Natural Materials Lab

Farm to Building: design/build workshop using raw earth construction

End life testing for 3D-printed earthen materials.
Research Assistant: Eleanor Davol

Raw Earth Sgraffito at the Institute for Ideas and Imagination

3D-printed soils and insulative fibrous infills.
Research Assistant: Reem Makkawi

Grounded Chairs: thermally-minded earthen seating options.
Research Assistants: Bishar Tabaa and Sarah Hejazin

BioMud Fabric: all-natural soil-based textile.
Research Assistant: Penmai Chongtoua

Earth-fiber experiments with lightweight mashrabiya construction.
Research Assistant: Tashania Audrey Akemah

Earth-fiber electron microscopy studies

OVERVIEW

The Natural Materials Lab, founded and directed by Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon, investigates raw, earth- and fiber-based building materials, their life cycle, supply chains, fabrication techniques, policy, and upscaled possibilities. Our research and teaching craft new ways to imagine and invent socially equitable and ecologically sustainable futures by converging material science, geology and geography, architecture, engineering, art, and design.

People

Lola Ben-Alon, Director

Research

Tracing the social and material ecologies of sourcing earth through Sgraffito ornamentation.

Raw Earth Sgraffito

3D Printed Earth-fiber experiments with lightweight Mashrabiya construction.

Digital Earthen Tiles

Advancing flexible, structural textiles with natural earth- and bio-based materials.

BioMud Fabrics

Advancing eco-friendly materials through building policy and education

Earth Building Codes Analysis

Using biophilic design and natural materials to promote recovery and wellbeing in healthcare envi...

Biophilic Materials Toolkit

Speculating the mineralogical content of earth materials for buildable -and edible- practices

The [Eat Me Build Me] Project

The Environmental Impacts of Thermal Experience

Thermal Comfort and Survivability

A raw (non-stabilized) rammed earth installation at Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory

Farm to Building

Advancing the science and geometry of 3D printed earth

Digital Earth-Fiber

Catalyzing the use of low-carbon and community-engaging building materials through systematic LCAs

Environmental and Social Life Cycles

Integrating earth as a wearable substance, built directly onto one’s body

Soil Garments

Grounded Chairs is a 100% organic biodegradable low-carbon seating system.

Grounded Chairs

Characterizing a range of soils to create a collective rammed wall installation

Common Ground

Achieving complex parametric forms through analog means with clay

Earth Pendulum

Reconciling architectural representations of housing while drawing from land art practices

Laminated Earth

Teaching

Introducing architectural design responses for energy, climate, and comfort

TECH I: Environments in Architecture

A project-based seminar that provides both theoretical and hands-on building experience

Down to Earth

Understanding and managing embodied and operational energy through Life Cycle Assessments (LCA)

TECH 5: Construction and Life Cycle

Publications

Columbia Books on
Architecture and the City

First page of conference paper with title "Developing 3D-Printed Natural Fiber-Based Mixtures, authors "Tashania Akemah and Lola Ben-Alon", with abstract and introduction beginning

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Image of article first page with title, author, abstract, and introduction section

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A journal article cover with the title "Can we eat Earth Buildings?" subtitle, article authors, institutions, and additional information

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2022 06 29 1 s2.0 s1364032121002434 main

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Integrating earthen building materials and methods into mainstream construction using environmental performance assessment and building policy

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Ben alon and sacks2 2015 simulating and vizualising emergent production in construction epic using agents and bim

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Who We Are

The Natural Materials Lab is directed by Lola Ben-Alon, Assistant Professor and Sequence Director of the Building Science and Technology curriculum at GSAPP.

Current Team
Tashania Audrey Akemah, M.Arch ‘24
Zina Berrada, M.Arch '23
Penmai Chongtoua, MA. Climate and Society '22
Mohammad Hossein Zowqi, M.Arch '25
Kate Perez, M.Arch '25
Kumru Emine Taha, CC '25

Past Researchers
Zackary Eugene Bryson, M.Arch ‘24
Andrew Chee, M.Arch '24
Sarah Hejazin, MS.AAD '21
Bisher Tabaa, M.Arch '23
Saba Ardeshiri, M.Arch '23
Jennah Christina Jones, M.Arch '23
Mariami Maghlakelidze, MS.AAD '21
Reem Makkawi, M.Arch '22

Recent News

Jan 19, 2024

Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon presents her installation "Transcorporeal Feminism" at the Indian Ceramics Triennale, New Delhi

Nov 30

Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon presents the work of the Natural Materials lab at the 2023 BioCalibrated Symposium, London

Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon presents the work of the Natural Materials lab at the 2023 BioCalibrated Symposium at Central Saint Martins University of the Arts, London, with students Kate Perez (‘25 M.Arch) and Sherry Aine Te ('23 M.Arch), and Penmai Chongtoua ('22 MS Climate and Society)

Nov 29

Dean Andrés Jaque discusses the work of GSAPP's Natural Materials Lab in Metropolis Magazine

The Natural Materials Lab at Columbia GSAPP is directed by Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon.

Oct 23

Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon delivers lecture at The College of Architecture and Design, University of Houston

Sep 19

Natural Materials Lab directed by Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon hosts "Material Variance" symposium at GSAPP

Jul 10

Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon and the Natural Materials Lab together with Associate Professor Lynnette Widder (Columbia SPS) inaugurate the Raw Earth Sgraffito installation

May 11

Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon discusses "Regenerative material framework"

May 3

Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon participates in the UN STI Forum "Enablers for Transformative Change to Sustain People and Nature Centered World"

Apr 28

"Making with Earth" course led by Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon opens exhibition at 1014

Apr 17

Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon discusses "Pedagogical and Research Frameworks for Earth Architecture" on the Earth USA 2022 Conference's Mud Talks podcast

Events

2022 ACSA Summit: Experimental Landings Gallery Talk & Exhibition

Exhibition Opening

Terrain in black in white with the text Experimental Landings: An Exhibition overlaid

Tue, Nov 17, 2020 11am

The Warmth and Wisdom of Mud Buildings

Lecture

The exterior of a mud brick school building with bamboo roof and second floor. The exterior hall is lined Colorful doors and children's shoes.

Virtual

Wed, Sep 30, 2020 6pm

GSAPP Conversations:
Natural Materials Mini Series with Lola Ben-Alon

Columbia GSAPP · GSAPP Conversations - Season 4

Over the Fall 2020 semester, Assistant Professor Lola Ben-Alon hosted a mini-series on natural and living building materials as part of the GSAPP Conversations podcast. The Natural Materials mini-series consists of conversations with designers, builders, and product developers of clay, bamboo, fibers, and bacterial concrete. Natural materials are defined as minimally processed, readily available, nontoxic, healthy, and engaging materials. They are critically needed to reduce carbon emissions and extractive harmful impact associated with conventional building materials.