Italian studio Carlo Ratti Associati and architect Italo Rota designed this modular installation in Brera Botanical Garden for Milan Design Week, using a type of artificial stone made from waste rice husks. created.
The SunRice installation transformed the garden into a path for visitors to explore the various uses of rice, “from edible food to experimental building materials.”
SunRice installation debuts at Milan Design Week
An experiential journey through the gardens showed how rice is transformed from a plant to an ingredient used in cooking, and then demonstrated how rice waste becomes a raw material for architectural applications.
“Rice is the most widely consumed food in the world,” Ratti said. “And this is precisely why it has such widespread and profound cultural significance, opening up so many applications and avenues of unexplored experimentation.”
“As we explore alternative ways to feed the planet's growing population, we must also explore ways in which these materials can be used for sustainable construction.”
Made using geopolymer made from waste rice husks
The material developed by Milene startup Rice House is a geopolymer. It is a type of artificial stone that is made by chemically reacting silica-rich materials with an alkaline solution, mimicking the way rocks are formed in nature.
Geopolymers are a more sustainable alternative to concrete that does not rely on high-emission cement as a binder and instead uses industrial waste streams such as fly ash from coal-fired power plants as a silica source is committed to providing.
The ingredients used in SunRice aim to make something better by integrating abundant agricultural waste: the skin removed from rice grains that are prepared for human consumption.
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The resulting polymer can be molded or 3D printed to create a variety of shapes, allowing Ratti and Rota to create a system of triangular modules for their installations.
They were designed to evoke the cellular organization of natural materials and the trihedral elements found in Hungarian-French architect Jonah Friedman's metabolic architecture.
The installation was developed for global energy company ENI in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Nico Romito. Niko Romito has contributed to providing visitors with new insights into this world's staple food.
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Romito created a rice-based biscuit for the event using herbs grown in the Brera Botanical Garden as the climax of the sensory journey for the visitors.
According to Ratti, in the wake of Milan Design Week, these components will be broken down and used to nourish the garden.
On April 6, just before the installation's opening, Lota passed away at the age of 70. Architect Rota was known for innovative museum and exhibition design projects, including the renovation of the Musee d'Orsay in Paris in collaboration with Gaet Aulenti.
The installation was held at Brera Botanical Garden
Lota and Ratti have collaborated on several projects in recent years, including the Italian pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020 and a previous installation at Brera Botanical Gardens featuring energy-generating sculptures.
The two also collaborated on the design of the world's largest solar power plant as part of Rome's bid for Expo 2030, and on a housing project that included a large fig tree inside a converted farmhouse.
In a tribute to Dezeen, Ratti explained that Rota remained at the forefront of the architectural avant-garde throughout his career, always seeking to understand and incorporate new ideas and innovations into his projects and academic research.
Milan Design Week took place from April 15th to 21st, 2024. Check out the Dezeen Event Guide for the latest list of architecture and design events around the world.