Exhibition
Formnext 2025
As every year, the exhibition takes place at the Formnext trade fair in Frankfurt am Main. Accompanying the symposium, examples of the latest research and practice in the field of Built environment Additive Manufacturing will be presented.
This year we are showing an impressive number of over 30 exhibits from research as well as from industry.
The event runs from November 19 to 22. Register on our website to get a ticket for the fair and not miss anything.
Topology-Optimized 3D-Printed Concrete Slab
Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Constructive Design and Building Construction (KGBauko)
Stefan Schäfer, Nikola Bisevac
In the summer semester of 2025, the Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Constructive Design and Building Construction (KGBauko), in close collaboration with Sika Germany, Riedel Bau Group, and Staikos 3D, initiated a pioneering project in the field of 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP). The project focuses on the development and realization of a topology-optimized concrete slab with a span of 5 x 5 meters, whose formwork is entirely produced using 3D printing technology.
A major challenge in applying additive manufacturing in construction is the lack of standardized norms and building regulations. To address this, the project employs an innovative approach: the 3D-printed formwork serves as a lost formwork, reinforced with conventional steel, and subsequently filled with cast-in-place concrete. This approach combines the advantages of 3DCP with current building code requirements, ensuring a compliant and practical implementation.
The 3D-printed formwork serves a dual function: it defines the ribbed geometry of the slab while also illustrating the internal force flow within the structure. Additionally, additive manufacturing allows for complex geometries that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional formwork methods. This results in a material-efficient, resource-conscious, and design-flexible construction method that aligns with sustainable building principles.
The full-scale demonstrator is currently under construction at the Riedel Bau Talentfabrik, with completion planned by the end of September 2025. This project represents a significant step toward the practical integration of 3DCP technologies in modern construction.
Tensegrity Shell
University of Wuppertal, Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering
Alec Singh
Tensegrity is a structural principle in which compression elements do not touch each other but are held in place exclusively by tensioned members (usually cables or strings). The term “tensegrity” – short for tensional integrity – was introduced by Buckminster Fuller in the 1960s.
This model explores how a tensegrity-inspired shell can be fabricated using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). Conventional tensegrity structures rely on manual assembly, but here the goal was to print the entire geometry in one piece – without additional support material and without post-assembly of members.
The larger elements are stabilized only through extremely fine filament strands extruded directly into the air. This printing technique is known as bridging, and it pushes the limits of what FFF can achieve.
To enable these filigree connections, the model is printed rotated by 90°, ensuring that all bridging strands run parallel to the build surface. The overall length of the shell is therefore limited only by the vertical build height of the printer.
The prototype shown measures approx. 22 × 13 × 35 cm and was produced on a Raise3D Pro2 Plus with a layer height of 0.2 mm. The result is a lightweight, visually delicate structure that demonstrates how digital fabrication can emulate structural ideas usually associated with cables and membranes.
Smart Metal Additive Light Joints
Politecnico di Milano, Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering, with Department of Mechanical Engineering, and University of Aberdeen
Ornella Iuorio, Ehsan Bakhshivand, Alireza Bagheri, Barbara Previtali
Metal additive manufacturing was first proposed at the beginning of the XX century, but has only recently entered the construction market. This work has investigated the opportunity to adopt metal printing for the development of novel metal additively manufactured connections designed for lightweight steel systems, to enable the assembly and disassembly of cold-formed steel housing. Beyond the well-known advantages of additive manufacturing, this hybrid connections, novel both in design and in its combined realization methods, were conceived from the very beginning to fully explore the potential of these technologies in the construction sector. Focus of our work has been on overcoming the challenges of printing on thin substrates, such as 1 to 1,5 mm thick cold formed steel sections, which characterize cold formed steel housing structural typologies. Printing on such slender sections requires precise control of metal printing parameters to prevent distortion, and residual stress accumulation. To address these challenges two metal printing methodologies, among those belonging to Directed Energy Deposition (DED) methods, have been employed: Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD). The opportunity to develop intricate geometries with these metal processes provided the opportunity to propose a novel, fastener free, connection between studs and joists of cold formed steel systems, that could not be realized with traditional construction methods. Specifically, two connection systems, named Gear-Wheel (GW) and Key-Wheel (KW) connections have been developed. The GW connection (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) is composed of an interlocking mechanism, with a male, female connectors respectively printed on the studs and joists, while the KW connection features one printed wheel on the stud and a laser cutter counter part on the joist. This creates an interlocking connection that resists shear forces and bending moment through the bearing of the surfaces. The result is a novel system that advances automation in construction industry while responding to the principles of circular constructions.
