RuMoer 84 : Additive Manufacturing

Building Technologist Technology periodical forA(BouT) the Building featuring TU Delft, Saeki , Jasmine Wong , Dr. Holger Strauß, Neolithic , Royal HaskoningDHV, Jansen AG , The University of Hong Kong ,& BouT BT Spotlight featuring Ece Sel , Carmen Guchelaar , Véronique van Minkelen , Kuba Wyszomirski

84. Additive Manufacturing

Cover page Robotic Digital manufacturing – Concrete formwork The cover image shows a robot by SAEKI producing a polymer 3D-printed formwork, to create a concrete waffled panel.

Saeki is a fast-growing digital fabrication startup based in Zurich. With their micro-factories, they deliver digitally manufactured large-scale polymer products for the construction industry and beyond. Unlike traditional techniques, a freeform shape can be achieved. Saeki’s robot builds the required formwork layer by layer from a digital model. After the print, the outside surface can be milled by the same robot, to achieve the desired textural surface.

@saekirobotics https://www.saeki.ch/

RUMOER 84 - ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 2nd Quarter 2024 29th year of publication RuMoer RuMoer is the primary publication of the student and practice association for Building Technology ‘Praktijkvereniging BouT’ at the TU Delft Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. BouT is an organisation run by students and focused on bringing students in contact with the latest developments in the field of Building Technology and with related companies.

Every edition is covering one topic related to Building technology. Different perspectives are shown while focussing on academic and graduation topics, companies, projects and interviews.

With the topic 'Additive Manufacturing', we are publishing our 84th edition.

Praktijkvereniging BouT Room 02.West.090 Faculty of Architecture, TU Delft Julianalaan 134 2628 BL Delft The Netherlands

Circulation The RuMoer appears 3 times a year, with more than 150 printed copies and digital copies made available to members through online distribution.

Membership Amounts per academic year (subject to change): € 10,Students € 30,PhD Students and alumni € 30,Academic Staff Single copies Available at Bouw Shop (BK) for : € 5,Students €10,Academic Staff , PhD Students and alumni Sponsors Praktijkvereniging BouT is looking for sponsors. Sponsors make activities possible such as study trips, symposia, case studies, advertisements on RuMoer, lectures and much more.

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Disclamer The editors do not take any responsibility for the photos and texts that are displayed in the magazine. Images may not be used in other media without permission of the original owner. The editors reserve the right to shorten or refuse publication without prior notification.

CONTENT 06

The built environment - Prof. Dr.Ing Ulrich K naack TU Delft Academic Article

14

3D printing of recyclable composite material - Liesbeth Tromp & Carlita Vis Royal HaskoningDHV Project Article

24

Breaking ground with Bamboo - Jasmine Wong TU Delft Graduate Article

32

Digital concrete production - Chris Aerts, Jeroen Veger Neolithic Company Article

38

AM Envelope 2023 - Dr. Holger Strauß, Innobuild GmbH TU Delft Graduate Article

48

Study viss3 free form façade - Sebastian Thieme Jansen AG Project Article

54

Saeki

- Matthias Leschok Saeki Company Article

62 72

Traditional house of the future - Lidia Ratoi, John Lin The University of Hong K ong Project article

Rott-up

- Ece Sel MEGA project - TU Delft BT Spotlight article

78

Buffering Oasis - Carmen Guchelaar Extreme technology - TU Delft BT Spotlight article

82

Makers$Future - Véronique van Minkelen MEGA project - TU Delft BT Spotlight article

88

Resilient rural housing - K uba Wyszomirski Extreme technology - TU Delft BT Spotlight article

94

Debut 2024 - Ece Sel and Sander Bentvelsen Praktijkvereniging Bout TU Delft

100

Bout Events and Trips - Praktijkvereniging Bout TU Delft

Editorial

EDITORIAL Dear reader, It is with great pleasure that I present to you the 84th edition of RuMoer: Additive Manufacturing.

Bryan

Daniel

Fieke

Mauritz

Pavan

Ramya

Rossella

Shreya

Swornava

In the ever-evolving realm of technology, we witness continual advancements in the potential methods of constructing buildings. Innovative approaches such as Additive Manufacturing utilizing novel materials, empower architects and engineers to select construction methods tailor-made for their designs. This not only enriches architectural creativity but also contributes to enhanced building performance in areas like sustainability, structural efficiency, improved indoor climates, and the facilitation of true freeform architecture.

In the 84th edition , we explore the integration of Additive

Rumoer committee 2023-2024

Manufacturing, opening up a multitude of possibilities for refining architectural engineering in future designs.

This edition also marks the expansion of the RuMoer With the previous issue,we introduced the BT Spotlight

committee. I would like to welcome the new members:

section in the periodical, showcasing the exceptional

Daniel, Rossella, Mauritz and Swornava to our growing

work of the Building Technology master track students.

team. Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge the

This initiative garnered overwhelming appreciation and

dedicated members of the RuMoer committee who

recognition from companies and universities alike. With

consistently work towards enhancing the quality of the

this edition, we are thrilled to showcase projects from the

periodical.

integrated design studios of the master track– the MEGA project and the Extreme technology. We hope these

We hope you enjoy this edition.

projects assist the aspiring students in making informed choices for elective courses and also inspire and inform

Ramya Kumaraswamy

readers about the Building Technology master track.

Editor-in-chief | RuMoer 2023-2024

5

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Conversation with Prof. Dr. Ing Ulrich Knaack at TU Delft The Genesis of 3D printing in the Built Environment at TU Delft For me, the whole thing started with Marcel Bilow, who asked me to help finance the first 3D printer at the University we were working at that time. And, after we managed to get the first plastic printer, Marcel directly developed the first objects to be printed during the Christmas break – impressive results back then. The device, which cost 100 times that of currently available plastic printers, had a volume of two cubic meters for a print space of 20 x 20 x 20 cm. This describes how the technology evolved over the last decades - not only in terms of available materials but also in terms of volume and costs.

Fig. 1: Wood knot at BE-AM 2022 © U.K naack

QR : BE-AM Symposium

84 | Additive Manufacturing

Navigating Skepticism and overcoming challenges

Advancements in metal printing

A second story of the time: we talked to specialists in

The next material field in use is metals. Utilizing laser

additive manufacturing and learned that printing for

sintering technology, highly complex stainless steel or

the built environment would not work due to the wrong

aluminum components are developed. These components

materials and the industry’s attitude:

can be found in our built environment as complex geometry nodes for structures or facade systems. Some

" Printing aluminium will never work, physically impossible -

of our PhDs in Delft have made significant contributions

you are just crazy! "

to the development of these components, participating in product developments. Currently, we have about three available technical solutions: free-form stick systems

Well, we now see that it is possible to print aluminium in

with 3D printed nodes. This approach allows us to keep

various ways. And we see building products being printed.

the main system simple and use conventional components by shifting the complexity to the 3D printed nodes.

Lesson learned: Do not always trust specialists; give it a try yourself!

In the next step, the same geometry concepts were applied to stainless steel solutions. Lia Tramontini is

The evolution of materials and applications in

finishing an interesting PhD on this in Delft, in cooperation

construction

with an industry partner. She is transferring her work into

We observe a wide variety of printing materials, including

a market-ready product. Additionally, she has introduced

polymers/plastics in various printing technologies,

the possibility to print any free-form polymer gasket,

mineral materials, and metals. Concrete printing—

which makes sense given the complexity of the load-

extruding fluid concrete with a robot-controlled extruder

bearing parts and the drainage needs of the facades.

in defined geometries—remains a leading technology for the built environment. In research, this is significantly driven by places like Eindhoven, Braunschweig, München, and Copenhagen. We also witness the first industries adapting the technology and offering substantial construction dimensions to the market. The key challenge, after solving the geometry and material properties, is reinforcements. In this regard, the mentioned research environments are competing to find a solution for not only short-fiber metal but also proper reinforcement systems.

Patents are pending, but we have yet to see practical applications

8

Fig. 2: Jansen Facade at Glasstec Düsseldorf 2022 © U.K naack

these lines are transformed into ceramics. In Delft, we

comes into play. We all remember the 3D-printed steel

developed a sample redefining our blue tiles – now

bridge in Amsterdam, which took a while to build and

with complex geometries and patterns on the surface,

evaluate. It functioned as a pedestrian bridge for a while

glazed with pigments, and installed as facade cladding.

but is unfortunately now being deconstructed. What

Alongside this, in a parallel project, we are establishing

makes this technology suitable for our built environment

components with additional functions.

