29.09.2024

Can lava be a sustainable building material?

An architectural studio in Iceland proposes the use of lava as a building material. Arnhildur Palmadottir of s.ap architects will present his Lavaforming project at next year's Venice Architecture Biennale. Her team, which specializes in sustainability and the circular model in construction, is investigating how to transform the volcanic substance into a sustainable structural material, writes Euronews.

Can lava be turned into a resource?

Palmadottir sees the process as a way to turn a "local threat" into a "valuable resource." Lavaforming will be present at Iceland's national pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice next year.

"The project is a proposal for how the brute force of lava can be turned into a valuable resource capable of reducing atmospheric emissions through its future use as a sustainable building material," says Palmadottir.

The architect observes how Iceland's unique geological location on a rift between two tectonic plates causes frequent seismic activity, including the creation of extensive lava fields.

Throughout history, volcanic activity on the island has caused concern as it has been perceived as a threat to communities. Instead, Palmadottir, who has been nominated for the 2024 Nordic Council Environment Prize for Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Architecture, is turning her focus to recyclable building materials, wanting to turn lava into a resource that addresses a global emergency.

"I hope that in 2150 Iceland we will use the lava flow, just like we did with geothermal energy. Lavaforming's main goal is to show that architecture can be the force that rethinks and shapes a new future with sustainability, innovation and creative thinking," says Palmadottir.

A lava flow can create the foundation for an entire city

The project to be presented at the Biennale is still a theoretical proposal, but Palmadottir has an ambitious vision for the volcanic resource.

"A lava flow can contain enough building material to raise the foundations of an entire city in a few weeks without damaging mining and generating non-renewable energy." The theme is both a suggestion and a metaphor – architecture is undergoing a paradigm shift and many of our current methods are considered outdated or harmful in the long term. In our current predicament, we have to be brave, think in new ways, look at the challenges and find the right resources," says the architect.