3D printing impacted the world of architecture in 2019. Throughout the year, 3D printing seemed to be appearing everywhere.
Record-Breaking 3D Printed Bridge
The world’s longest 3D-printed concrete pedestrian bridge was being completed in Shanghai. Designed by Professor Xu Weiguo from the Tsinghua University, School of Architecture – Zoina Land Joint Research Center for Digital Architecture, the 26.3-meter long bridge was inspired by the Anji Bridge in China.
3D Printed Street Furniture
In the same month, The New Raw launched the Zero Waste Lab in Thessaloniki, a research initiative where Greek citizens can upcycle plastic waste into urban furniture. The Print Your City project utilizes a robotic arm and recycling facilitates to create custom furniture pieces that close the plastic waste loop.
3D Printed Timber Lookalike
In January, researchers at Columbia University unveiled a method of replicating the external and internal structure’s materials such as wood using a 3D printer and specialist scanning techniques. In their study “Digital Wood: 3D Internal Color Texture Mapping” the team describes how a system of “color and voxel mapping” led to the production of a 3d printed olive wood lookalike.
3D Printed Concrete Columns
ETH Zurich unveiled details of “Concrete Choreography,” an installation inaugurated in Riom, Switzerland. The installation presented the first robotically 3D printed concrete stage, consisting of columns fabricated without formwork, and printed to their full height in 2.5 hours
3D Printed Facade for Munich
In March, 3F Studio designed a 3D-printed facade destined to serve as the new entrance of the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany. The German-based startup integrated functions such as ventilation, insulation, and shading into the new façade.
3D Printed Neighborhood
In April, San Antonio based architecture firm Overland Partners designed a series of proposals for new 3D printed neighborhoods in Texas. Teaming up with nonprofit, 3 Strands Neighborhoods, and ICON, a creator of printers, robotics, and advanced materials, the firm utilized 3D printing to revolutionizing homebuilding.
3D Printed Habitat for Mars
The AI SpaceFactory awarded first place in the NASA Centennial Challenge. The multi-planetary architectural and technology design agency’s Mars habitat MARSHA was awarded the overall winner in the long-running competition series. The MARSHA habitat offers a glimpse into what the future of human life could look like on Mars, with a 15-feet-tall prototype 3D printed during the final phase of the competition, including three robotically-placed windows.
