3D printing holds vast potential due to its ease of large-quantity manufacturing, its flexibility in terms of material exploration, and its ability to materialize all kinds of geometries. This year, architects and designers have looked at 3D printing technology to decarbonize construction materials, integrate contemporary aesthetics with traditional construction methods, and add a layer of craft and artistry to interiors and facades.
3D Printed Insulated Walls From Recycled Waste
In collaboration with FenX AG, researchers at ETH Zurich found a way to 3D print cement-free mineral foam made from recycled waste. This technology reduces material use, labor requirements, and overall construction costs.
3D Printed Retail Interiors from Upcycled Plastic
Ecoalf, a pioneer in eco-fashion and design studio Nagami partnered to create a net-zero, zero-waste boutique store in Madrid. The project recycles 3.3 tons of plastic waste, which has the potential to be reused indefinitely.
3D Printed Walls with Integrated Lighting
Philipp Aduatz incorporated 3D printing with LED lighting to design a film studio. This hybrid material strategy integrates a concrete wall with a lighting system with LED strips inserted horizontally into pre-fabricated joints. These lights can change into multiple colors and gradients.
3D Printed Tiles
Designed by Studio RAP in Amsterdam, “Ceramic House” uses algorithmically designed 3D-printed ceramic tiles on its facade. The studio blends the traditional and contemporary by re-introducing bespoke materials to architecture.
3D Printed Intricate Geometries Out of Sand
Barry Wark designed a six-meter-long 3D-printed wall made from sand for the Museum of the Future in Dubai. The wall uses 3D generative software that emulates natural processes, creating unique forms and textures that exist between the organic and the ornamental. The sand it uses can be ground down and recycled up to 8 times.
3D Printing Integrated With Traditional Construction Methods
Kei Atsumi and Nicholas Preaud developed a small pavilion in Japan made of over 900 unique 3D-printed double-curbed pieces. The project uses wood-based PLA filament and aims to combine Japanese joinery practices with 3D printing. The pavilion concludes three years of research on 3D printing technology and its application in common-use architecture.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Year in Review, presented by Randers Tegl.
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