MIMAC
MIMAC uses 3D printing to quickly and cost-effectively construct multiple units for a small residential community tailored for makers, artists, and innovators.
Lead
Differential, icon build
location
San Fransisco, USA
Size
3040m2
Date
2023
Type
Multi-unit residential
SCOPE
Concept design & vision
In response to Icon Build's Initiative 99 competition, Differential joined The Blueprint Collective, a network of architects, academics, structural engineers and computatonal designers.
Our proposal MIMAC focuses on the revitalization of Mare Island in Vallejo, California. This historic site, established as the inaugural U.S. naval shipyard on the Pacific Coast in 1854, played a crucial role in shipbuilding during the World Wars.
Our goal is to preserve its rich legacy by transforming the former naval shipyard into a vibrant residential and mixed-use community.
At its core, the proposal envisions an inaugural lighthouse project—a celebration of Mare Island's manufacturing heritage. This project aims to foster a small residential community tailored for makers, artists, and innovators.
MIMAC brings together cutting-edge concrete 3D printing technology, extensive research, and decades of architectural and design expertise.
Concept
The concept leverages the advantages of 3D printing by reducing the printed spaces to walls with standardized dimensions and allowing multiple units to be built quickly and cost-effectively.
the design
As an alternative to conventional construction, which often results in larger and impersonal apartment units, our proposal suggests building smaller, human-scale housing. This approach involves clustering individual rooms around shared community spaces, both indoors and outdoors, including communal kitchens, bedrooms, washrooms, and workshop areas.
The roof canopy extends beyond the unit’s walls to form a protective layer, significantly minimizing heat gain and thereby reducing the energy required for cooling. By controlling direct sunlight penetration, the canopy creates a cooler micro climate, ensuring a comfortable environment.
Our proposal boasts a distinctive feature - the use of concrete 3D printing technology not only for the production of walls,but also for the roof. This pioneering idea is made possible by a new fabrication method developed at UC Berkeley. Furthermore, the use of a timber and concrete composite structure has a lower carbon foot print in comparison to a standard reinforced slab composite.