Academic

Moving forward, Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)

is that we are accustomed to welding technology in the building industry. Welding is something we know, with

Venturing into unconventional territories : Polymers,

the only difference being that it is now operated by a

Timber and Glass

robot, making us feel comfortable with it. Of course,

In the field of polymers, we observe the most profound

there is still a lot of research to be done to identify the

developments in printing technologies, leading to a wide

best welding parameters, material performances, and the

variety of opportunities in use: shading components, full

environmental impact of this technology. Nevertheless,

wall systems integrating insulation, and the integration

we see a significant number of projects developing –

of fluids to control energy harvesting and transport in

not only bridges but also facade components, spider

facades are concepts under development. However, we

connectors, and free-form nodes for complex structures.

still encounter challenges with UV, fire, and durability – which is logical when considering the typical lifespan of

The next stop is ceramics! It employs a similar extrusion

buildings and building components.

technology as for concrete but with a different curing process. This involves printing larger geometries for clay

Yet, we have learned not to halt our investigations when

structures, such as entire buildings, or finely defined

things get complicated in the initial steps. Michela Turrin

objects with thin extruded lines of clay. In a firing process,

and I have come across numerous MSc theses that develop interesting ideas – one of them involving the printing of timber! Here, we are referring to timber made of fibers and lignin with no additional adhesive. Solutions found in one thesis and application concepts developed in the next two are now awaiting the creation of the first serious building component. Concurrently, I am involved in a PhD thesis about printing paper as volumetric objects: a similar journey of making the material printable, identifying material performance, and finally, applying it.

Finally, the most complex material to print is glass. In this

Fig. 3: Jansen Facade at Glasstec Düsseldorf 2022 © U.K naack

case, we are dealing with temperatures around 1000°C.

9

84 | Additive Manufacturing Fig.4: Wood printing experiments © U.K naack

Fig. 5: Caustic brick concepts © U.K naack

10

We need to develop a print environment that allows us

services,

to handle this temperature while still controlling the

consideration to printing materials solely for the purpose

geometry. Thus, we see glass being cast into 3D-printed

of replacing complex or otherwise impossible-to-

molds or glass ropes being heated and printed into

make components does not do justice to the topic. The

volumes. Apart from creating the objects themselves, the

next field of interest should be exploring the potential

complexity of printing on surfaces (glass plates) with all

for integrating additional functionality into building

the thermal stresses poses a significant challenge

components—addressing structural, building-physical,

distribution.

However,

limiting

our

Academic

and

and functional aspects.

Consideration of 3D printing for construction When contemplating this, we can identify numerous

Moreover, it's crucial to assess the actual environmental

areas for future research on various topics. These include

impact. While we often argue that less material is needed

material performances, the application of printing

for a complex printed component, we lack a relevant

technologies in our industry, and discussions about

estimation of the energy required for its manufacture.

potential product applications, including warranties,

Simultaneously, we've learned that transport energy

Fig. 6: Concept of printed brick © U.K naack

11

84 | Additive Manufacturing Fig. 7: Annual BE-AM exhibition in Frankfurt 2023. © U.K naack

12

Academic

constitutes a significant part of the environmental impact. In this regard, additive manufacturing with local production plans might present an opportunity for digitally-driven international engineering with local manufacturing—an intriguing concept for our building industry BE-AM Event : Showcasing the Future of Construction Technology

Ulrich Knaack

In closing, I'd like to share about an event. Please consider

@bk.tudelft

assessing our BE-AM event and exhibition, which takes

Prof. Knaack is a Professor

place in November annually at the international trade show

of Design of Construction

formNEXT in Frankfurt. Explore cutting-edge research

in

and products in the realm of the built environment. Stay

Architectural Engineering +

informed with our regularly updated webpage, featuring a

Technology.

map of active individuals in the field. Scan QR code on the

lies in the foundations of

introduction page to acces the webpage.

construction, materials, and

the

Department His

of

expertise

joint applications. Research focuses on glass, facades, system

construction,

organizational

and

aspects.

Notable contributions include work on economical doubleskin

facades,

integrated

building

installations,

and

systems

facade

free-form,

for

ICT-driven

architecture.

The

chair

emphasizes the integration of research and education, guiding practical

students

through

applications

of

research results in largescale implementations.

13

3D PRINTING OF RECYCLABLE COMPOSITE MATERIAL Liesbeth Tromp & Carlita Vis, Royal HaskoningDHV As part of the digital workflow: applied innovation in infrastructure Workflows in infrastructure are becoming more and more digital with every project. Although every project is still unique, the workflows are similar. Standardisation and automation are more relevant than ever to create better and more sustainable designs. Robotised manufacturing and assembly will eventually seamlessly connect the digital design workflows with the production stage. And ultimately digital twins will then allow efficient life cycle management in the digital environment of the objects in the operational phase.

Fig. 1: 4 m span demonstrator - Z-connection and diamond cross section © RHDHV

QR : Link to RHDHV website

84 | Additive Manufacturing

Royal HaskoningDHV (RHDHV) explores the emerging

applications, i.e. moisture and temperature resistant as

technologies to learn and contribute to developing

well as robust. The fire retardancy should be reasonable

effective and efficient digital workflows to realise

to high (anti-vandalism). UV resistance could be taken

our sustainability goals. How do we organise such

care of by a coating; however, the material itself should

workflows? How will this affect our ways of working, our

have some UV resistance as well. Materials such as

responsibilities, and what skills need to be developed

nylons for example have a high enough thermal stability,

within project teams?

but the mechanical properties are significantly reduced by

As a case study, RHDHV has investigated the potential

moisture absorption. The selected material for this case

of using 3D printing of recyclable composite materials

study was a glass fibre reinforced thermoplastic polymer,

for circularity and sustainability in the design and

PET, in this article also referred to as circular composite.

manufacturing of pedestrian bridges. 3D printing is a form

The addition of short glass fibres (on average 0.3 mm

of robotised additive manufacturing, in which the design

length) increases stiffness and strength significantly.

and production are highly connected. Introducing new materials and technologies means that new players enter

The expected design life of the bridge is 50 – 100 years.

the infrastructure eco-system and responsibilities need

Because of its low weight, the bridge as a whole can be

to be relocated when material, design and production

easily relocated to fully make use of the design life. At

are so closely linked. This article discusses the impact

the end-of-life, the bridge can be shredded, and the

and challenges the highly integrated Design for Additive

composite material can be upcycled and re-used for new,

Manufacturing (i.e 3D printing) has on the RHDHV project

3D printed high-end structures.

team and collaborations.

If we want to achieve our net-zero goals for 2050, we need to accelerate the process for development and implementation of innovative solutions. In this article we share our insights and lessons learned.

Our journey : Material Our journey started with the ambition to create a 3D printed fully circular composite pedestrian bridge.

The first step was the selection of the material. The main criterion for the material is circularity, but for the application in the bridge the material must be lightweight have high strength, high stiffness and suitable for outdoor

16

Fig.2: 1 m span demonstrator -principal stress based cross section © RHDHV

A demonstrator specimen of 1 m span was printed and the

In several development steps (sprints) we learned by

design performed well structurally. However, we learned

doing, creating larger and more complex demonstrators

from this test that continuity and avoiding crossing print

with each sprint. We went from a 1 m bridge to a 2 m

paths in the cross section are preferred to avoid smearing

bridge, a 4 m bridge, working towards a 6 m bridge.

of the printed material. In addition, when considering

Project

Concept development

strategies on how to further demonstrate the load bearing During the printing the material exits a very narrow nozzle,

capacity and reliability of the structure, the complex infill

which causes the short fibres to align. The resulting

of this concept introduces a lot of uncertainties. For future

material is very orthotropic, meaning much stiffer and

designs we decided to simplify the infill, making the

stronger in print direction than the transverse direction.

structure less sensitive to different loading conditions and

The structural design and geometry are aligned with these

allowing for demonstration of the load bearing capacity

very characteristic material properties.

based on a simple component test.

