Waste Cardboard Formwork Workflow

We use digital-based design tools to configure low-cost, low-impact formwork for casting concrete-based building elements. The figure shows an example of an origami-like cardboard formwork produced with parametric design tools. The tool allows designers to adapt the formwork to available materials and generate instructions for self-builders. Next, the cardboard formwork is waterproofed and assembled for casting concrete. The last steps of the workflow demonstrate the final result and the recovered cardboard formwork for reuse. Same tool and workflow can be implemented to produce other concrete-based building elements for smallscale construction. The proposal becomes a handy tool for self-builders who have access to waste cardboard and build their houses incrementally.