An exploratory design framework for ceramic water filtration : natural principles, vernacular knowledge, and digital fabrication in a Slovenian case study

Groleger, Pia (author), Predan, Barbara (author)

Against the backdrop of the environmental crisis, access to water has become a critical challenge at both global and local scales. In Slovenia, dispersed settlement patterns mean that a significant share of the population relies on small-scale, self-managed, or insuffi ciently monitored water supply systems. This paper presents an exploratory practice-based case study and develops a design framework that integrates natural processes, vernacular knowledge, and new technology for water-related challenges in unmonitored catchment areas. The framework is articulated through the development of a site-responsive prototype for the Lipnik Spring in Triglav National Park, where elevated E. coli levels have been detected. The fabricated component is a 3D-printed ceramic gyroid filtration module, while the proposed system-level concept integrates an Archimedes’ screw mechanism to inves tigate how the kinetic energy of flowing water could support operation without external electricity. The study documents how ecological processes, local material knowledge, and digital fabrication were combined within a sustainability-oriented design process. Con textual iterations in Georgia and France apply the framework’s decision-making logic to different environmental conditions and locally available materials. The paper contributes to design practice research and sustainability-oriented prototype development by articu lating a structured approach to designing context-specific water-access concepts with low operational energy demand for remote settings.

• Language: English
• Keywords: water access, 3D clay printing, ceramic water filtration, site-responsive design, sustainable product design, vernacular knowledge, low-operational-energy system, digital fabrication
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ALUO - Academy of Fine Arts and Design
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 15.07.2026
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. [1]-23
• Numbering: 18, 14, [article no.] 7214
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-184864
• UDC: 7.011:502.131.1
• ISSN on article: 2071-1050
• DOI: doi.org/10.3390/su18147214 -
• COBISS.SI-ID: 284960515
• Publication date in RUL: 16.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Sustainability
• Shortened title: Sustainability
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2071-1050
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5324897

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: 3D-tiskanje z glino, dostop do vode, keramična filtracija vode, oblikovanje, trajnostno oblikovanje, ljudsko znanje, sistem, nizka poraba med obratovanjem, digitalna izdelava

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0452-2024
• Name: Vizualna pismenost