F.E.W. structural prototypes: Retrofitting residential buildings with ecological rooftop infrastructures

This contribution relates to the ongoing research “A Pilot Study of Integrated Resource Management on Rice University Campus: Towards Sustainable Urban Food, Energy, and Water (F.E.W.) Infrastructures” developed by the Architecture and the Civil and Environmental Engineering Departments at Rice University with external contribution of ETH Zurich and the Technical University of Munich. The objective of this research is to unfold structural design strategies to retrofit existing rooftop areas on residential buildings by embracing new technologies and generating active spaces for community use and social interaction. The main design strategy is the design of rooftop infrastructures for stormwater collection. These structures, in addition to creating new spaces for the community, will offer the opportunity to reuse collected water for agricultural irrigation systems. Indeed, this strategy is connected with the implementation of urban farming and agricultural landscapes to promote sustainable models of production and consumption. In this context, a modular system based on the combination of post-tensioned hollow ceramic components with a funnel-like bending-active membrane structure for water collection is currently under development. This paper highlights the context of the research project and presents the ongoing design of the rooftop prototype.