Silent Silhouettes
Technical University of Darmstadt, Digital Design Unit (DDU)
Stefanie Appelgrün, Oliver Tessmann, Max Benjamin Eschenbach
This project investigates the potential of additively manufacturing acoustic absorbers from clay. The goal is to replace fossil-based sound absorbers by developing a mono-material, sustainable, and acoustically effective structure that does not require additional carrier materials or composites. Since clay inherently exhibits low sound absorption, the improvement of acoustic performance in this study was achieved primarily through the design of geometry rather than the material itself. The developed geometry is based on a growth algorithm that creates complex pore spaces in the inner structure. Methodologically, the approach is supported by computer-based simulations, impedance tube measurements, and reverberation chamber tests that confirm the prediction of the acoustic performance. The developed process chain demonstrates the potential of additively manufactured clay structures as a sustainable alternative to conventional acoustic solutions.
Additive Manufacturing with Recycled Polymers and Calcium Carbonate from Shell Waste
Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, LAMA, Fablab UAI, Designlab UAI
Diego Trucco, Juan Cristobal Karich, Lucas Helle, Francisco Cruz
Our project pairs additive manufacturing with circular materials recovered from the Chilean coast to produce slender architectural columns. Each ~2 m tall column is printed in a single pass using a pellet‑fed robot extruder and a compound of recycled polypropylene (rPP) and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) derived from discarded shells. The rPP comes from programmes that collect marine plastic waste such as ropes and nets; after shredding and pelletizing, these streams are blended into high‑quality recycled polymer pellets and provide full traceability from collection to final product. Each kilogram of this material prevents about 0.97 kg of CO₂ emissions compared with virgin resin. The CaCO₃ filler originates from mussel shells that are milled and calcined to produce a highly reactive, soluble lime. We repurpose this bio‑based mineral as a reinforcement that stabilises the rPP during deposition and reduces warping while imparting a speckled, stone‑like finish. The results feature precisely tuned wall thicknesses and internal ribbing designed to maximise stiffness, minimise weight and enable continuous extrusion; digital design algorithms optimise toolpaths and structural performance. By transforming ocean plastic and shell residues into load‑bearing elements via robotic 3D printing, the project illustrates a viable pathway toward circular building components with a low carbon footprint and transparent supply chain, aligning with the BE‑AM vision for sustainable fabrication.
Septa
etcetera
Ariane Stracke-Henderson, Rob Henderson
3D printing is a technology in line with a 20th century furniture innovation: fiberglass. The Eames got it right in then, combining the high-tech production of the time with design and comfort. 3D printing is revolutionizing design like fiberglass did then. The challenge is achieving elegance, lightweight, and comfort with 3D printing on an industrial scale.
We looked into successful existing rocking chairs. We noticed similarities in the angles of the seat, back, and radius of the rocking rails. As a perk, we wanted our chair to rock in all directions and spin. We explored possible shapes and also the 3D printing technology to produce the chair.
Robotic 3D printing is like drawing a house without lifting the pencil: it requires one continuous motion.
Technically, the Septa rocking chair is composed of two curves layered to create a continuous material loop, so the robot doesn’t stop in between. The infill in a 3D-printed product is an important aspect to consider during the design process, so the infill of the Septa Chair is an integral part of the design. Usually, the infill is generated by software. But in this case, we designed the infill ourselves because it is an integral part of the chair design.
These technological challenges created an excellent opportunity to work more closely with Nagami. Because we wanted to do something that could not be done in regular production – namely, print a single curved chair – Nagami had to expand on its normal production process.
Selective robotic rammed earth
Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Tragwerksentwurf
Samim Mehdizadeh, Joschua Gosslar, Noor Khadar, Norman Hack, Harald Kloft
This paper introduces Selective Robotic Rammed Earth (SRRE), a novel robotic fabrication method for discretized earthen-based construction. The research positions SRRE within the urgent need for sustainable, low-carbon construction technologies, emphasizing the integration of traditional earthen techniques with contemporary robotic processes. Earthen materials, and particularly rammed earth, offer significant environmental advantages such as low embodied energy, recyclability, and reduced carbon footprint, while providing acceptable structural performance. However, conventional rammed earth construction is constrained by the dependence on heavy, wasteful and material-intensive formwork, intensive manual labour, and geometric limitations imposed by the formwork itself.
SRRE eliminate material intensive formwork of rammed earth and replace it with robotic selective ramming process. This robotic fabrication process transfers the complexity from formwork system to selective ramming and enable higher level of geometric freedom.
Brick By Bit
TU Berlin, collaborative design labratory (CoLab)
Victoria Roznowski, Ignacio Borrego, Ralf Pasel, Gaizka Altuna Charterina
Brick By Bit – Redefining Masonry through 3D Printing
Brick By Bit is a modular 3D-printed façade system that unites aesthetic, ecological, and thermal performance within a single architectural component. Developed through computational design and additive manufacturing, the project explores how complex geometries can be optimized for energy efficiency while integrating ecological functions such as façade greenery and rainwater management.
The system consists of three specialized brick types: planting bricks with integrated pockets for vegetation, water-channeling bricks that guide rainwater to plants for natural irrigation, and ventilated bricks that enable façade ventilation for thermal regulation. Their interlocking geometry eliminates the need for mortar, ensuring full disassembly and reuse.
