The Postgraduate in 3D Printing Architecture is a 6-month long intensive programme in the field of additive manufacturing of sustainable architecture. Between the use of advanced technology for construction and the desire to develop a holistic design approach to architecture, we engage with different areas of research that include robotic manufacturing, material research and performance-based design. The programme seeks to develop technological and architectural solutions in collaboration with Industry partners to answer the current needs and challenges of our habitat.
Table of Contents — ABSTRACT To deal with the fifth façade, vernacular earth construction introduces different materials to cover horizontal spans. This switch of materials allows the earth to work primarily under compression, avoiding altogether the need to work against gravity and the intrinsic tension that horizontal elements require to be supported. This research follows … Read more
The brief asked for the design of a student housing facility in Barcelona, that would be 3D printed out of earth material. A previously studied module considered as a stand-alone pavilion was adapted, varied and proliferated in order to scale up the structure. Location Given the context of Barcelona and the required function for the … Read more
How can we print a multistory student housing facility using earth and what techniques should we use to cover the fifth facade? As 3dpa students studying in Barcelona, we found it quite difficult to find short-term housing in Poblenou with the amenities we required. Here is where we began, with the goal of providing accommodation for all short-term IAAC … Read more
As the world progresses towards sustainable development, the use of 3D printing technology in construction is gaining momentum. One such application is the use of 3D printing to construct earthen buildings, which has several advantages over traditional construction methods. Earthen buildings have been used for thousands of years and are known for their durability, low … Read more
The use of large-scale 3D printing in construction has been on the rise in recent years, with many architects and builders experimenting with different techniques and technologies. One such project is the final project for the 3DPA postgraduate program at the IAAC Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, which utilized the WASP Crane for printing … Read more
Multiple-story 3d printed earth housing in Barcelona Introduction Milà Earth envisions an earth high-rise building located in Milà i Fontanals street on Vila de Gracia, a high-density neighborhood in Barcelona. An architectural proposal for student housing that aims for vertical densification of the central city. Focusing on using local materials and innovative cutting-edge building technologies, … Read more
The proposed student housing is a result of a system, designed with bottom to top approach, where a module design is considered with variable parameters to proliferate into a building proposal which establishes the relationship between structural and spatial organizations. The site falls within the close proximity of some institutions and more importantly close to … Read more
At a time when additive manufacturing using earth becomes commercial and available for large scale services, earthen housing becomes more possible without the heavy maintenance required for challenges like spanning, drying, heightening, printing, and durability. A student earthen housing project in Barcelona could vary in many capacities depending on its context of deployment, and in … Read more
The competition proposal of a 1:1 3d printed arched clay vault should be characterized by feasibility in construction. To achieve feasibility, the design of the vault uses bended sheets of wood to carry arches, dwells on strong connections in the infills, and complies by site printing restrictions [4,500 meters of print length alongside a maximum … Read more
Designing for the 3D printing of a self-supporting Pavilion Background For the Competition phase, the brief asked for a design of geometries that addressed the 5th facade in the attempt to cover or go over and above the average human height. Our proposal attempts to have this brief satisfied without the use of additional/external support … Read more
Designing a small earth 3D printed structure with two or more support points that spans over a person and fits within one crane printing radius. The competition phase’s objective is to create a small, 3D-printed earth structure that can span a person, fits within a crane’s printing radius of 4 meters, and doesn’t require an … Read more
Presented is a proposal for building a 3d printed pavilion with biomaterials in Valldaura camp with the main challenge of covering a horizontal 3d printed surface. The project is part of an internal competition during the 3DPA 22/23 postgraduate studies. The winning proposal will be finally built. Several iterations were made as part of the … Read more
Aim Fifth facade Pavilion has been developed as a competition design proposal to be built in Valldaura camp using 3d printed earth to print an arched structure that would require extreme cantilevering of layers. The pavilion was a result of multiple iterations considering the design criteria like Printing tool path length , The WASP crane … Read more
Three symmetrical generative axes were considered that reach the top, meeting in the same origin. Altering parameters such as the distance between the base axis, the inclination reaching the top and the height of the top axes, the geometry is considered in a shape which is achieving a controlled inclination of the guide surfaces of … Read more
The research aims to take an advantage of the knowledge from the past and integrate with today’s technology to construct novel and complex forms. The intention is to integrate fibers during the 3d printing process to support the cantilevers in wet state as well as find the optimized method to lay the fibers. This method … Read more
Hypothesis Abstract Seen by some as a novel construction technique, earth 3D printing is a promising digital fabrication method trying to eliminate the transport of building materials as much as possible. The main biomaterial lies just beneath our feet: earth. Although large creative freedom comes with digital fabrication, many challenges that are specific to 3D … Read more
What are the possibilities of enclosing a free-form space? The study reflects how geometry design will enhance the structural possibilities of increasing the maximum cantilevering degree of printing an enclosing surface. Applicability could be translated in printing projects above existent constructions and/or free-form developments. The research was coagulated into two distinct parts, the exploratory phase, … Read more
Rigidity: The extent to which an element is able to resist deformation or deflection under the action of an applied force. Abstract Architectural history contains numerous examples of vaulted structures built using a variety of design techniques and a range of materials, to serve or host different functions. One recurring function is the role of … Read more
Support & scaffolding during consolidation of clay printing are quintessential to push the boundaries and capabilities of earthen architecture because, with said added support, opportunities for large spans, high arches, aggregated arches, and other structural phenomena arise. The options invented over time are diverse and, regardless of the used material, they can be very insightful … Read more
Overview In 3d printing with earth, structural integrity is a factor that carries on from the onset of design until the finalization of the print itself. There are many tools that manifest the realization [pre-printing] and assessment [post printing] of structure in 3d printing. The purpose of these tools varies between the optimization of mass, … Read more
Overview Every geographical location has its native construction material. Some of these materials may be used in their raw state or they can be mixed with other natural materials in order to improve their performance. Understanding Earth as a construction material and its compositions requires a technical study: deciphering the various soils and their individual … Read more
Overview The last exercise of the Techne chapter is labeled ‘Architecture’ seeing the intersectionality of thematic from the previous workshops: structural understandings, detail, wall-design, performativity, and other architectural attributes. The requested 10m by 15m 10-storey clay building was expected to accompany ITKE’s flax-fiber reinforced slabs. This collaboration merged the knowledge of both methodologies in order … Read more
The first of the final three phases of the Techne, DETAIL, revolves around the collaborative project Living Prototypes (LP), which will be exhibited in Berlin’s AEDES museum in December 2022. LP, which has been in development for more than a year is a collaboration between three academic/professional teams: IAAC/WASP, ITKE/FIBR and CITA/COBOD. One of the … Read more
A dialogue between various bio-based materials and constructive solutions tackles the transition from an idea to an actual product. Designing a hybrid structure and studying the interconnection between three groundbreaking constructive and structural methods – clay printed geometries, cellulose extrusions and flax-fibres slabs. Keywords: geometry & hybrid structure, generative curve period, mixed wooden joinery & … Read more