In the 1 m specimen we explored the principal stress-

We optimised the cross section in our 2 m and 4 m span

concept. Materials in general perform best when axially

demonstrators. We varied the infill, but in all concepts, we

loaded rather than in bending, so choosing a structural

aligned the printing direction of the top and bottom skin

geometry following the lines of principal stress implies a

of the deck in the spanwise direction, aligning maximum

high degree of material efficiency.

strength and stiffness of the material with the highest loads.

Fig.3: 2 m span demonstrator -vierendeel cross section © RHDHV

Fig.4: 4 m span demonstrator - Z-connection and diamond cross section © RHDHV

17

84 | Additive Manufacturing

Challenges in 3D printing of circular composites

structure out of several smaller elements.

The main challenge when increasing the scale of the structure turned out to be the thermal management of

To maintain a print path within the allowable layer

the printing process. An important design parameter for

timeframe while aligning the fibers partly to the main

3D printing of circular composites is the layer time, i.e the

loading direction, the print plane can be rotated in the

time frame in which the extruder passes the same location

horizontal plane (45 degrees in top view, like herringbone

to deposit the next layer. To obtain a good layer-to-layer

pattern) or vertical plane (reclining for example under

bond, the receiving layer may not cool below a certain

45 degree). But even with these compromises, due to

temperature.

the local load requirement, we were not able to achieve the required deck dimensions and infill geometry without

The longer the print path in a cross section, and the

spanwise segmentation. For the spanwise connection a

more complex the geometry (i.e. changes in direction),

hybrid adhesive/mechanically interlocking system was

the longer the resulting layer time. Because pedestrian

developed. The resulting geometry for the 6 m bridge

bridges need to be able to resist highly localised loads,

had 0-degree rotation in the top view and a 45-degree

the infill that supports the top skin to carry the traffic loads

rotation in the vertical plane, see Figure 4.

and point loads as prescribed in the design codes needs to be rather finely distributed, resulting in long print paths

To reduce the risks of damage of the top skin under

per cross section.

localised loads and to strengthen the structure and the connections, it was decided to apply a thin 3 mm

In future the layer time restraint might be resolved

continuous glass fibre reinforced layer on the top skin as

for example by advanced thermal management or

reinforcement.

investments in printing equipment, but at the time, in our prototyping phase, we were limited in our options.

The

To reduce the layer time, we were forced to build our

undesirable in a digital workflow, because it introduces

Fig.5: 6 m demonstrator - diamond infill, 45-degree rotation vertical plane © RHDHV

18

reinforcement

layer

and

segmentation

are

be connected. Therefore the resulting complex geometry, the connections and the assembly involved introduce high

Unfortunately, the bridge was only able to sustain the load for no longer than approximately 30 minutes. After some sustained loading with its maximum test load of 6

geometric requirements, i.e. low production tolerances.

kN/m2 the bridge failed at one of the connections.

A full-scale test was performed where the bridge was

Detailed inspection after the test exposed that during the

loaded with the full distributed load of 5 kN/m2, with an additional factor of 1.2, to take into account some material uncertainties, see Figure 5. The initial response of the bridge was as expected, with slightly higher deflections (+ 10%) which can be explained by the connections.

Project

assembly, and some preprocessing. All print paths must

printing not all print paths had connected, greatly affecting the structural capacity. This possibly also contributed to the 10% higher deflections that were measured. Even when a small number of required connections are missed, such local defect is unacceptable.

Future needs This case study was an exciting journey which showed learning by doing generates numerous insights in just a few development steps. The main conclusion is that demanding applications and complex geometries such as required for large scale 3D printed structural applications, such as the pedestrian bridge as presented here, require accurate manufacturing and high quality control.

Furthermore, it could also be the case that thermal

Fig.6: Fully loaded 6 m demonstrator © RHDHV

Fig.7 & 8: 6 m demonstrator after failure at 1.2 x 5kN/m2 load, overview (left) and detail of failed section (right) © RHDHV

19

84 | Additive Manufacturing

stresses that were locked in during the manufacturing

choice for material and print strategy made, as they are so

contributed to the lower load bearing capacity. The glass

fundamentally part of all design choices?

fibre reinforced PET material that was used, though very strong and stiff, also means that higher thermal stresses

Because of the direct transfer of information, drawings

get locked in during the printing and subsequent cooling

are replaced by digital models and codes, transferred

down, where a softer material such as PETG might be more

without further detailed instructions, as (ideally) all

forgiving. Developments with continuous fibre reinforced

instructions are captured in the codes. If it is preferred

thermoplastic tapes could also provide interesting options

to create reference designs, for decision making upon

for optimizing the structure. Further research in this field

investments by asset owners and with which consortia of

is needed to be able to derive appropriate materials and

contractors can tender, then tools need to be developed

the associated production settings and design limits.

to incorporate printer settings and material properties and translate these (through preferably automated and

The future for 3D printing in infrastructure is very positive,

calibrated computational coding) into the final geometry

driven by the need for circular, sustainable solutions.

as well as printer settings (G-code).

The technology is rapidly maturing and new material formulations,

printing

and

integrated

datalogging

systems are put on the market since then.

In traditional processes the contractor is responsible for construction and makes the necessary, usually small, adaptations in the final design stage. The designer-

Changes in responsibilities and value chain

engineer role is not solely creating structurally feasible

Traditional construction involves a linear process with

designs but also coming up with a matching printing

various moments to reflect, check and adapt during

strategy that fit the printer settings of materials and

design and construction stages. Different materials,

extruders. As the design goes directly to the 3D printer,

equipment and skillsets are involved in various project

the contractor-manufacturer needs to be involved early

stages. Information is transferred from the engineer to

in the design process, to make sure the design is easy to

the contractor to the people in the production facilities

produce and assemble and is in line with the installation

or at the site. Structural Additive Manufacturing is a more

strategy. Therefore, the manufacturing, assembly and

continuous and direct process. From the overall geometric

installation strategy are more fundamentally embedded

layout up to the tiniest detail, everything is the result of

in the structural design. Hence the liability shifts towards

a single source of code fed directly from the engineer’s

designer and engineer and roles merge.

design to the robot, preferably printed in one go.

Circularity is more thoroughly embedded in the value

20

Material and processing skill sets have been translated

chain responsibilities, adding recycling companies to the

into design values and printing process parameters.

eco-system. How will we control the time delay between

The main question is at what stage of the design is the

construction and end-of-life? How can we keep track

Additive Manufacturing. To be able to scale up, we need

making optimum use of the quality of the material,

to know the thermal effects in the production stage, as

rather than making conservative assumptions or more

well as manage the thermal state of the material during

frequently upcycling of materials, which increases the

production. Preferably technological solutions become

footprint? These are important questions that still need to

available where the design becomes independent of the

be resolved.

printing layer time.

Digital twins and life cycle management

To

Circularity means closing the loop: looking into the

demonstration of performance of a structure, data logging

whole life cycle and not only the production phase. The

and fully integrated and automated quality control are

performance of the asset and the ‘embedded value’ of

important requirements to achieve an optimal digital

the material need to be known. Sensor techniques can be

workflow for circular composites. In other industries we

fairly easily applied to establish a digital twin which can

see great examples of optimizing these processes with

give the asset manager the necessary information. This

artificial intelligence.

reduce

the

amount

of

testing

and

Project

of the quality of the recycled (mixed) materials whilst

physical

ranges from basic information such as usage of the bridge and environmental data, to more operation-based data

In theory 3D printing of circular composite pedestrian

such as the relation between temperature, deflection

bridges can be achieved in a near full digital workflow.

and stresses. A digital twin predicts the residual lifetime

Through scripting the different interfaces for data

based on usage and external influences and warns the

transference can be generated. On the short term

asset manager in case of excessive use. This automated

however full circularity in a single component bridge as

process potentially leads to targeted inspections only.

Conclusions What we took from our journey is that it confirmed the high potential of digital workflows and 3D printing for infrastructure. It can save time and effort and creates an interesting new distribution of responsibilities. We learned that there is indeed a large degree of freedom in form, however other aspects involved in the design, such as automation, modularity, quality control, may favour more standardised geometries.

We need to especially much better understand all production settings to translate into design rules for

Fig.9: Printing of the architectural 3D printed handrail (bridge Putten) © RHDHV

21

84 | Additive Manufacturing

part of a fully digital workflow seems not yet feasible.

