Oyster Restoration Bricks (ORBs)
ORBs are modular bricks made with 3D printed clay. They are designed to recruit and nurture oyster growth in areas where seawalls have eliminated habitat sites. The ORB structure is artistically crafted, giving the bricks a profile beyond pure habitat restoration.
3D Rendering of Structure
Propagation Brick Placement
Design
The ORB design involves individual hexagonal bricks that stack and interlock to form a larger structure against seawalls. ORBs have an interior textured with loops, which allows for oyster larvae to settle and develop past their most vulnerable stage. Our design process consists of mixing clay via a pugmill, vacuum packing the clay into extrusion tubes, 3D printing the individual bricks, applying glaze, and firing them at high temperatures in a kiln to ensure structural stability in the water.
Materials
ORBs are printed with 3D Potter equipment using Laguna clay. They are kiln fired at Cone 6. Clay is a natural material that has great strength in marine environments when fired at a high temperature and also has porosity that allows it to keep integrity underwater. Our manufacturing process produces zero waste.
Structure
ORBs fit together modularly to make structures of varying scales. There are different lengths of bricks (12", 14", 16") that can be assembled to provide more depth and dimension to the structure. The design includes single-cell and double-cell hexagonal bricks. ORBs are stacked in an interdependent way using a zippering mechanism to improve structure stability and water flow through the structure.
​
ORBs have holes cut so they can rest on PVC columns. The structure rests on a base composed of cinder blocks.
Propagation
In areas that have little to no oyster growth, our propagation element allows our structures to recruit oysters and establish new habitats. Trapezoidal bricks made out of "oystercrete", a cementitious material made of crushed oyster shells and is similar to limestone, slide along tracks on the ORBs to rest on the bottom of the interior. The propagation elements are deployed in structures in areas with dense oyster population. When they become colonized with oysters, the propagation elements can be removed and inserted into other structures in areas with low oyster growth. Therefore, they can act as larval drop structures which help jump-start oyster populations in degraded areas.
​
We are intentionally placing propagation elements on bricks located within the intertidal zone. This is where optimal conditions for oyster growth exist.