A custom Grasshopper-based workflow, combining generative algorithms with FEM thermal simulations, enabled iterative optimization of cavity patterns and insulation strategies. Prototyping with a Delta WASP 2040 clay 3d printer validated printability, texture design, and assembly at 1:2 scale.
Brick By Bit demonstrates how digital design and additive manufacturing can redefine masonry for the 21st century, creating building envelopes that actively contribute to energy efficiency, biodiversity, and resource-conscious construction.
Organic Waste Columns for Insect Microhabitats
Institute for Future Technologies - De Vinci Higher Education, Chair for Biohybrid Architecture - Royal Danish Academy
Hasti V.Goudarzi, Vivien Roussel, Adrien Rigobello, Behnaz Khaksar
Climate change is destabilising insect populations by altering microclimates and degrading refuges, particularly for moisture- and shade-dependent decomposers. In response, this paper introduces a multiscale design framework for 3D-printed insect habitats, developed through a Research through Design approach. The framework employs triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) to generate porous, multi-scale geometries from local organic waste, combining a mycelium-infused wood substrate with an extrudable eggshell-based paste. The two materials bring complementary functions: the mycelium substrate provides porosity and ecological receptivity, while the eggshell paste reinforces geometries, regulates airflow, and retains moisture.
Unlike smooth or low-complexity structures, TPMS topologies establish gradients of pore sizes and edge conditions that act as thermal buffers, moisture refuges, and temporary shelters for woodlice, millipedes, springtails, mites, and snails. Habitat logic follows ecological strategies—orienting coarse pores outward to admit water, converging finer pores inward to retain it, scaling cavities to species, and tuning wall thickness to balance shading, airflow, and structural stability. Importantly, the juxtaposition of acidic mycelium and alkaline eggshell introduces subtle pH gradients that invite different microbial communities and organisms, composing niches through both structural and chemical heterogeneity.
Alternating layers of the two materials form organic waste columns that dissipate heat, regulate internal microclimates, and retain humidity, while TPMS geometries amplify surface-to-volume ratio to enhance aeration and colonisation. Evaluation will employ infrared thermography, humidity sensors at multiple depths, and 4–6 week outdoor trials benchmarked against smooth and honeycomb controls. This geometry-first, waste-driven framework demonstrates how speculative design can prototype ecological infrastructures for more-than-human resilience.
The Nesting Brick
Technical University of Darmstadt, Generative Desing Lab
Alexander Wolf, Ulrich Knaack
This case study investigated the potential of additive manufacturing methods for creating bespoke ceramic building components. Although the exhibited custom brick-geometry resembles an already market-available product, Hagemeister GmbH‘s Nesting-Brick, the production technology used to create it treads new paths. By using a 3D-printer to shape these bespoke components, the predominant process, a fully manual and artisan modelling was bypassed, leading to increased efficiency in production.
Being part of a PhD-thesis, the developed methodology may also serve as a blueprint for the creation of a multitude of other articulate ceramic components, as it allows for great range of adaptions in terms of geometry and surface-finishing. Therefore, the shown exhibit does not only display the processes’ capability to replace shortage in skilled labor, but also gives a glimpse on the new freedom of form it is coming with. In particular, the targeted use of AM-shaped components could even usher in a new era of brick architecture, which would be characterized by digitally designed ornamentation.
Muralis
University of Florence, Department of Architecture
Elisa Mazzoni, Michela Turrin, Rosa Romano
Muralis is the outcome of an international research project conducted by the University of Florence and Delft University of Technology within the R3NEW doctoral program. It consists of a multi-performance clay façade component fabricated through 3D printing, designed to maximise the integration of Cymbalaria muralis, a stress-resistant plant that naturally grows on brick walls in Mediterranean urban contexts.
The research addresses the growing environmental stresses in contemporary cities, manifested in phenomena such as the urban heat island effect and the decline of biodiversity: critical ecological imbalances with significant consequences for human and non-human well-being. At the same time, the project aligns with circularity and sustainability standards promoted by European and national frameworks in the building sector (EPBD; European Green Deal; Renovation Wave).
The systemic complexity of these dynamics requires a rethinking of conventional architectural processes. Accordingly, the study adopted an interdisciplinary approach, engaging biologists and employing biodiversity-inclusive parametric analysis and design methods, alongside multi-performance optimisation of the façade component. This process reinterprets clay – a natural, and traditional building material – through advanced digital manufacturing techniques.
In Muralis, no element is purely aesthetic: biological, architectural, and fabrication requirements are translated into geometric forms that ensure multiple performances and functions. This façade product addresses the potential of a bio-inclusive approach that integrates 3D printing and vegetation affordances. It constitutes a concept prototype of a technological, biophilic, and low-impact Nature-based Solution, towards scalable applications contributing to carbon reduction, ecological resilience, and restorative architectural practices in line with international sustainability goals.
Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing with Biomaterials
University of Innsbruck, Department of Experimental Architecture
Kilian Bauer
Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing with Biomaterials presents a promising pathway to overcome the inherent limitations of biological materials in additive manufacturing and extend their field of application to the built environment. By combining materials with complementary properties—for instance, pairing robust, plant-based thermoplastic biocomposites with fragile yet fully biodegradable materials—this approach enhances both structural integrity and environmental responsiveness. The prototype presented in this study introduces a novel fabrication strategy that alternates two layers of a compostable biomaterial paste (wood sawdust bound with biodegradable methylcellulose) with one layer of a plant-based thermoplastics (Tecnaro Arboblend). This method enables the 3D printing of design objects and architectural components at scales previously unattainable with biomaterials alone, which would collapse under their own weight. The selected materials serve as representatives of broader material families: any plant-fiber and biological binder biomaterial, or any plant-based thermoplastic, could substitute for the demonstrated examples. Both families support a fully circular material life cycle, as they can be mechanically or physically separated, shredded and recycled.
While the presented work highlights the potential of multi-material strategies to address critical challenges of performance, reliability, and scalability in biomaterial 3D printing, it also underscores the need for tailored fabrication technologies, appropriate regulatory frameworks, and adapted testing protocols to allow additive fabrication to reshape our built environment with novel, future-oriented material systems. By advancing hybrid 3D printing approaches, this work points toward a paradigm shift in sustainable architectural production, enabling novel material applications and fostering more ecologically conscious construction practices.
Modern Renaissance: Robotic Milling Meets 3D Concrete Printing
Vertico
Vertico
Vertico is pioneering a new chapter in 3D concrete printing by introducing robotic milling as a post-processing method. This innovation enhances the level of detail and surface quality achievable with printed concrete and opens up design possibilities previously limited by the extrusion process alone.To demonstrate this capability, Vertico produced a short concrete column featuring several distinct milling patterns. Each section of the column showcases a different surface treatment, ranging from fine textures to bold grooves, highlighting the precision and versatility of the milling process.
Robotic milling allows for:
– High-resolution detailing beyond the limits of nozzle size
– Smooth finishes and refined edges
– Modular connections with millimeter accuracy
By combining printing and milling, Vertico bridges the gap between rough formwork and architectural craftsmanship. The column serves as a research piece, reflecting ongoing efforts to fine-tune milling settings and adapt to conditions such as drying time and surface hardness. This hybrid process holds significant potential for architecture, restoration, and design – bringing concrete into a new era where digital fabrication meets sculptural precision.
Hybrid slab
University of Minho, School of Architecture, Art and Design
João Carvalho, Bruno Figueiredo, Paulo J. S. Cruz
The Hybrid Slab introduces a hybrid flooring system that integrates 3D-printed ceramic components with wooden structural elements. The ceramic vaults, developed with geometries optimized for structural performance and material efficiency, rest on longitudinal wooden beams, replicating the behavior of conventional lightweight slab systems. A 5 mm cork layer is placed over the ceramic elements to distribute loads and enhance the overall stability of the assembly. Wooden boards are then screwed onto the beams and receive the final flooring finish. The system also allows for the incorporation of post-tensioning elements within the beams, increasing structural capacity without significantly altering the slab’s volume. The 3D printing of ceramic components enables the customization of forms and streamlines the production process, combining traditional techniques with modern technology. The Hybrid Slab offers a sustainable, lightweight, and high-performance construction solution.
Layer by Layer
TU Delft, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, collab: Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment
Nikolas Barrera Parisakis
This project explores how Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing can support the preservation and Adaptive Reuse of vernaular architecure by combining repair and adaptation into a single intervention.
A heritage site in the island of Thirasia, in Greece, was selected and documented through on-site analysis and 3D scanning to understand its cultural, historic, and architectural context.The findings of this research informed the development of a 3D-printed proposal that reintroduces missing fragments into the building envelope and facilitates the parametric reconstruction of an entire village comprised of more than 100 underground houses.
The 3D-printed intervention uses a pozzolanic mortar made from volcanic ash sourced on-site. This solution is inspired by traditional building techniques, enabling the preservation of local craft in the reconstruction process. The resulting prototype demonstrates how LSAM can produce site-specific components that incorporate local materials and craft, as well as facilitate the simultaneous preservation of multiple architectural units through 3D scanning and parameterization.
The project combines material experimentation with the translation of unique features enabled by vernacular building techniques into the digital fabrication realm, effectively proposing a novel approach to the revitalization of heritage sites. Merging restoration and innovation, it shows how LSAM can enhance the usability of historic buildings while maintaining their cultural significance and contributing to the historical layering of interventions over time.
A Flexible Mold for Customized 3D Printed Facade Panels
TU Wien, Art and Design
Florian Rist, Marco Palma, Michaela Nömayr, Dominik L. Michels
Architectural surface panelling often requires fabricating molds for panels, a process that can be cost-inefficient and material-wasteful when using traditional methods such as CNC milling. We introduce a novel solution to generating molds for fabricating 3d printed architectural panels. At the core of our method is a machine that utilizes a deflatable membrane as a flexible mold. By adjusting the deflation level and boundary element positions, the membrane can be reconfigured into various shapes, allowing for mass customization with significantly lower overhead costs. We devise an efficient algorithm that works in sync with our flexible mold machine that optimizes the placement of customizable boundary element positions, ensuring the fabricated panel matches the geometry of a given input shape.
