application open for the 1 year programme

Programme

2020-2021

Apply now

2020-2021

Programme
Apply now

AN ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL INITIATIVE

Since 2015, Critical Concrete researches on urban, sustainable architectural and design strategies and refurbishes socially relevant places through its theoretical and practical educational programme.

The educational programs suits anyone — architects, architecture & design students, makers, engineers — interested in the theory of sustainable architecture, getting physically involved in the construction work and have a tangible social impact.

We operate a production centre in the neighborhood of Ramalde with the vision combining co-working and co-building facilities. Ideas and techniques of sustainable and repairable construction processes are being developed in the centre. Social events such as workshops, team-buildings, movie sessions with vegan dinners, yoga classes are organised on a regular basis.

Co-lateral Facebook page / Co-lateral Website

afs_Selo_VencedorGPA2017-01

Follow us!

LAST ARTICLES

+ MORE

LAST VIDEOS

Protecting wood by charring it? We developed a charring station which let you protect your wood in a natural way. In this video you can find out how it works and how to build your own station. Timestamps: 01:09 - Introduction 04:01 - Our Approach 06:48 - Step-by-Step Building Instruction 08:46 - How to use the Station 10:05 - How to treat the wood afterwards 10:57 - Torch vs station comparison 12:08 - Conclusion ► Check Our Natural Wood Protection Article https://criticalconcrete.com/natural-wood-protection/ ► Check Our Shou Sugi Ban Article https://criticalconcrete.com/shou-sugi-ban/ ► Check Our Rocket Stove Articlehttps://criticalconcrete.com/diy-wood-stoves/ ► More Research Article https://criticalconcrete.com/research/ ► Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/criticalconcrete Get in touch with us! ► Instagram https://www.instagram.com/criticalcon... ► Facebook https://www.facebook.com/criticalconc... ► Email mail@critical-concrete.com Example of Shou Sugi Ban: ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzVoBog8A_4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sources "Subscribe Button" by MrNumber112 https://youtu.be/Fps5vWgKdl0
Natural Wood Protection - Shou sugi ban without gas - Charring Station
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_h84hqLSMKdI
Sheila Darmos from The Southern Lights Project talks about how translating principles of a natural forest into gardening and farming practices positively impacts the farm work itself as well as the environment. She also highlights the approach’s possibilities to easily grow food in an urban context. - SWITCH ON SUBTITLES - SUBSCRIBE (& click the bell for notifications) ABOUT THE SOUTHERN LIGHTS The Southern Lights is an educational and land stewardship non-profit organization that actively regenerates eco-systems in which people, inspired by nature, create and maintain healthy and abundant livelihoods. The aim is to empower people of all ages and backgrounds with knowledge, skills, and inspiration essential to cultivating regenerative habitats, inhabitants, and habits while enhancing their professional capabilities to initiate their own projects and/or businesses. The aim of the organization is focused on: permaculture, agroforestry, regenerative farming, non-violent communication, natural building, healthy nutrition and movement, renewable energy solutions. ► Check Our Urban Food Forest Article ...about to come soon. ► More Research Articles https://criticalconcrete.com/research/ ► Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/criticalconcrete Get in touch with us! ► Instagram https://www.instagram.com/criticalcon... ► Facebook https://www.facebook.com/criticalconc... ► Email mail@critical-concrete.com Examples of Tyre Foundations More about The Southern Lights on their website http://thesouthernlights.org/
What is a Food Forest? Insights from The Southern Lights Project in Greece
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_X_Ndy9B_6GA
Tyre Foundations are low-tech foundations made only of old scrap tyres and compressed earth or gravel. Find out about how we developed and implemented a new type of Tyre Foundations in our construction as an alternative for concrete. ► Check Our Tyre Foundation Article https://criticalconcrete.com/tyre-foundations/ ► More Research Article https://criticalconcrete.com/research/ ► Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/criticalconcrete Get in touch with us! ► Instagram https://www.instagram.com/criticalconcrete/ ► Facebook https://www.facebook.com/criticalconcrete/ ► Email mail@critical-concrete.com Examples of Tyre Foundations ► Mechanical Concrete http://www.mechanicalconcrete.com/ ► Tulse Hill London - Holy Trinity Church's Tyre Foundations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZlBG40x8RE ► Michael Reynold's Earthships https://www.earthshipglobal.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sources "Subscribe Button" by MrNumber112 https://youtu.be/Fps5vWgKdl0 Picture of Planta embotelladora de Bacardí : HAKEBRY1 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
Tyre Foundation - HOW TO
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_A89JhyjCmjs
Antoine Aubinais from Bellastock talks about the reuse of construction material in buildings and how an architecture festival evolved to become a social enterprise that works to establish original, ecological and economic alternatives to the act of building. - SWITCH ON SUBTITLES - SUBSCRIBE (& click the bell for notifications) JOIN our Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2303999643231456/ ABOUT ANTOINE AUBINAIS - FIELDS OF WORK AND PROJECTS Created in 2006 within the architecture school of Belleville, Bellastock is firstly a research platform whose activity relies essentially on the organization of an annual festival, reuniting hundreds of architecture students.Today, it is an operational association for the establishment and the monitoring of innovative architectural projects. Bellastock’s activity is deliberately turned towards the establishment of original, ecological and economic alternatives to the act of building. For this, they lead a work of research-action: by proposing concrete methods applied to the problematic of the cycles of matter while placing the social aspect in the center of the project. More about Bellastock on our website: http://criticalconcrete.com/summer-camp/mentors/bellastock/
Reuse of building components & building life cycle - Antoine Aubinais (Bellastock) - Critical Talk
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_XrLW_z7eSKg
Anja Planišček talks about her projects, which were collectively designed and built with local communities around Africa. - SWITCH ON SUBTITLES - SUBSCRIBE (& click the bell for notifications) JOIN our Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2303999643231456/ ABOUT ANJA PLANIŠČEK - FIELDS OF WORK AND PROJECTS Anja is currently working as associate professor at the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Ljubljana and as practicing architect. She works at the nexus of housing politics, architecture of social engagement and the socialization of architecture and has a special focus on Slovenian architecture in the period of socialism. More about Anja on our website: https://criticalconcrete.com/summer-camp/mentors/anja-planiscek/ Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/criticalconcrete
Anja Planiscek - Building as a collective process - Critical Talk
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_SBEMMBFD7o0
Marcela Lopéz talks about why we recycle, the realities of the recycling industry and how to think beyond the immediate act of recycling material in circular economy. - SWITCH ON SUBTITLES - SUBSCRIBE (& click the bell for notifications) JOIN our Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2303999643231456/ ABOUT MARCELA LOPEZ - FIELDS OF WORK AND PROJECTS Marcela is the founder of the platform Contested Urban Waterscapes, which explores water inequalities in urban contexts from an interdisciplinary perspective. She works at the nexus between urban political ecology and urban geography to examine how inequalities can be productively conceptualized and explained through contestations that emerge over the control and access to water in cities. More about Marcela on our website: http://criticalconcrete.com/summer-camp/mentors/marcela-lopez/ Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/criticalconcrete
How to think beyond recycling? - Marcela Lopéz - Critical Talk
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_reIU75dLa3U
Vincent Pierré from Terranergie talks about designing sustainable solutions through social approach, with natural material and local resources - SWITCH ON SUBTITLES - SUBSCRIBE (& click the bell for notifications) JOIN our Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2303999643231456/ ABOUT VINCENT PIERRE - FIELDS OF WORK AND PROJECTS Based on permaculture and the negawatt method, Vincent Pierré has built a lot of wood & straw-bale buildings in different sectors (housing, social housing, eco-village, school, high school, public building) over the last 15 years. He has been experimenting with different ways of co-designing with architects and people to build better living places. Within his office, Terranergie, Vincent works with his team in eco-construction and eco-renovation from individual houses to building of several floors. More about Vincent on our website: https://criticalconcrete.com/summer-camp/mentors/vincent-pierre/ Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/criticalconcrete
Straw Bale Eco-construction - Vincent Pierré - Critical Talk
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_zWYVLzg5qng
This video tells you about our work, what we did so far and why we need your support. Help us to expand our social impact on social and sustainable architecture! Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/criticalconcrete Check our website and our research articles: https://criticalconcrete.com/
What we do and how to support us! - Critical Concrete
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_5KmT3HS57AI
Bernardo Amaral from BAAU talks about self-organisation in the office and construction site as a way of directly involving communities in the building process. - SWITCH ON SUBTITLES - SUBSCRIBE (& click the bell for notifications) JOIN our Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2303999643231456/ ABOUT BERNARDO AMARAL - FIELDS OF WORK AND PROJECTS Parallel to the architecture practice (BAAU), Bernardo was invited as a tutor in several workshops and lectures, questioning the production relationship between design and building process, as well as the role of the architectural practice in social contexts. In 2015 Bernardo enrolled in a PHD Architecture Program in Coimbra University, and has been developing a research thesis on the production relationships and working methodologies of current architecture practices that reclaim a social and political engagement. More about Bernardo on our website: https://criticalconcrete.com/summer-camp/mentors/bernardo-amaral/ Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/criticalconcrete
Self-organised Housing - Bernardo Amaral - Critical Talk
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_cHVLUYHtP6s
+MORE Subscribe!