Automated processes result in more standardised

Further development is needed to get to the scale of

modular designs that can be applied in a large set of

economically viable circular products as bridges but large

construction projects. Responsibility and liability in

scale Additive Manufacturing is ever progressing and

automated construction shift to the designers and

improvements in materials and equipment are rapidly put

engineers, since they are in control of design outcomes.

on the market.

As the industry shifts to a more product-based approach, the challenge for engineering and architecture firms will

In the meantime further experience in Design for Additive

be to reskill their workforces and hire the right talent to

Manufacturing, production settings and tolerance control

design in this new setting.

is gained working on smaller components such as the decks (under construction) and architectural handrail for

Appeal

a small circular bridge in Putten (the Netherlands), see

To achieve our net-zero goals for 2050, we need to

Figure 10 and Figure 11.

develop new low emission solutions and implement them faster than we were used to. Applied innovation such as

Digital workflows can and will fundamentally change

this case study are an effective way to verify the potential

the role of an engineer in the construction industry. For

of concepts or emerging technology and identify missing

decades, engineers have been responsible for creating

links in a relatively short time frame. Even if the 6 m test

designs and specifications for individual projects:

did not fulfill the structural test it clearly demonstrated the

each design optimised to meet the projects unique

items that need further improvement and some of the main

requirements.

challenges, giving direction to further developments.

Fig.10 & 11: Architectural 3D printed hand rail (bridge Putten), unique shapes (left) and formfitting parts (right) © RHDHV

22

Project

In the traditional way of working, we have been trained to become risk averse, and therefore avoid the unknown.

However, to contribute to the transition towards sustainable solutions we need partners and clients who are open for innovations and become part of the development team. The unknown has risks, but also holds potential solutions. It is up to us to apply our (engineering) skills and develop focused, step-by-step approaches to tackle the unknows, develop and demonstrate suitability and reliability of new solutions.

Carlita Vis

Liesbeth Tromp

@Royal HaskoningDHV

@Royal HaskoningDHV

&

Liesbeth

is

We try, we may fail, we learn, we improve, we share. This

Carlita

is

Innovations

Technical Director of Mobility

Engineer

with

article is both a technical essay on lessons learned as

& Infrastructure. She has

for

well as an appeal to all people involved in (infrastructure)

project

management

projects to step up and contribute to progress, develop

experience

with

clients

and share knowledge and solutions, collaborating

and

in

the

materials like FRP (Fiber

towards a circular, low emissions infrastructure.

infrastructure

sector.

Her

Reinforced Polymers) and

and

contractors

motto is 'just do it' to start

a

FRP

Lead

a

passion

As

senior

structural

engineer

she

specialized

in

innovation.

innovative

Design for Sustainability.

exploring new possibilities that

enhance

together.

society

Liesbeth and Carlita both work

at

our

businessline

Mobility

&

Infrastructure

in

Netherlands

the

Royal

at

HaskoningDHV.

Royal HaskoningDHV is a leading

global

consulting

engineering

company

leveraging

cutting-edge

technology and software. Our multidisciplinary empowers

approach

clients

with

innovative and sustainable solutions, shaping the future.

23

BREAKING GROUND WITH BAMBOO Jasmine Wong, TU Delft.

Robotic Additive Manufacturing of a Self Supporting Wall with Bamboo This master thesis explores the use of bamboo in Additive Manufacturing (AM), specifically towards the development of a building component. The presented study utilizes bamboo in the form of dust and fibers, which can be sourced from waste streams. This innovative approach not only offers a solution to the challenges of bamboo’s anatomy but also has the potential to use bamboo in a more circular way. With this approach, rather than being discarded at the end of its life cycle, bamboo products can be recycled and transformed into valuable powder and fibers, granting them a second life.

Fig. 1: Protoype © J. wong

QR : TU Delft thesis repository

84 | Additive Manufacturing

By leveraging the benefits of additive manufacturing

Materials

technology, such as reduced material waste and the

The raw materials employed in this research were primarily

ability to fabricate complex geometries, the design aimed

bamboo fibers and dust (Fig. 3).

to create a mechanically informed infill tailored to the loading condition of the building component. After use, the component can be re-introduced into a new mixture to be used in a new AM application, enabling circular use.

The project involves a comprehensive workflow, including material research, design development exploration, manufacturing process exploration and prototyping.

The rapid population growth contributes to a considerable increase of the amount of raw materials used and produced worldwide (Craveiro, 2014). The aim to create more ecologically friendly and sustainable construction processes has boosted interest in the use of bio-based materials. Timber, for instance, has been a prominent choice, but its availability is constrained as the demand should not exceeds responsible forestry. Bamboo, a nonwood species, holds promise as a potential substitute to wood due to its rapid growth rate. It is a very adaptable plant that can grow well in a variety of climates and elevations, which enables it to contribute to the alleviation of demand for wood as a source of raw materials (Borowski, 2022).

Fig.3: Bamboo dust (left) and Bamboo fibers (right). © J. wong

Bamboo is a viscoelastic and anisotropic material that exhibits differences in physical and mechanical properties along its three orthogonal axes, with variations being more significant along the length of the culm due to the tapered shape and increasing density with height (Correal, 2020).

Bamboo presents impressive versatility, with the potential for nearly 100% material utilization in most cases.

In the construction industry, bamboo can serve as a viable replacement for traditional building materials across several components, including trusses, roof structures, walls, flooring, foundations, and scaffolding (Yadav, 2021). Still its adoption in this industry remains limited due to the challenges posed by its hollow tube anatomy and the lack of established building codes for its use.

Furthermore, bamboo's physical and mechanical qualities are affected by moisture content, age, and the location on the stem (Correal, 2020).

Material Experimentation With the goal of formulating a fully bio-based recipe,

Fig. 2: Bamboo, Pine tree and Oak tree growing time (kampinga et al., 2015).

26

a series of experiments was conducted to study the

In the first phase of the material experiments, the focus

and combined in different ratios.

was on exploring the binding agents that could be used to develop an extrudable paste. Initially, water was used as a

The material experiments aimed to comprehend the

binder to test the extrudability of bamboo dust. Therefore,

behaviour of bamboo dust and fibers when combined

different bio-based and non-bio-based binders were

with various binders and solvents, with the objective of

explored as potential alternatives.

Graduate

behavior of various bio-based binders, both individually

creating a stable bio-based composite with optimum viscosity and bonding properties suitable for extrusion via

After the initial phase of material experimentation, it was

LDM technique. This exploration was carried out in two

determined that a second phase was necessary in order to

phases.

achieve a more comprehensive evaluation of the mix and

Fig. 4: Results of the Second Material Experimentation © J. wong

27

84 | Additive Manufacturing

to refine key parameters for optimal printability in regard

Material Experimentation

to the AM setup.

A large quantity of the selected mixture made with bamboo dust and fibers and potato starch, needed to be

During the second phase, each binder was exclusively

produced in order to proceed with the printability test to

mixed with bamboo dust, as well as bamboo dust

explore the potential of the selected mixture through AM.

combined with fibers, to facilitate an effective comparison process. The results (Fig. 6) indicate the presence of some specimens that broke or bent during the drying process, categorizing them as faulty.

The optimal three mixtures, that included the use of potato starch, COLLALL eco-glue and wood glue as binders, were chosen based on a simplified mechanical test and other factors such as printability, cost, and bio-based content. The testing process revealed an interesting correlation between potato starch and eco-glue, as the latter is derived from potato starch. To ensure an effective and efficient testing process, only one binder was chosen for the initial printing test. Consequently, potato starch and eco glue were selected, with potato starch being the more cost-effective option.

The selected mixture is subsequently manufactured in large quantities for the following AM application. This formed the basis for the next phase of the research, which focused on creating an extrudable and printable paste for the AM of a self-supporting wall made from bamboo dust

Fig. 5: Mixing procedure © J. wong

Design The initial concept for this research was to demonstrate the potential of the novel material and fabrication technique. Therefore, the design had to be carefully considered to incorporate the capabilities of the selected mixture and AM technology.

The aim is to create a mechanically informed infill that is tailored to the loads on specific parts of the building component. The design process began through a computational model by lofting different sections of a partition wall and benches on both sides (Fig. 6).

and fibers.