Towards Structurally Optimised Toolpath Strategies for 3D-Printed Facade Panels
University of the West of England, School of Architecture and Environment
Nzar Naqeshbandi, Francisco Sierra, Tavs Jorgensen, Shwe Soe, Ina Cheibas
This project investigates toolpath planning as a strategy for structural optimisation in 3D-printed façade panels. A digital workflow has been developed that integrates parametric modelling with finite element analysis to generate stress-aligned toolpaths for robotic pellet extrusion. Unlike conventional uniform infill patterns, these toolpaths are guided by principal stress trajectories, embedding structural logic directly into the printing process. The workflow also accounts for fabrication parameters that are critical at architectural scale, including extrusion continuity, layer height, nozzle diameter, inter-path spacing, print speed, and collision avoidance. Coordinating these factors ensures stable material flow, strong interlayer bonding, and dimensional accuracy, allowing computationally generated strategies to be translated into large-scale prototypes.
Toolpath optimisation offers significant advantages for construction and façade applications by directly linking structural requirements with fabrication logic. Rather than treating design flexibility as an aesthetic outcome, extrusion paths can be planned to align with performance criteria, enhancing load transfer, reducing material consumption, and improving durability. To demonstrate the approach, prototype façade panels were fabricated using thermoplastic composites, illustrating how stress-informed toolpaths can be validated through physical prototyping and applied to the development of lightweight, durable, and resource-efficient building systems.
Discrete Landscape
Mario Cucinella Architects, Erratic, Calchera San Giorgio, PoliMi, Mario Cucinella Architects R&D Unit
Mario Cucinella, Lori Zillante, Lapo Naldoni, Massimo Visonà, Gianni Nerobutto, Marco Imperadori
Discrete Landscape, designed by Mario Cucinella Architects for Arte Sella, is a site-specific installation that investigates how additive manufacturing can redefine the relationship between architecture, landscape, and material experimentation. Positioned along the stream at Villa Strobele (Italy), the work creates a sinuous path leading into a contemplative cavity, a spatial gesture that frames fragments of forest, water, and sky. For MCA, the challenge lies in translating the monumental scale of the alpine context into a built form where artificial elements act as a synthesis of thought and matter.
The installation consists of 415 blocks across 58 modular typologies, geometrically inspired by basaltic columns. Each module is digitally designed to interlock without mortar, reinterpreting dry-stone techniques through computational design and robotic precision. This modular logic allows the structure to be both self-supporting and fully reversible, highlighting the adaptability of 3D-printed construction systems.
The production was executed by Erratic, using a robotic arm equipped with its proprietary extrusion and pumping system engineered for high-viscosity, fluid-dense mixes. The mortar, created with Calchèra San Giorgio and the Politecnico di Milano, integrates natural lime, local aggregates, and industrial by-products such as Adamello tonalite waste and rice husk ash. The resulting composite provides durability, pozzolanic performance, and a porous texture closely attuned to the chromatic tones of the valley.
By reducing transport, minimizing waste, and exploiting the precision of additive fabrication, Discrete Landscape demonstrates the technical potential of 3D printing in architecture as both a structural strategy and a sustainable approach to site-specific design.
Developing Building Envelopes with Design for Additive Manufacturing
Politecnico di Torino, Department of Energy (DENERG) + Department and Architecture and Design (DAD)
Juan Diego Vargas, Setefano Fantucci, Valentina Serra, Guido Callegari, Valeria Villamil Cardenas
The construction industry is among the largest global energy consumers and contributors to environmental degradation. Within this context, the building envelope plays a key role in determining both energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Consequently, the development of innovative, high-performance envelopes is essential to addressing these global challenges.
This research proposes a DfAM methodology tailored to building envelopes, integrating computational design, performance assessment, and fabrication. The approach leverages additive manufacturing (AM) to produce context-specific façade components featuring mixed cellular infills, combining closed and open porous geometries such as Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) and conformal lattices. These structures enable multifunctionality, from enhanced thermal insulation to moisture buffering, while also offering architectural freedom for customization.
The work introduces WASPer_3DP, an open-source Grasshopper plugin developed for Liquid Deposition Modelling technologies. The plugin streamlines the workflow, from infill design and pores’ morphological characterization (like tortuosity) to performance evaluation (like steady state thermal transfer) and G-code generation. It provides designers with flexibility and control by enabling fabrication-informed and performance-based design decisions at the early stages.
For this demonstrator, the methodology was applied to fabricate a modular wall prototype, discretized into nine pieces. Each piece integrates a dual-cavity system: an inner cavity, that can be customized for thermal performance and an outer cavity featuring a conformal lattice that adapts its morphology to a non-orthogonal surface, enabling both functional tuning and aesthetic variability. This design illustrates how AM can unlock envelopes that are efficient and that can adapt to diverse climates, contexts, and design intentions.
