Home Projects ‘Decomposition Farm: Stairway’ tackles construction waste in architecture
ProjectsDesignInstallation

‘Decomposition Farm: Stairway’ tackles construction waste in architecture

Share
'Decomposition Farm: Stairway' tackles construction waste in architecture
Share
Decomposition Farm

Decomposition Farm: Stairway is a temporary installation that suggests one possible solution to the environmental issues associated with construction waste in the architectural field. The amount of CO2 emitted by the construction industry peaked in 2020, accounting for 38% of all energy-related emissions. In South Korea, there are no recycling statistics for Styrofoam waste from demolition. Polystyrene, more commonly known as Styrofoam, biodegrades in 500 years.

Researchers recently confirmed that mealworms, the larva of the beetle, can consume polystyrene, decompose it with its stomach enzyme, and excrete a safe substance large enough to grow crops.

Decomposition Farm

A 6-axis industrial robotic arm (IRB-4600 by ABB) is used to construct this being-digested polystyrene structure. The main design methodology is based on a 1.5-meter-wide hot wire cutter attached to the end of the robotic arm, which can carve out a chunk of foam. A design constraint is the ability to manipulate straight lines of wire; all shapes are made of ruled surfaces. In geometry, a surface S is ruled if a straight line passes through every point on the surface. In the late 1800s, without modeling software, Antoni Gaudi used the forms of ruled surfaces to simplify modeling because they are constructed from straight lines. Through exquisite robot control, thousands of computer-generated surfaces are elaborately boolean-ed out of the volumetric mass.

Many holes are drilled into carved polystyrene foams to provide a habitat for mealworms. Mealworms consume and digest polystyrene, which they then excrete in harmless feces. This process feeds moss, which is also attached to the foam, and eventually establishes a new ecosystem in the artificial environment. Mealworms are frequently provided, and this man-made structure eventually melts into nature. Humans are involved in this systematic cycle by aggregating linear-patterned elements into a large spiral staircase. More than carbon-zero construction – carbon-negative building life cycle, this radical experiment can suggest a new sustainable approach in the architectural field.

'Decomposition Farm: Stairway' tackles construction waste in architecture

Project Info

Project Name: Decomposition Farm: Stairway
Office Name: Yong Ju Lee Architecture
Completion Year: 2022
Gross Built Area: 10 sqm
Location: Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Photo Credits: Yong Ju Lee Architecture

Share
Written by
PA Editorial Team

Editorial team behind PA

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Related Articles
MIT Self-Assembly Lab creates a 4D Knit Dress using advanced 3D knitting techniques
ProjectsDesignFashion

MIT Self-Assembly Lab creates a 4D Knit Dress using advanced 3D knitting techniques

Ministry of Supply collaborated with MIT Self-Assembly Lab to design a 4D...

Jimi Hendrix greatly influenced the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
ProjectsArchitecture

Jimi Hendrix greatly influenced the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture) was designed by Frank Gehry and initiated...

William H. Gary III 30th Street Station Redevelopment
Architecture NewsProjects

William H. Gary III 30th Street Station Redevelopment

As the largest effort to reimagine Philadelphia’s historic station since 1991, this...

HOK’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium Redefines Fan Experience
ProjectsArchitecture

HOK’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium Redefines Fan Experience

Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the United States, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a brand-new...

Subscribe to all newsletters

Join our community to receive the latest insights and updates!

© 2025 ParametricArchitecture. All Rights Reserved. By utilizing this website, you are consenting to our User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Statement. In compliance with the privacy laws of Turkey and the United States, we recognize and respect your rights. Please be aware that we may receive commissions for products bought through our affiliate links. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or transmission of any material from this site is strictly forbidden without prior written permission from ParametricArchitecture.

ad blocker mark

AdBlocker Detected!

Help Us Keep Our Content Free

Your support helps us continue delivering high-quality resources at no cost to you.

We’ve detected that you are using an AdBlocker. We completely understand the need for a clean browsing experience, but ads help us keep this platform running and continue providing you with high-quality content at no cost.

If you enjoy our content, please consider disabling your AdBlocker or adding our site to your whitelist. Your support allows us to create more valuable articles, tutorials, and resources for you.

Thank you for being a part of our community!