LAST ARTICLES

+ MORE

LAST VIDEOS

Protecting wood by charring it? We developed a charring station which let you protect your wood in a natural way. In this video you can find out how it works and how to build your own station. Timestamps: 01:09 - Introduction 04:01 - Our Approach 06:48 - Step-by-Step Building Instruction 08:46 - How to use the Station 10:05 - How to treat the wood afterwards 10:57 - Torch vs station comparison 12:08 - Conclusion ► Check Our Natural Wood Protection Article https://criticalconcrete.com/natural-wood-protection/ ► Check Our Shou Sugi Ban Article https://criticalconcrete.com/shou-sugi-ban/ ► Check Our Rocket Stove Articlehttps://criticalconcrete.com/diy-wood-stoves/ ► More Research Article https://criticalconcrete.com/research/ ► Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/criticalconcrete Get in touch with us! ► Instagram https://www.instagram.com/criticalcon... ► Facebook https://www.facebook.com/criticalconc... ► Email mail@critical-concrete.com Example of Shou Sugi Ban: ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzVoBog8A_4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sources "Subscribe Button" by MrNumber112 https://youtu.be/Fps5vWgKdl0
Natural Wood Protection - Shou sugi ban without gas - Charring Station
YouTube Video UCUy6V9FmwhIl_ho8gX9NR8A_h84hqLSMKdI
+MORE Subscribe!
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS
Robert Bosch Stiftung
MitOst
SPONSORS
MAIN COLLABORATORS