DenkmalBIM
Technical University Darmstadt, Institute of Structural Mechanics and Design (ISM+D)
Juan Ojeda, Alexander Wolf, Ulrich Knaack, Laura Valderrama Nino, Sabrina Becker, Jascha Brötzmann, Uwe Rüppel, Yuri Nasonov, Abhinay Kumar, Jochen Hölscher, Natchai Suwannapruk, Jens Böke, Nicolas Weidinger, Florian Grosse, Benjamin Sattes
Building Information Modelling (BIM) provides a powerful digital framework for construction and design of new architectural projects, although it is not widely used for the restoration of heritage buildings. The complex geometries, fragmented structures, and need for historically accurate reconstructions have limited its adoption in this field. The DenkmalBIM platform addresses these challenges by extending BIM to heritage restoration and creating an end-to-end process that links geometry capture, digital reconstruction, and fabrication of components.
The workflow begins with high-precision 3D scanning methods, such as terrestrial laser scanning, structured light scanning, and photogrammetry to capture the geometry and material properties of historic elements. These scans are processed within the BIM environment, cleaned, and converted into parametric models. Standardization algorithms ensure data compatibility, enabling smooth transfer between structural analysis, design, and fabrication tools.
Within this environment, restoration tasks are planned and simulated virtually. Architectural components are reconstructed by combining scan data with reference models, ensuring accuracy even when originals are fragmented or degraded. Each digital object is enriched with metadata, material composition, surface texture, color, and spatial coordinates, providing a comprehensive dataset for both design and fabrication stages.
The final stage is the fabrication of replacement parts through additive manufacturing. The platform generates optimized geometries for 3D printing, considering tolerances, material properties, slicing orientation and mechanical performance. Depending on requirements, components or casting molds can be produced using polymer-based printing (FDM), clay extrusion, or advanced methods such as binder jetting or selective laser sintering (SLS) for architectonic elements.
By combining 3D scanning, BIM-based modelling, and additive manufacturing in a single workflow, the DenkmalBIM platform creates a coherent digital pipeline. This approach not only accelerates heritage restoration but also increases precision, ensures historical accuracy, and supports scalable, on-demand production of architectonic parts.
CoWave
Aga Blonska Studio
Aga Blonska
CoWave explores a new intersection of emotion, technology, and sustainability within design practice. The project begins with the recognition that many products are discarded prematurely due to a lack of emotional attachment. CoWave addresses this issue by positioning emotional resonance as a key driver of sustainable design. Using neurodesign methodologies, individual brainwave patterns (EEG data) are captured to reflect emotional responses to shapes, colours, and materials. This data is then processed by AI-driven generative algorithms to create hyper-personalised forms that embody each user’s unique emotional imprint, fostering deeper attachment and extending product lifespan.
By merging neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and additive manufacturing, CoWave unites emotional intelligence with environmental responsibility. The project’s bespoke acoustic panels are fabricated from recycled materials such as wood dust, plastic waste, and coffee grounds, and can be fully reprocessed and reprinted, ensuring a closed-loop material cycle. This integration of emotional data and circular production demonstrates how neurodesign can lead to emotionally meaningful, sustainable objects. CoWave thus proposes a new paradigm in design — one rooted not in consumption and disposability, but in emotional connection, care, and enduring value.
D-POLES - digital design and fabrication of 3D printed steel lattice structures
University of Bologna, Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering
Vittoria Laghi, Elisabetta Savino, Giada Gasparini, Tomaso Trombetti
Lattice materials and structures have grown interest over the years due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and tunable mechanical properties, making them suitable for applications requiring lightweight and adaptable structural elements. With the advent of large-scale metal 3D printing technologies, such as Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing, lattice structures could be scaled from micro- (at the material scale) to meso-scale (at the structural element scale). This research investigates the structural behavior of a new generation of 3D-printed diamond-shaped lattice steel columns, focusing on their unique mechanical properties and performance under compression loading. The work provides an overarching study on these new structural elements, from the conceptual definition to analytical, experimental and numerical investigations on various configurations of 3D-printed diamond-shaped lattice steel columns.
Controlling Roughness
Delft University of Technology (Industrial Design Engineering), collaboration with Omlab
Carmen Enríquez, Zjenja Doubrovski, Eliza Noordhoek
This project explores the potential of bio-circular materials for architectural applications, focusing on their use in fabricating indoor walls. To conduct this research, a material recipe by the studio Omlab was implemented. The project investigates how 3D printing can be leveraged to actively design and control material properties, to enhance its unique opportunities.
By varying 3D printing toolpaths, the project aims to exploit the relationship between 3D printing parameters and material roughness as a design opportunity. Through an experimental methodology, the project demonstrates that surface roughness is highly dependent on toolpath design. Using the impedance tube method for absorption coefficient measurement, the project reveals the influence of 3D printing parameter variations on the acoustic absorption properties of the bio-circular material.