Fig. 6: Lofted Design © J. wong

28

specific parts of the component.

material and the fabrication process, to allow for a more

Figure 8 shows the computational workflow for the

efficient production process, the study focused on a

mechanically informed infill generation. A structural

specific section of the overall design (Fig. 7).

analysis determines the optimal density distribution within the infill. This analysis involves mapping the density of

Graduate

The design was heavily influenced by the novelty of the

the infill based on the variable cell size and arrangement.

The goal is to identify areas that require higher density to withstand greater loads, as well as regions where lower density can be employed without compromising structural integrity. Once the density mapping is established, the component is designed to generate the toolpath necessary for printing it using a robotic arm.

The workflow begins with generating the mesh geometry of the solid component. After defining the type of support and load conditions a structural analysis generates a color gradient that represents the stress distribution within the Fig. 7: Chosen Section © J. wong

AM enables the realization of complex designs, not only in terms of visual aesthetics but also in terms of performance. Through the use of computational design and performance analysis, the material distribution of the component can be optimized within a specified space, considering loads and boundary conditions. This

component. In this colored mesh, points that are closest to 0% stress are automatically identified as attractor points. The pattern generation is then created, and the center point of each geometry is connected to the closest attractor point. The thickness of the infill is inversely proportional to the distance of the two points, meaning that shorter distances result in thinner thicknesses.

optimization process involves iteratively refining the material distribution.

To optimize the use of material and create a mechanically efficient infill, it is important to consider that the load on the component is not uniformly distributed. Therefore, it is unnecessary to have the same density in the entire geometry. It is a more efficient approach to create an infill that is mechanically informed and tailored to the loads on

29

84 | Additive Manufacturing Fig. 8: Mechanically Informed Infill Generation

Prototype printing The primary objective of this research is to provide proof of concept for printing with bamboo. To achieve this, a 1:1 scale fragment of the design, explained in the Mechanically Informed Infill section, is prototyped.

It was not feasible to print the entire prototype due to limitation of the robot work space, available materials, and tools, therefore a fragment of the overall design was prototyped. The selected fragment corresponds to a specific area within the component, which is determined by the reachable working area of the robotic arm.

While the printed fragment represents a smaller portion of the overall design, it serves as tangible proof of concept and provides valuable insights into the feasibility and potential of printing with bamboo.

30

Fig. 9: Prototype

Graduate

Conclusion This research project represents an innovative approach in the field of circularity and construction automation within the built environment. By exploring the use of bamboo in AM, it showcases the potential for sustainable material use and advanced fabrication techniques. The ability to re-use the printed component in the mixture enables a continuous printing process, reducing the need for new materials. The design process, informed by

Jasmine wong

structural analysis and tailored infill geometry, showcases

@bk.tudelft

the potential of AM to optimize material use and create

Jasmine Wong, 24 years

structurally efficient building components. The project

old. After completing her

addresses the need for renewable and eco-friendly

bachelor

construction materials, as well as the adoption of AM as

Design

at

a platform for material design. Through this innovative

Milano,

she

approach, the project contributes to the advancement

pursue her master in Building

of sustainable construction practices and highlights the

Technology at TU Delft in

possibilities for utilizing bamboo in the built environment.

the faculty of Architecture.

During

in

her

Architectural Politecnico

di

decided

to

studies

she

Overall, this research project demonstrates the potential

developed a strong interest

of bamboo fibers and dust as a valuable material for

in sustainable materials and

architecture through AM. The findings emphasize the

innovative technologies like

benefits of incorporating bamboo into the construction

additive

industry, including its rapid growth, renewability, and

She is currently working in

versatile properties. By promoting the adoption of bamboo

London as a façade engineer

and AM techniques, the project contributes to circularity in

at Eckersley O'Callaghan.

manufacturing.

the built environment and supports the transition towards more sustainable and efficient construction practices.

31

DIGITAL CONCRETE PRODUCTION Pioneering a new era of Digital Concrete Production and Working Chris Aerts, Jeroen Veger @ Neolithic

Neolithic - unleashing the digital 21st century on the production of concrete and stone objects Neolithic is an innovative startup at the forefront of 3D printing and

digital

warehousing.

Neolithic

specializes

in

industrial

3D printing of concrete and stone objects using cuttingedge technologies, such as robots and industrial 3D-printers.

The term Neolithic is a contemporary creation, derived from the Greek words νέος néos, meaning 'new,' and λίθος líthos, meaning 'stone.' Essentially, it translates to 'New Stone Age.' With advanced technology and an efficient supply chain, Neolithic excels

at

rapidly

conceptualizing,

Fig. 1: 3D Printed wells, Amsterdam © Neolithic

printing,

and

QR2 : production video

delivering

QR1: website

84 | Additive Manufacturing

high-quality products. The robotic production hubs

Digital workflows for streamlined production

primarily focus on the creation of modular construction

Neolithic's commitment to innovation extends to its

and infrastructure components. Neolithic places a strong

optimized digital workflows, designed to streamline

emphasis on product development and the startup also

the production process seamlessly. Integrating digital

provide tailor-made solutions for unique designs in close

technologies ensures not only the rapid production

collaboration with contractors, designers, artists, and

of on-demand products, but also allows for a level of

municipalities.

customization that caters to the unique needs of clients.

This digital-centric approach positions Neolithic at the

One of the flagship products is a mass-customizable

forefront of modern manufacturing, especially in the

sloped

construction industry.

staircase. This innovative solution employs

modular 3D concrete printed staircase segments that can be easily repurposed. Thanks to the material-optimized printing processes, these sloped staircases consume

On-demand production

up to 50% less material compared to conventional

One of Neolithic's defining features is its ability to deliver

concrete staircases. The Neolithic digital processes

swift, on-demand products configured to meet the

ensure a seamless transition from design to print data,

specific requirements of their clients. Whether intricate

resulting in quick delivery within a few weeks. Moreover,

infrastructure

pricing is significantly more affordable than traditional

or bespoke design features, Neolithic's 3D printing

methods. Neolithic stands as a beacon of efficiency and

capabilities allow for the creation of unique and high-

sustainability, setting a new standard in the construction

quality products optimized for diverse applications.

industry.

Fig. 2: Modular Sloped Staircase System © Neolithic

34

elements,

architectural

components,

providing clients with a multitude of options to tailor their chosen elements. From altering the shape to adjusting the size. This flexibility is especially valuable in the context of infrastructure, architecture and design where custom

Company

Neolithic's online configurator acts as a design input tool,

solutions are often necessary.

ADVANCING AMSTERDAM'S CANAL INFRASTRUCTURE : Revolutionizing construction with efficient 3D-Printed wells A fitting example of Neolithic’s workflow is the pioneering innovation of 3D printed wells. In early 2023 the company accomplished the production of a canal well in a mere twenty minutes, a task that would conventionally require a full day of skilled manual labor. This transformative project unfolded in Amsterdam, marking the installation of the city's inaugural 3D-printed canal wells and the first 3D printed well ever installed, meticulously printed down to the millimeter.

In order to achieve this innovation, Neolithic worked closely together with domain knowledge partners for Fig. 3: Modular Sloped Staircase System- Printing and Assembly © Neolithic

Customization through parametric design The key to Neolithic's recent successes lies in the online and supply chain integrated parametric configurators.

This digital tool empowers clients to configure products such as wells, stairs, nature inclusive panels, or street furniture according to their unique preferences. Moreover, parametric design allows the company to integrate all processes into one automated workflow, meaning the printing can start directly after the client confirms the design.

rapid product development. In the case of these wells a partnership was created with Waternet, the municipality of Amsterdam and main contractor Dura Vermeer. The initiative was launched due to decreasing numbers of qualified labor for traditional made wells. Therefore Dura Vermeer opted to leverage the expertise of 3D printing from Neolithic to undertake the production of these cutting-edge wells. This partnership is accordingly fully in line with the municipalities and main contractor ambitions to robotize and digitize infrastructure works. Accordingly, a custom well configurator was created to facilitate a quick design to production workflow for this project.

35

84 | Additive Manufacturing

"Therefore, when Dura Vermeer supplied the measurements, our 3D printer could manufacture the wells the very next day. No engineer is needed for additional calculations. The whole process is automated."

