New week, new project!
CONCRETL 🌽
A project by
@manufacturamx and
@3dwasp
Mexico is the world’s seventh-largest corn producer, harvesting about 23,000 tons each year (El Maíz, Base de la Dieta Mexicana desde Época Prehispánica, 2017). Corn nourishes people and animals and supports industries from starches and oils to sweeteners, biofuels, and more. Yet food waste is critical: 38% of the country’s food is lost,
with tortillas alone making up nearly 30% of that waste—around 2.8 million tortillas discarded annually (FAO;Carmona, 2023). Across Mexico, 64% of all waste is organic, and corn is a major contributor.
CORNCRETL turns this challenge into opportunity. Inspired by pre-Hispanic Mayan construction methods and produced through robotic 3D printing, it blends limestone derivatives, corn, and recycled nixtamal waste (nejayote)—abundant byproducts of Mexico’s food system. The result is a material that reduces carbon emissions by up to 70% compared to traditional concrete, while honoring cultural heritage, advancing environmental responsibility, and promoting inclusive labor practices.
This project shows how ancestral knowledge and advanced technology merge to create a more sustainable and equitable future for Mexico’s built environment.
Project Credits
Residency: WASP 2025, Massa Lombarda, Italy.
@3dwasp
1. Dinorah Schulte
@dinorahmschulte / MANUFACTURA – Founder, Project Director, Material Development & Digital Fabrication
2. Edurne Morales
@edu.mo.z / MANUFACTURA –Associate, Senior Computational Designer & 3D Printing Development
3. Andrea Menardo /
@zeitgeist_structures – Structural Engineer
4. Jorge Armando /
@tacokweenberlin – Material Donator
5. Technical Support
@3dwasp
Photography & Video: Dinorah Schulte, WASP 3D
This project has been selected by
@rearc.institute and featured at
@extra_ordinario_arq
This project is registered with copyright protection: INDAUTOR Folio No. 03-2025-091114430000-01 (not for copying or reproduction).
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#newproject #corncretl #newmateriality #sustainablematerials #residency #3dprintinglife #wasp3D #robotics #3dprinting #bioconcrete #technology #innovation #cornwaste #foodwaste #sustainability #manufacturamx