In what was described as a "milestone for stone engineering," this stone structure is made up of 399 slabs of limestone and nothing else.
Designed by ETH Zurich researchers, the Armadillo Vault was not constructed with any glue. The dome-shaped structure was instead built from only compression, despite the fact that it is an overarching structure with a ceiling. The stone structure is thin at only five centimeters thick but is extremely strong. The purpose of the project was to show that it is possible for buildings to be constructed with sustainable materials and design instead of the commonly used material steel.
The stone sculpture is not only an architectural milestone, but it shows that the possibilities in eco-friendly architecture are vast and many are yet to be discovered.
Compression-Built Domes
The Armadillo Vault is the First Stone Structure of Its Kind
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Stone Construction - The Armadillo Vault shows that buildings can be constructed from sustainable materials and design, signaling a trend towards ecologically-friendly architecture.
2. Glueless Stone Structures - The Armadillo Vault's innovative use of compression to build a structure without the use of glue offers opportunities to explore new construction techniques for a variety of industries.
3. Thin but Strong Structures - The Armadillo Vault's five-centimeter thickness and incredible strength presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the construction industry for the development of stronger but thinner structures.
Industry Implications
1. Construction - The Armadillo Vault's innovative use of sustainable materials and glueless compression construction presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the construction industry for ecologically-friendly, strong, and thin structures.
2. Architecture - The Armadillo Vault's innovative use of compression in constructing a strong, ceiling-containing dome-shaped structure presents an opportunity to explore new architectural possibilities and designs.
3. Stone and Mineral Manufacturing - The Armadillo Vault's innovative use of compressed stone slabs to construct a strong, architecturally-sound structure presents an opportunity for disrupted innovation in the stone and mineral manufacturing industry for the creation of more sustainable and stronger products.