The findings of the project show that additive manufacturing enables the design of multi-scale surface roughness that influences acoustic performance. This opens new pathways for 3D printing with bio-based materials in architectural contexts. Positioning roughness as an asset controlled to meet architectural needs.
Biobased Facade Panels: Sustainable Design through Large-Scale AM
AITIIP, R&D Department
Raquel Navarro, Iván Monzón, Alberto Laguia, Jose Antonio Dieste
This research explores the architectural potential of sustainable materials in Additive Manufacturing. Using Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing (LSAM), façade panels are fabricated from a bio-composite of cellulose acetate reinforced with hemp fibres, offering a renewable alternative to conventional construction materials.
A standout prototype features a visible transition from virgin polymer to composite, enabling differentiated mechanical and thermal properties within a single element. This material gradation allows for tailored performance depending on the panel’s zone, enhancing functionality and energy efficiency.
The panels are modular, designed with a rear interlocking system compatible with standardized façade profiles. This ensures scalable deployment across building envelopes while maintaining ease of installation and structural integrity.
Developed under the ATRIUM initiative, the project extends LSAM applications beyond façades to include green walls, reinforcing the versatility of bio-composites in sustainable architecture. The initiative aims to demonstrate how material innovation and additive manufacturing can drive environmentally responsible construction practices.
By leveraging material transitions and modular design, the research proposes multifunctional architectural components with tailored properties and industrial compatibility. This work aligns with broader efforts in the sector to optimize additive manufacturing processes through material development and hybrid fabrication strategies, as seen in recent initiatives by Aitiip Centro Tecnológico.
Baroque Glitch
Florida Atlantic University, School of Architecture
Dustin White
Baroque Glitch presents a fragment – a singular architectural component extracted from a speculative, larger assembly, designed as both threshold and artifact. Acting as a portal, the object invites movement around and through it, blurring the boundary between façade and structure, surface and mass. It draws from the perspectival and theatrical strategies of Baroque architecture, specifically the way ornament and geometry were used to choreograph experience and spatial perception.
Digitally 3D printed by Concr3de from stone using stereotomic logic, the piece operates as a warped structural panel, shaped to exaggerate depth, curvature, and shadow. Its form recalls Borromini’s undulating facades, but here it is distilled into a solitary, self-supporting module that expresses both architectural memory and digital transformation.
Wrapping seamlessly across both faces of the portal is a generative surface inlay: an AI-assisted reinterpretation of Baroque ornamentation. Rather than applied decoration, this inlay is integrated into the geometry of the block, flowing continuously from one side to the other. It evokes historical scrollwork, grotesques, and Rocaille forms—but recomposed as synthetic pattern, low-res filigree, or glitched relief. The motif distorts across the surface as the viewer moves around the object, creating a visual tension between memory and mutation, tradition and machine hallucination.
Baroque Glitch explores how ornament can embed itself within structure, and how stone—when filtered through computation – can act not only as tectonic matter but as an experiential device. It asks the viewer to circle, pause, and perceive, engaging both the object and their own shifting perspective.
Another ceramic brick in the wall
Universität Innsbruck, cera.LAB, exparch.hochbau
Jan Contala, Marjan Colletti
This research investigates ceramic 3D printing as a means of redefining the brick within contemporary masonry. Focusing on modular, mortar-free units, the work explores how ceramic components can function as sustainable, adaptable building blocks within a circular economy. The study examines strategies for disassembly and reconfiguration, highlighting ceramics’ potential to extend beyond conventional structural roles into multifunctional and expressive applications. By merging computational design with the craft of clay, the research develops prototypes that test complex geometries, interlocking systems, and innovative surface treatments. The outcomes challenge traditional perceptions of the brick as a repetitive unit, instead positioning it as a versatile system that integrates performance, sustainability, and design expression. Ultimately, the work demonstrates how digital fabrication can transform one of the world’s oldest building materials into a platform for future architectural innovation.
AMBER PILLAR
Vertico
Vertico
The Amber Pillar is a sculptural 3D printed column that blends structural integrity with artistic expression. Its form is defined by a woven-like pattern that spirals upward, evoking a sense of movement and craftsmanship. Printed with a gradient of warm, amber-inspired tones, the column captures the richness of natural materials while remaining fully rooted in digital fabrication.
This piece exemplifies Vertico’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of concrete printing. Free from traditional molds, the Amber Pillar demonstrates how parametric design and robotic control can produce unique, load-bearing elements that elevate both structure and aesthetics.
Behind the aesthetic is a structurally optimized geometry, made possible by our advanced printing system and research-driven reinforcement strategy. The result is a column that is both practical and poetic—designed to perform and built to inspire.
The Amber Pillar is part of an ongoing exploration into customized architectural components that rethink how we build: with more freedom, more beauty, and more purpose.