- Chris Aerts, Co-Founder @ Neolithic

efficiency gain of approximately 20%. Departing from the standard practice of prefabricated concrete drains, Fig. 4: Well Configurator © Neolithic

which often involve a two-month lead time and on-site

Design parameters were developed in close collaboration

adjustments, the 3D-printed canal wells are custom

with the partners. In the end it involves a straightforward

configured creations.

digital process of entering height, width, and depth measurements. Following this, the design and production

In the end, the printing process takes only twenty minutes

data for the robotic arm are generated automatically.

per canal well, enabling Neolithic to complete this project in just over two hours. This represents a substantial time-

The integration of 3D printing technology not only yields

saving compared to the traditional process, which would

significant time savings but also achieves a material

take at least a few weeks.

Fig. 5: 3D Printed Canal Wells, Amsterdam © Neolithic

36

Company Chris Aerts

Jeroen Veger

@Neolithic

@Neolithic

Chris is the founder of Neolithic

Jeroen

with

strong

interest

co-founder

of

in

Neolithic and also co-founded

process optimization for the

the 3D Makers Zone (3DMZ), a

architecture,

Smart Industry Fieldlab around

and

a

is

engineering

construction

industry.

industrial

3D

printing

and

He has years of international

complementary smart tech, and

experience

field

BouwLab R&Do, an innovation

printing

hub around industralization and

software

digitization

of and

3D

in

the

concrete

parametric

development.

He

of

construction.

graduated

He has 13 years of experience

at the TU Delft Architecture

in the field of 3D printing,

faculty, chair of Architectural

including applications, finding

Engineering.

Neolithic,

the right business cases and

Chris is combining robotics,

much more. Jeroen was always

parametric design and material

fascinated by the possibilities

optimization

With

configure-

of next tech and during his

to-order products. Ultimately

Media study at the Amsterdam

enabling the innovation spiral

University of Applied Sciences

for more efficient and material

he often organized sessions

optimized

and meetings about the future

processes.

for

construction

of technology and digitization.

He also has a background in branding and design.

37

AM ENVELOPE 2023 Current Classification of Additive Manufacturing in the Construction Industry Dr. Holger Strauß, Innobuild GmbH After more than 15 years of research and development, 3D-printed façade nodes and components are finally ready for real-time application in recent building construction projects. After his involvement in the early stages of development of those 3D-printed parts, the author is now summarizing the development of this last decade and gives an outlook from today's application to future needs.

Fig. 1: 3D façade node Nematox II within a Stick-Façade-System – rendering © Dr. Holger Strauß

QR 1 : Innobuild

QR 2: Holger's Dissertation

84 | Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing – A look back at 15 years of

At the beginning of the research project, the system-

development

offering of a façade system-provider were screened, and

In this article, Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes

components have been identified that had a basic

stand as an example of how new technologies are

potential for optimization with AM.

changing construction engineering. The increasingly frequent use of AM in the construction sector shows a

Due to the clear limitation of the AM-build-space size to

typical development of new technologies and can thus be

produce AM-components in metal, a restriction to small

used for evaluation and for formulating a perspective also

and medium-sized components made sense. These

for other currently pressing topics and techniques.

included structural component connectors between mullions and transoms – so called T-cleats. Not only were

After more than 15 years of research and development,

the advantages of direct digital production considered,

3D-printed façade components are finally ready for use

but also the given performance characteristics within

in actual building projects. To get to this point,

the façade system. The optimized component is thus

considerable efforts have been made over the last 15

an improved "digital connector" that, in combination

years and a large number of research and study papers

with digital planning tools, allows for individual façade

have been written on this topic.

geometries and enables a structurally optimized system.

In order to provide a brief insight into the development of

All necessary angles and drillings are digitally integrated

relevant components for façade application, the research

into the AM design. In this way, precisely fitting

project "AM Facades - Influence of additive processes

connections can be designed and manufactured for

on the development of facade constructions“ [1] is

each connection point of the façade. The added value

summarized and evaluated below.

is achieved through material savings and force-path-

Fig. 2: Evolution from Standard Aluminium extrusion (left), to ABS prototype (middle), to 3D connector in Stainless Steel (right)© Dr. Holger Strauß

40

of mullion and transom profiles, only right-angled saw

the orthogonal façade system with the standard mullion-

cuts are necessary for the assembly of the façade. This

transom system components.

reduces cutting scrap and facilitates assembly. (see Fig. 3a, b).

The availability of additive processes thus added another link to the chain of a true "file-to-factory" production. It

With this approach, a combination of proven standards

enables us to produce parts for a free-form façade with

and digitally enhanced node solutions was realized for the

all angles and adjustments in the same quality as for an

existing façade technology in 2010. By integrating new

orthogonal façade with standard products.

"high-tech" parts into tested and verified systems, the

Graduate

optimized shaping. (see Fig.2) Assembly is analogous to

advantages from both areas could have been combined In the research project, the next step was taken from these

to an even better solution.[2]

"digital connectors" to develop a neuralgic node that carries all the complexity of the free-form geometry and

To summarize the development of the last decade, it is

leaves the other façade components as much standard as

necessary to differentiate the use and application of AM

possible. All the advantages of the previously developed

in the various industries. Industries with small quantities

"digital connector" were further developed and combined

and component dimensions have been able to implement

into a customized, integral node. The resulting node was

AM processes as an extension of traditional production

produced directly with AM. All required properties can be

technologies more quickly and easier than industries with

implemented digitally in the data set by setting design

large-scale components and a large batch number.

parameters (parametric design). Due to the digital fusion

Fig. 3a and Fig.3b : 3D façade node Nematox II - rendering (left), Image 3D façade node Nematox II (right) - prototype © Dr. Holger Strauß

41

84 | Additive Manufacturing

Looking at the construction sector, the following

the needed equipment is available for workshop

developmental steps were crucial for the maturation of

outfitting, and no more part of the industrial supply

AM: •

chain.

Materials

•

AM-build-space size

The AM industry has managed to further develop

The AM-build-space size has changed only slightly

applications with metals from an initial idea to

over the last 15 years. As a rule, the powder bed-

available technology. The variety of materials is

based systems are still equipped with an average

almost unlimited and ranges from aluminum and

AM-build-space

tool steel to titanium and gold. Today AM becomes

300mm/depth 260mm/height 320mm.

of

approximately

width

an integral part of the modern production chain for building envelopes: e.g., the self-production

For direct building-scale applications, for example,

of AM-powder can also be realised “in-house”, as

concrete structures that are printed directly on

Fig. 4: Image Mobile Concrete Printer of www.constructions-3d.com ; picture taken at Formnext 2023

42

size

niche building technology tool.

the ContourCrafting technology [3] for house 3D

•

•

•

printing. The component size is not determined by

The initial idea of complete design freedom by eliminating

a limited AM-build-space but is aligned according

tools, molds and creating shapes directly from a digital

to demand by using crane systems and gantry robot

representation has only come to live in parts, as the

technology. (see Fig. 4)

available AM technologies are not yet capable of “doing

Printing Speed

it all” and there are still limitations in some important

The acceleration of AM processes for metals has

aspects of “Printed Architecture”. For the part of

been undertaken with several light sources and in

3D-printed façade nodes it can be stated that here AM

some cases several powder-coaters. Nevertheless,

is ready to be a part of the production chain for façade

there are still narrow limits to both the achievable

manufacturing: the ongoing discussion is the price per

AM-build-space and the speed of printing. (cf. [2],

piece, as still CNC milled nodal point in some cases are

chapter 2.5.1)

cheaper to be produced than 3D-printed ones.

Graduate

site are available. Several suppliers have adapted

Quality management Today's service providers and AM-users meet the

But over all it can be observed that with the combination

material quality standards and are monitored and

of increasingly powerful digital design tools, improved

qualified with Iso certificates. Consistent component

functionalities can be integrated and lead to greater

quality is therefore now the industry standard.

benefits for the building envelope - and ultimately for the

Onboard monitoring technology enables the real-

user. These include, for example, structural optimization,

time quality surveillance and offers detailed QM-

real-time simulation of environmental performances,

protocols.

solar radiation and shading of façades, wind and noise

Printing Cost

simulations and optimization of surface orientation – and

A calculation approach must be requested from the

some of them are realizable with AM.

supplier based on concrete component geometries.

