Omer Arbel is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Vancouver. His output is broad, including materials research, lighting design, building design and site specific installations. He is one of two co-founders of Bocci, a Canadian design and manufacturing company.
Featured
Project:
75.9
is
a
house
constructed
on
a
hay
farm
in
the
Canadian
Pacific
Northwest.
The project makes use of a technique of pouring concrete into fabric formwork deployed within plywood rib structures, yielding walls and columnar roof forms. A deliberately slow, continuous pour and special concrete mix are employed to fabricate each element, in some cases approaching 10 meters tall. The intention is for the concrete to continuously cure throughout the duration of the pour, thus reducing hydro-static pressure at the stem and avoiding horizontal cold joints. Micro perforations in the weave of the fabric release air from the surface of the concrete as it cures, making it easy to remove and creating a richly textured woven finish. The technique acknowledges the material’s plastic nature and prescribes its own unique geometry.
The dedicated project website features additional video footage, drawings and a VR experience of the project which is due to be completed in 2021.