Acoustic panels
UNSW Sydney, Arch_Manu
M. Hank Haeusler, Dagmar Reinhardt, Charlotte Firth, Louis Lamont, Densil Cabrera, Ivana Kuzmanovska
An increase in flexible working environments has increased the demand for rooms with video conferencing facilities. Yet while several of these rooms could be equipped with video conferencing equipment such as large-scale TVs, cameras and audio equipment no acoustic improvement has been offered. This renders these rooms as an unpopular option for online meetings as the remote located party has difficulties in understanding what has been said.
Following acoustic testing of an existing meeting room at the University of New South Wales we developed a computational script that generated a complex curved geometry for reflection and a small openings for absorption.For the fabrication of the acoustic panels recycled plastic and 3d printing was selected to test of plastic waste could be employed as acoustic materials even if traditionally a ‘hard surface’ material is not considered as an optimal material for acoustic improvements. Through our script and fabrication, we could demonstrate that plastic waste offers acoustic improvements when combined with computational design and robotic fabrication.
WOHN Demonstrator - construction and realisation of a 3d printed housing module on a 1:1 scale
Technische Hochschule Lübeck, Architecture and Civil Engineering
Benjamin Spaeth, Michael Herrmann, Anton Brodmann, Sascha Wunderlich, Christoph Schult, Tabea Stannek, Morten Bøve, Matúš Uríček, Daviid Ranløv
The WOHN Demonstrator is based on the results of the WOHN Design Contest, a collaborative semester project and ideas competition for 3d printed housing module concepts. A team of students led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Benjamin Spaeth, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Herrmann, Sascha Wunderlich M.A. and Anton Brodmann M.A. refined the most promising approaches to develop a novel construction system for 3d printed modular housing. The concept was implemented as a demonstrator in close collaboration with the company WOHN A/S at their fabrication facilities in Herlufmagle, Denmark. The work should be continued by further cross-border exhibitions, research investigations and following collaborative projects.
The exemplary module on a 1:1 scale consists of 4 segments and has an overall size of 3.4 x 2.6 x 2.4 m (H x W x L). The weight is about 500 kg/segment (2 t/module). The printing material consists of recycled nylon and recycled glass fibre with a high strength. It is fully recyclable (grinded, re-pelletized and printed again) and has a density of 1.51 t/cbm. The 3d printer at WOHN A/S managed a print speed of max. 250 mm/s and completed each segment in about 14 h printing time (50 h/module). The 3d printing was executed with a 5mm nozzle and a printing bead of 2.8 x 8.4 mm (H x W). The demonstrator features a complex double-curved geometry, functional integration of furniture, integrated chambers for insulation, cable and installation routing as well as interlocking mechanisms for an easy assembly.
DigitalFormwork - Parametric generation of 3D-printable concrete formwork
Technical University of Darmstadt, Generative Design Lab
Simon Hausknecht, Alexander Wolf, Ulrich Knaack
DigitalFormwork was developed to facilitate the digital design process of 3D-printed formwork for concrete applications. Within the construction sector, considerable effort has been directed toward implementing large-scale concrete 3D printers that produce concrete elements directly – a technology limited in the geometries it can achieve. An alternative approach is presented here: 3D printing the formwork, rather than the object itself, enables a high degree of design freedom, since any shape that can be cast and subsequently demolded without damaging the concrete body can, in principle, be realized. In this way, modern 3D modeling software expands the creative potential of architectural design through the generation of complex shapes. DigitalFormwork, developed as a plug-in for Rhinoceros 3D/Grasshopper, provides a range of tools intended to support users in parametrically generating formwork parts suitable for 3D printing. Key features include assistance in modeling material-efficient formwork components, verifying their manufacturability with FDM printers, and simulating the demolding process to identify potential collisions. By 3D printing formwork instead of the concrete part itself, the creative freedom that has long been available with other materials can now be harnessed for concrete. DigitalFormwork empowers architects, engineers, and builders to unlock expressive, practical, and versatile designs by simplifying the path from digital vision to physical form.
Digital Ceramic Rooftiles
Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Structural Mechanics and Design (ISM+D)
Henrik Hoffmann, Alexander Wolf, Ulrich Knaack
This study addresses the reproduction of medieval roof tiles using additive manufacturing processes for ceramic building materials and examines their potential for the preservation of architectural heritage. Following a brief contextualization of the topic within additive manufacturing and heritage conservation, a range of historical tiles with different geometries were selected, digitized, and remodeled in CAD. These were then reproduced using ceramic 3D printing to evaluate the suitability of this technology for the complex geometries of historical building components. The evaluation of the results shows that the reproduction of historical building fabrie through additive manufacturing is fundamentally feasible, although a geometry-dependent process analysis is necessary to address the specific challenges involved. It can therefore be concluded that reproducible methods can be developed for certain geometries, while at the same time new research questions arise, particularly concerning the limitations of additive manufacturing with ceramic materials. In doing so, this work contributes to the further development of methods in the field of heritage conservation and opens up perspectives for the sustainable preservation of historical building fabric.