AKI ISHIDA
Architect & Educator

Yu Chen, Yifang Deng, Linjie Wang, & Nan Yang

Yu Chen, Yifang Deng, Linjie Wang, & Nan Yang

Habeeb Muhammad, Michelle Pannone, & Robert Riggs

Habeeb Muhammad, Michelle Pannone, & Robert Riggs

Habeeb Muhammad, Michelle Pannone, & Robert Riggs

Alyssa Brink, Dana Brink, Leira Carreon, & Hannah McDorman

Jiaqi Dai, Brandon Drum, Yunqian Li, & Zac Kothe

Cheng Gao, Cody Uliasz, & Sarah Woynicz
MODULAR CONCRETE BLOCK WALL
Virginia Tech School of Architecture + Design
ARCH 2044: Building Materials
3-week project
Fall 2013 to 2016
The first course in the sequence of building materials and construction sequence for BArch curriculum, the class fosters an understanding of the attributes of the materials with which buildings are being built, The course is taught through lectures, factory visits, and hands-on projects.
To learn about concrete, the students were asked to work in teams of 3 to 4 to cast modular concrete blocks to make a 24”x24” wall that transmits light. Proportions of aggregates to cement to water were adjusted and reinforcement materials were tested to achieve the necessary strength and desired appearance.