I Love Technology!

Exploring the world of 3D printing

Have you ever seen the earlier generation ink-pen plotter plot architectural drawings? One can spend a considerable amount of time just looking at the marvel. It doesn’t print in one smooth motion like today’s printers do. It draws a bit here and a bit there jumping across the page, filling in details. You can see the building take shape in bits and parts on the paper. 

Well! Printing technology in architecture has come a long way. Not only are the printers plotting at amazing speeds but printing buildings too. Can you imagine printing and assembling your own house? Move over DIY toys, big people want DIY architecture. 

Picture Courtesy 'formlabs'

3D printing has opened up immense opportunities in architectural design. It offers never thought of possibilities in shapes, materials and structural designs. If you can imagine it, you can build it.

Of course it is going to take time for this technology to be user-friendly or easily available but that day is not far when you can go to a nearest printing shop to print a curio.

Leading architects all over the world are experimenting with the 3D printing technology. We will see a range of 3D-printed structures ready to be showcased by the end of this year. The race for the first, the best and the biggest is on. 

Let’s look at the world’s first 3D-printed architectural structure designed and executed by California studio Smith|Allen. This 10 x 10 x 8 foot pavilion called ‘Echoviren’, was completed in August 2013. It consists of 585 individually printed components produced on seven 'Series 1' desktop printers made by Type A Machines. These components were printed in 2 months and snap-fit on site in just 4 days.

Self-supporting Structure

'Echoviren' Photos- Courtesy inhabitat.com

Interesting bit of information about this project is it’s structural design. It is based on the cellular forms of Sequoia cells. This structural design gives huge amounts of strength with a minimum volume. The horizontal components are connected via a dovetail joint while the vertical layers fit together with a pin and socket. The 'Echoviren' is made with Bio-plastic which will decompose back into the forest in 30-50 years and become a micro-habitat for insects, moss and birds. 

Designing for 3D printing will require a shift in the thinking process as it involves a completely new way of building. Emphasis will be on precise CAD drawings with minute details. We saw in the earlier example how cellular design added strength to the structure, similarly, newer methods of strengthening will have to be researched. Not having to depend on form-restricting traditional materials like concrete, stone or bricks will give freedom to design complex geometry. 3D printers will essentially bridge the gap between what you can design and what you can actually build.

3D CAD Model

Here’s an example of a sand structure made with a D-shape printer. Conceived and built by Enrico Dini, this printer is huge and can print sections upto 6 x 9 meters. This printer uses a binding agent that transforms any kind of sand into marble like material. This magnifies the structural strength and iron is not required as an additional reinforcement. 

These structures are self-supporting and STRONG. There is no wastage of material as any surplus sand can be reused in the building process.

The Process of 3D Printing

Completed Structure Printed by D-shape Printer

What is 3D printing?

Kailash Temple at Ellora, Central India

3D printing is called the additive manufacturing process. Look at the ‘Kailash’ temple at Ellora in Central India. It is a monolithic structure. It was carved out of a single block of stone by removing unwanted parts. This is a subtractive process. In an additive process, you start with nothing and keep adding layers, till desired shape is achieved. Effect would be the same as it will be a single self-supporting block without additional structural elements. 

So, what are the possibilities? Can we recreate a structure so magnificent in detailing and strength as the 'Kailash' temple on a 3D printer? We definitely aspire to do so, in the meantime let's bring ourselves upto speed with what's happening around the world in 3D printing?

Sand Wall- Picture Courtesy Stone Spray Project

Work has already begun to incorporate HVAC and lighting systems in 3D printing.

Structural optimization and integrity is being tested on eco-friendly sand models. Like in this case, sand walls are constructed using ‘Stone-spray’ which is an on-site robotic 3D printer. The Sand Wall is structurally strong and can support not only itself but even bear a load.

Amazing level of complex detailing is being tried and tested as in case of this ‘Digital-Grotesque’, a project by Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger, to be completed in September 2013. Unbelievable! This can't be printed. Right?

Work is also on to integrate traditional structural elements like beams and slabs with the 3D-printed elements to see how they synergize together. This 'Mobius band' house designed by 'Universe Architects' could not be built by traditional methods because of the endlessness and continuity of its shape. The architects used 3D printer to make a scaled model and decided to try it out on a larger scale.

Landscape House by Universe Architects

The building to look out for is the 'Canal House' being 3D-printed by Dus architects in Amsterdam. They are using 'KamerMaker', world's largest movable 3D  printer. It is proudly displayed outside their office for people to see how 3D printing is done. Each room is first printed at a scale of 1:20 on a small printer and once the design is optimized it is printed on a large printer, each room in one piece.

Proposed Canal House by Dus Archietcts at Amsterdam

KamerMaker - 3D Printer

Follow this project on KamerMaker's website to see how each element is being refined and printed.








This technology is not just going global but also universal. The European Space Agency (ESA) is looking into the feasibility of building a base on the moon using 3D printing. A prototype is being modeled as a multi-domed structure set to withstand impending climates and natural occurrences in its environment. In future they plan to use lunar soil and D-shape printer to build structures on the moon.

Representational Rendering

That's the thing about technology, it just sucks you in. It starts with a simple idea and ends up taking you to the moon.
Additional Bibliographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gbrhsFH7I8http://www.policymic.com/articles/25011/9-seriously-mind-blowing-things-you-can-make-with-a-3d-printerhttp://www.3dprinter.net/reference/what-is-3d-printing