The figures from the research project and current

Starting points for a contemporary implementation

price quotations for the identical data set show the

The Façade development as shown in Fig. 5 gives a rough

development with an approximate halving of costs to

overview over the last 20’000 years. After 22’023 years

date

we have reached the predicted “Freeform Skin”, even with 3D-Printed Façade Nodes. Nobody would have expected

As the described research process shows, it was possible

that more than 10 years ago, when the underlaying

to subsequently move from our initial project ideas for

hypothesis was formulated!

façade applications to a resilient product development within fifteen years.

It can be stated that AM is an

available and proven building technology tool, but still a

But it became reality from a "Funny Idea“ to a “System Offering”.

43

84 | Additive Manufacturing Fig 5: Development of the Building Envelope towards the “Freeform Skin”

Fig 6: Adopted development of the Building Envelope from the “Freeform Skin”

44

But what is next after this?

•

Reduced Carbon Emissions in Logistics: On-Site

building envelope as a neuralgic interface to the different

Manufacturing, rather than having parts prefabricated

requirements of the building itself: climate protection

and transported to the site.

and regulation; load transfer; user comfort; design and

•

appearance. [6], [7] And the performance profiles of a building envelope can still be derived from these aspects,

Reduce by design: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair,

Graduate

material efficiency can save resources.

It is essential to emphasise the importance of the

Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose and Recycle.

•

Change from Linear Economy to Circular Economy!

but today they are supplemented by the pressing issues of our time.

We have technologies to support this change – one might be Additive Manufacturing. But regarding the claim of AM

Today we are in 2023 and the objectives did change:

being a sustainable production technology, the actual Life

•

We must work on new ways to reach the “Sustainable

Cycle Assessment of 3D-Printed Building Components

Development Goals” of the UN by 2030.

must still be done and pursued.

•

•

We must reach the global goal of limiting global warming to "well below" two degrees Celsius

Conclusion and Outlook

compared to the pre-industrial age.

The Society must wake up and face the fact that things

We must realize carbon neutral buildings by 2040.

have to change in order to meet the declared climate protection goals - for our future, for the future of our

The performative properties of a sustainable building

children and for the sake of our way of living. With the

envelope

improvements

awareness of the building sector being part of the cause

over conventional façade technology. Ideally, the

of climate change, ways to practical solutions are needed

requirements for a Dynamic Building Envelope can be

in order to achieve the 2030 and 2050 climate change

met: Climate regulation through breathable materials,

mitigation goals in Europe.[8]

must

achieve

significant

material savings through topology-optimized loadbearing structures, comfort through active insulation

With the lessons learned in AM - from the passed

and ventilation, integrated technology for the user,

“Technology

performance for lighting and shading with adaptive

Disillusionment” and onto the ”Plateau of Productivity”

transparency, circularity-compatible construction, and a

[9], it is possible to see a parallel detection in the past

design-compatible appearance.

research and the needed new topics, to give an outlook

Hype”,

through

the

“Trough

of

towards future façade applications.

Starting points towards “Better Building Technology” are: •

Optimized Material Consumption: Here, the goal

To achieve this needed change within the construction

must be to only use what is really needed. Software-

industry and within the niche of the Building Envelope, the

supported optimization in structural design and

indispensable next steps can be appointed as follows:

45

84 | Additive Manufacturing

•

Sustainability and the way to a circular economy, with a first step of introducing circularity in façade construction.

•

The application and combination of new construction materials to achieve a more thoughtful use of valuable resources.

•

Reformation of traditional planning processes to bring the life cycle of building envelopes toward contemporary realization.

With this societal change in awareness, a change in the building industry will also become easier and the discussion will shift towards a greater willingness of investors, builders, and stakeholders in the building industry to explore new ways of realizing projects. This will bring new solutions to the fore, even if they may initially involve higher costs. The façade industry is also slowly adapting to these new ways, and everyone can participate in this change by finding improved solutions to existing problems.

Based on the experience in the development of 3D-printed façade parts and components, starting with early developments as mere prototypes and ending with accepted (building) technology, it must be stated that new technologies and innovations take ten to fifteen years to come from vision to application.

So, we must start now to make changes for the future.

"In the end, it is a well thought-out combination of design and material that makes for sustainability." [10]

46

Graduate

References: 1. Strauss, H., AM Facades - Influence of additive processes on the development of facade constructions. 2010, Hochschule OWL - University of Applied Sciences: Detmold. p. 83.

2. Strauß, H., AM Envelope - The potential of Additive Manufacturing for facade construction. Architecture and the Built Environment, ed. A+BE. 2013: abe.tudelft.de.

Dr.Ing. Holger Strauß

3. K hoshnevis, D.B. Contour Crafting Corporation. 2017; Available from: http://www.contourcrafting.com.

4. Architekten, M.-K. i. HOUS3DRUCK. 2020

[cited 2022;

Available from: https://www.housedruck.de/.

5. K G, P.V.D.G.C. PERI druckt erstes Wohnhaus Deutschlands.

2020;

Available

from:

https://www.peri.de/

informationsportal-news-medien/veroeffentlichungenpresse/peri-druckt-erstes-wohnhaus-deutschlands. html# q=3D%20Druck.

6. K naack, M Bilow , Auer , Facades -

Principles of

Construction. Principles of Construction. 2007, Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag AG. 7. Martin Meijs, U.K., Components and Connections. Principles of Construction. 2009, Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag AG. 8. Commission, E., et al., How to assess climate change mitigation potential at project-level? : an estimation based on life cycle assessment of project proposals submitted under the European green deal call. 2022.

9. Peels, J. Where is 3D Printing in Gartner’s Hype Cycle? 2022 [cited 2022 22-05-18]; Available from: https://3dprint. com/291020/is-3d-printing-in-gartners-trough-ofdisillusionment-or-slope-of-enlightenment/.

10. Röder, D.A. Die K ombination aus Design und Material macht Nachhaltigkeit aus. UmweltDialog WirtschaftVerantwortung-Nachhaltigkeit, 2020.

Dr.Ing. Holger Strauß is a specialist

façade-engineer

and a registered architect.

Since 2022 he is partner at Innobuild GmbH in Berlin.

There he is currently building up the "Innobuild Future" R&D-division with a focus on the topics of circularity, sustainability,

renewable

energies, and new materials for the building envelope.

Holger studied architecture at

the

University

of

Applied Science, Detmold, Germany,

and

completed

his doctorate in 2013 at the TU Delft, Netherlands.

Since then, he has gained professional in

various

façade

experience positions

engineering

in and

in architectural offices in Germany and Switzerland.

47

STUDY- VISS³ FREE FORM FAÇADE With 3D printed steel nodes Sebastian Thieme, Head of Development at Jansen AG A study on VISS³ free-form façade with 3D printed steel nodes New designs have become possible as 3D printing with steel takes the VISS façade into the third dimension: VISS³ creates connections by combining the tried-and-tested VISS systems with 3D printed steel nodes. This results in fascinating freeform

façades

that

require

Fig. 1: The model that was produced at Jansen inhouse (Technology Center) © Jansen AG

no

substructure

QR 3 : VISS system façade.

QR 2 : YouTube

at

QR 1: website

all.

84 | Additive Manufacturing

Munich (Germany).

Sebastian Thieme, Head of Development at Jansen says: “The cooperation with TU Delft, knippershelbig and MG Metalltechnik was inspiring and valuable for us from start to the end. When investigating how to produce the Jansen VISS³ free-form façade, particular attention was paid to the gasket level. The overlying gasket nodes are printed to match the connecting nodes so that drainage is provided via just one gasket level. At the same time, the concealed connection ensures a homogeneous appearance”.

