimented with incorporating the digital sculpting tool Z-Brush into our workflow. Still, we are also seeking to understand how more manual clay methods may inform and enhance the work.