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Anupama Kundoo
Building Knowledge:
An Inventory of Strategies
‘Reporting from the Front’
Biennale Architettura di Venezia 2016
Arsenale

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“
We’re not just talking about affordability
in terms of money here; we’re
also talking about impact on the
environment. We can’t afford to keep
building the way we do. My work is
to find alternative solutions to build
using significantly less materials, and
action them
”
.

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“
When the opposites in a duality work
in union, there is enrichment and
knowledge. If the quest for knowledge
is ahead of the action, there is evolution.
If the impulse of action is ahead of
reflection there can be destruction (Mahabharata).
Knowledge informs the act of building,
and building widens knowledge” .
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“
By helping communities to fabricate
a set of simple building components,
we can build knowledge and bring
housing back to the people” .

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Under construction...
Built with the support of
Italcementi
Universidad Camilo Jose Cela, Madrid
Eco Clay
LaminaM
Perfialsa Portugal
Grupo Modular
Jordahl
Thank you!

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Further research
Continuing her research on ferrocement technology, Dr. Anupama
Kundoo, organized a two-week student workshop at the Behrens
Halle (AEG) in collaboration with the Chair of Conceptual and
Structural design, Technische Universität Berlin including a team
of Indian masons. Some of the elements built and tested in Berlin
have travelled to Venice to be part of her installation at the Architecture
Biennale 2016. The rest have remained in TU Berlin for
conducting strength tests for further research on this material.
The ferrocement elements retained at the TU Berlin involved
different types of cement matrix and reinforcements. They were
produced for testing compressive, tensile and flexural strengths
of each variation. Two months after the workshop the results
of the experiments are still being analyzed. However a good
structural behavior was already observed. In general, the ferrocement
members delivered higher strength than expected, with
a ductile behavior. Thus, this material comprises a high potential
for the use of lightweight and economic structures.
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Links
Videos
Building Knowledge. The Process (I) – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm1hPsHPvmE&feature=youtu.be
Hi-Lo: Exchanging Knowledge (II) – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J13kxQLGlfg&feature=youtu.be
Nothing Stays Forever: The Life on an Installation (III) – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0neKGT26uU
Urban Eco-community
https://urbannext.net/?s=anupama+kundoo&x=-1271&y=-24
Press
Financial Times. Venice Biennale of Architecture, 3 June, 2016
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&-
cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjtq_m5m6XPAhUDVxQKHUwUAo4QFggn-
MAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F645b8698-
2807-11e6-8ba3-cdd781d02d89.html&usg=AFQjCNECM_r9KXUqTJR9Fp6L
1WNlaJNS_A
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Designboom. Anupama Kundoo discusses full-scale modular home
at Venice Architecture Biennale, 29 May, 2016
http://www.designboom.com/architecture/venice-architecture-biennaleanupama-kundoo-full-fill-home-installation-arsenale-05-29-2016/
The Guardian. Venice architecture biennale 2016 –
ideas for real world problems, 29 May, 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/may/29/venice-architecturebiennale-2016-review-norman-foster
Dezeen. Anupama Kundoo uses ferrocement to create pioneering
“Lego-like” house, 14 June, 2016
http://www.dezeen.com/2016/06/07/anupama-kundoo-full-fill-homesferrocement-house-model-arsenale-venice-architecture-biennale-2016/
ArcVision. Architecture biennale 2016 – Anupama Kundoo, 19 July, 2016
http://www.arcvision.org/?p=28831&lang=en

© 2016 Anupama Kundoo architects and the
photographers Design Team: Alba Balmaseda
Domínguez, Sonali Phadnis, Yashoda Joshi,
Cristina Perez Sahagun, Azzurra Brugiotti
Model building team: Students of IUAV
Venice with Enrico Bergonzoni Structural
engineers Prof. Dr. sc. techn. Mike Schlaich,
Dr.-Ing. Arndt Goldack, Dr.-Ing. Alexander
Hückler, Juan Pablo Osman Letelier Construction
Team: Aryan Builders, Pondicherry, Sekar
Sokkalingam, Munissamy Muthulingam,
Krishnamurthy Janakiraman, Saminathan
Kumar, Ponnuvel Samikkannu; Rebiennale,
Venice Institutional Partners: Chair of
Conceptual and Structural Design TU Berlin,
School of Architecture and Technology UCJC
Madrid, IAAC Barcelona, IUAV Venice Films
Marta San Vicente, Harun Farocki, Vimal
Bhojraj, Fundació Enric Miralles, Fundación
ICO, CUSP, Akshid Rajendran Photography:
Javier Callejas