"This corn-based construction material was made by Manufactura, a Mexican sustainable materials company, and it imagines a second life for waste from the most widely produced grain in the world. The project started as an invitation by chef Jorge Armando, the founder of catering brand Taco Kween Berlin, to find ways he could reintegrate waste generated by his taqueria into architecture. A team led by designer Dinorah Schulte created corncretl during a residency last year in Massa Lombarda, Italy."
"Researchers at the University of Tokyo made a construction material it said was harder than cement in 2022 out of raw materials like coffee grounds, powered fruit and vegetable waste, and seaweed. Last year, researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology developed a rammed earth material encased in cardboard, which eliminated the need for cement completely, and Manufactura experimented with building materials made from coffee too."
Corncretl is a biocomposite made from nejayote, a calcium-rich corn waste, dried, pulverized, and mixed with minerals. Manufactura developed the material during a residency in Massa Lombarda, Italy, in collaboration with chef Jorge Armando and designer Dinorah Schulte. Limestone and Carrara marble powder are combined with recycled nejayote derivatives, linking pre-Hispanic Mexican construction techniques with northern Italian material traditions. The material is applied using 3D printing and remains at prototyping stage. Other research has produced cement alternatives from food and agricultural waste, suggesting potential for cheaper, more durable, and more sustainable construction methods.
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