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University of Michigan Explores Biochar in Living Concrete Surfaces

A University of Michigan design project combines biochar, terracotta, and 3D printing to explore concrete surfaces that welcome plant life.

  • 1 min read
  • Use Concrete & Asphalt
  • Topic Concrete & Asphalt
  • Format Research Review

Key Takeaways

  • VertEco Green explores architectural surfaces designed to support plant growth.
  • Biochar contributes porosity and changes the concrete's acidity, while 3D printing shapes the habitat.
  • The project brings material selection and architectural form together in vessels and panels.

A wall can offer more than a smooth face. The University of Michigan’s VertEco Green project takes inspiration from cliffs, where ledges, crevices, and overhangs create places for plants to grow.1

Designing a surface for life

The student team used 3D printing to explore textured forms for building-integrated habitats. Biochar contributed to the concrete’s porosity and acidity, while terracotta provided a scaffold and recyclable mold for vessels and architectural panels.1

That combination puts the material and its shape to work together. The design explores how a built surface can offer varied conditions for plant growth, rather than treating greenery as a separate addition.1

A different role for concrete

VertEco Green makes a compelling design proposition: consider the habitat a surface could provide alongside its architectural form. Biochar becomes part of that exploration at the material level.1

For more applications, read Biochar in Concrete and Construction Applications, or explore Wakefield’s Concrete & Asphalt material options.

References

  1. A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan. ASRG – Winning Student Architecture Projects Focus on Cliff Dwellings, Slang, and Line-Drying University of Michigan 2025. Official description of the VertEco Green design project and its use of biochar, terracotta, and 3D printing. The account does not report measured structural or carbon-footprint performance. View Source

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