Radiant Hydronic Ceramic Surfaces

Prototype

2020

Text: Radiant Hydronic Ceramic Surfaces explores the potential in clay-based ceramics to create innovations in building components and building systems through material-based design strategies informed by innovative fabrication technology. FeRadiant Hydronic Surfaces exploits the plasticity of the clay medium and the fabrication technology in order to redefine the conventional hot water radiator while concurrently reducing the fluid temperature requirements through increasing surface area. Reducing the required temperature allows for increased efficient, reduction of energy consumption and relies on the wall as a thermal mass for heating. We aim to combine design desires and the functional requirements of a radiant wall system into a holistic system which addresses four issues: energy consumption, material properties of clay, fabrication process and a design agenda. Our proposal consists of a single module which, through its aggregation, becomes expandable and creates visual complexity, rendering the individual module illegible. The module is produced through CNC-milling and slip casting with plaster molds. CNC machine tool paths are used as a surface pattern which acts as fins for the radiant wall to increase surface area. Slip-cast was selected as a fabrication method in order to exploit the plasticity of the medium which allowed us to investigate notions of surface container rather than pipe, also to increased surface area.

Collaborator

Jenny Hong at the Harvard Design
Robotics Group

Featured

2013 Milano (Italy) MADE exhibition

Permanent Exhibit

Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers' Association (ACSER)