Fibers and Fragments: Weaving local resources into the Arabian Gulf's modern material culture.

Abstract

Considering the constraints of using solely local materials of the Arabian Gulf, this thesis explores two components that constitute a future construction practice: concrete in compression (mined from demolition sites) and carbon fibers in tension.

The discovery of oil in 1932 accelerated the use of reinforced concrete in the Gulf, which was first spurred by British officials and economic agents in Bahrain. Ninety years later, the construction industry has yet to find a replacement for François Coignet’s steel reinforcement bar. Its corrosive nature is exacerbated in harsh climates and weakens reinforced concrete. This thesis responds to this challenge by drawing lessons from the practices of craftworkers before the era of oil extraction in the 1940s. The woven and mortared dwellings using palm fibers, clay, and stone provide productive analogs for the possibilities of using synesthetic fibers and concrete in future construction practices.

The Crown Jewels feature a construction system of post-tensioned concrete rubble. Piercing, stringing, threading, weaving, and splicing lead to a more effective combination of carbon fibers and concrete fragments. These processes tie the two contrasting materials together:

(1) Concrete derived from demolition of modernist blocks, which is frequently a devalued ‘waste’ material destined for landfills, and (2) Carbon fiber, which is a highly valued and energy-intensive counterpart.

Although a technical endeavor, this thesis operates in a geography where Gulf states are trying to reinvent their economies and building practices. Yet, these states still maintain an affinity and adherence to British regulations set during its time as a protectorate. To that end, these proposed systems and materials are in alignment with a nationalist, developmental narrative, which is untethered from foreign norms and rather are rooted in prior material practices and cultures of building of the land.