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REM·TAO investigates the creation of a living sand-mycelium material with rock-like texture, envisioning a dynamic design that utilises its organic and ‘bio-welding’ qualities.
The project explores integrating biological growth and water into an architectural program with scientific precision, using local rock as a contrasting element. REM·TAO embraces collaboration with nature, studying methods for predicting and controlling natural phenomena to harness their beneficial functions and evolving forms as design features. The design functions as a living system, balancing stability and emergence, and reflecting growth, decay, and rebirth cycles, culminating in five key stages of metamorphosis.
The final proposal aims to revitalise the abandoned Tarlair swimming pool in Scotland with a bathhouse complex that renews its original purpose as a sanctuary for leisure and relaxation. Visitors experience a journey from openness to intimacy, moving through the site from underground spaces to hot baths, cascading pool gardens, and the expansive outdoor swimming pool.
Inspired by the lichen system, REM·TAO explores contrast and unity through control and randomness, stability and emergence, and human construction and nature. The final proposal highlights five key stages of metamorphosis.
Emergence, flux, revelation, reminiscence.
Exploring the digital and material worlds enables the conveyance of design with scientific grounding. Observations of materiality and biological phenomena from lab experiments were referenced for the visualisation.
Development of mycelium sand composite and assessments of its properties.
Informed by lab and environmental data, digital techniques were developed to speculate on change over time with scientific accuracy.
A visual exploration of the experiences within the complex's interior as the design evolves.
Exploration on the myco-welding properties and close-up views of the physical prototypes.
Textures and biological phenomena documented from our lab experiments were referenced for digital visualisation.
Overview of the grand process of metamorphosis.
A visual journey capturing the evolving impressions of the complex’s exterior design.
The design of the complex was 3D-printed as sectioned blocks at 1:150 scale and assembled. The entire design comprises a total of 23 pieces of which a combined model of 15 pieces is shown.