Fig. 2: The sealing and connection nodes © Jansen AG

Research cooperation As part of a research cooperation with TU Delft in the Netherlands, the engineering company knippershelbig GmbH in Stuttgart, Germany, and MG Metalltechnik GmbH in Matrei, Austria, Jansen has investigated the options for using 3D printing technologies to manufacture steel nodes. This new technology offers architects previously unimaginable design freedom for steel system façades. The 3D printed steel nodes combined with VISS profiles form the foundation for constructing concave and convex shapes. The nodes can be formed on a bespoke basis with multiple arms and different angles, allowing both acute and obtuse angles to be created within a transferred directly via the profiles and connecting nodes

Fig. 3: Sebastian Thieme, Head of Development at Jansen, explaining the construction and function of the 3D printed steel node at the international trade fair ‘BAU’ in Munich (April 2023). © Jansen AG

without the need for a substructure. In this way, Jansen

3D printing process

VISS³ enables the construction of complex free-form

DED (Direct Energy Deposition) refers to a metal 3D

façades and roof lights of any shape.

printing technologies in which components are produced

single node. The VISS³ façade is self-supporting; load is

by melting the starting material, which is usually a metal

50

The study on the VISS³ free-form façade received a

powder or wire. The metal powder or wire is fed through a

special honour as part of the Architecture+Building

nozzle and melted using a focused energy source (usually

Innovation Prize at the international trade fair ‘BAU’ in

a laser or electron beam).

the criteria for greater sustainability in the construction

based metal 3D printing method in which the starting

industry.

material, usually metal powder, is applied in very thin layers and fused into solid structures by a laser beam with

Maximum transparency in the building shell

pinpoint accuracy according to geometric specifications.

By combining 3D printed steel nodes and slim VISS

This process is repeated layer by layer until the component

system profiles, Jansen VISS³ provides the perfect

has been completely built up.

foundation for installing large panes of glass. 50 and

Company

SLM (Selective Laser Melting) refers to a powder bed-

60 mm wide profiles with different profile depths can Design details of free-form façades

be used. Large glass elements and low-visibility frame

Free-form nodes made of steel or stainless steel are

profiles let in as much daylight as possible, helping to

produced on a bespoke basis for VISS³; the basic

reduce energy costs. Furthermore, three-dimensional

construction utilises standard items from the VISS system

façades withstand higher wind loads than flat surfaces

façade (Refer QR 3 for the page link for VISS system

for the simple reason that the wind load is swirled against

façade). This makes installation quick and easy as the

many smaller subsurfaces and pushed away. This results

node and profile connect without any special tools,

in unique building shells with maximum transparency.

thereby simplifying the process. The high corrosion resistance of stainless steel and coated steel ensures durable and robust free-form façades and roof lights that continue to work reliably for decades. Last but not least, steel is a 100% recyclable material that has long met

Fig. 5: The model that was produced at Jansen inhouse (Technology Center) was presented at various trade fairs and was met with great interest and had a consistently positive response. © Jansen AG

Fig. 4: The overlying sealing nodes are printed to match the connecting node, so that drainage takes place via just one sealing level. © Jansen AG

51

84 | Additive Manufacturing

Sebastian Thieme @jansen_steel_systems Head of Development, Jansen

Structural

AG

(London/UK):

of

(2021-today); Technical

Head

Competence

engineer

Engineer,

Arup Project

on

various

Center, Jansen AG (2016-

international projects with a

2021); Technical Consultant,

focus on facade construction

Jansen

and glass design.

and

AG

(2014-2016);

Research

Engineer,

Technische

Universität

Education:

Dresden (Germany) (2007-

RWTH

Aachen

University,

2012).

Germany: Civil Engineer; University St. Gallen (HSG)

Researching

adhesive

connections structures

in

glass

and

façade

construction. Also involved in

Teaching

engineering

students and postgraduate engineers

in

construction

and

design.

52

façade glass

Switzerland, Executive MBA; Polytechnique

Montréal

(Université d’ingénierie)

@royal haskoningdhv @royal_haskoningdhv

Contribute to the feeling of comfort at Royal HaskoningDHV On a daily basis, our colleagues craft environments that seamlessly blend user comfort with eco-conscious design, offering a harmonious experience for both people and the planet. And the most inspiring aspect of all is that you get to work with a lot of in-house experts: engineers, architects, manufacturers and builders.

Every day is different, whether you are a building technology engineer, mechanical or electrical engineer, fire safety consultant or acoustics & building physics consultant. You will work for a variety of clients, like hospitals, data centres, laboratories, airports, museums, theatres, performance halls, industrial plants, offices and housing.

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SAEKI Towards Decentralized Fabrication Hubs Matthias Leschok, co-founder and COO of SAEKI Robotics AG, in conversation with Fieke Konijnenberg and Mauritz von Kardorff from RuMoer SAEKI was founded in 2021 by Matthias Leschok (COO), Oliver Harley (CTO) and Andrea Perissinotto (CEO). It is a fast-growing startup, based in Zurich and caters to the demands of the digital construction industry of tomorrow. With their micro-factories, SAEKI delivers digitally manufactured large-scale polymer products for the construction industry and beyond. Through their robot as a service model, they aim to make additive manufacturing more accessible for a broader range of companies and markets.

This interview was conducted in December 2023.

Fig. 1: SAEK I Tool milling © Saeki

QR 1: SAEK I website

84 | Additive Manufacturing

RuMoer: To start the interview, we have a broad question,

Matthias: The name SAEKI refers to a Japanese sword

to understand your approach and how you might position

master, which is linked to one of our co-founders who

your firm. How do you as a company envision the

loves Japan. SAEKI provides digital manufacturing

construction industry in the next 10 years and the next 50

technologies. This can be 3D printing, milling, coating,

years?

etc.. We think this service needs to be as easy to use as an iPhone. So currently, we are preparing the first

Matthias: There are classic factors to consider: we

decentralized production hub of large-scale digital

know that we need to build more buildings to keep up

manufactured products. The idea is that we have

with the predicted population growth, which is already

something called a ‘micro-factory’, which consists of

happening. We also know most of this is happening in

a robot with a minimal footprint. This micro-factory is

the Global South. From my point of view, there will be a

able to produce elements autonomously. A few things

clear difference in construction in Europe and the Global

the robot would be able to do, are pick up and use tools,

South. In Europe, the construction sector will most likely

or process a surface, for example, to produce a smooth

be about high-performance new constructions and

surface finish on a concrete formwork. Then, it is able to

renovations, that limit CO2 emissions during the lifetime

grab a scanner to make sure that the piece that we have

of a building. Whereas in the Global South, the challenge

manufactured is actually what we need. In this way, we

will be to provide adequate housing for people. Besides

also have a digital twin of our printed object. We are

that, there are the challenges we probably all know

currently establishing our first local production hub, a

about; the construction sector uses approximately 40%

factory full of micro-factories, in Switzerland. In our

of all the energy, 40% of the waste, and 40% of all the

robot-as-a-service business model, a company does not

resources that get extracted from the ground. These are

need to purchase and operate the machinery itself, SAEKI

some major challenges that need to be tackled in the next

is taking care of this. They have all the benefits of owning

ten years and we need to start tackling them now already.

a machine, without the challenges that usually come with

The construction sector is also one of the least digitized

it. We are lowering the hurdle that you need to overcome

sectors on the planet. We think this needs to change.

to digitize the construction sector.

Talking from the perspective of the start-up: when talking to people, we notice they don’t quite know yet how to use

RuMoer: Exciting! Where did the idea for your company

digital techniques or what digital techniques can do. But

come from?

we can tell there is eagerness to try out something new.

Matthias: Our concept originates from when we were all

56

RuMoer: So your aim is to innovate the construction

still at university. I bought one of those readily available

sector with new digital techniques. What exactly is the

extruders. I received a bunch of cables that were not

product you offer as a company? And what does SAEKI

connected and a manual that was exactly one page,

stand for?

from there on I had to figure it out myself. And back then

MAS Digital Fabrication program at ETH. Afterwards, I started a Ph.D., which I'm handing in by the end of January 2024. Then we have Oliver, who finished his Master's in Robotics, and Andrea who is an Electrical engineer. We

Company

Matthias: I studied architecture and then followed the

are very interdisciplinary. All of us studied at ETH Zürich, where we met as well while implementing robotic pellet extrusion.

RuMoer: How would you describe your offer and how is it different from other robotics companies?

Fig. 2: Oliver Harley, Matthias Leschok, Andrea Perissinotto

there was no possibility for the tool and the robot to communicate. This is how Oliver, Andrea and I worked together for the first time. We saw that there was a need for something to solve this gap and developed a control unit connecting the tool to the robot. The tool knows when the robot stops, when the robot goes faster, slower etc.: very fundamental communication between tool and robot, which has developed further ever since. This worked so well with the big robots, but we also took the logic of the system and put it on a cobot system [Ed. Note: humanrobot collaborative robot system] with a filament extruder, so students can actually use it. The students from the MAS in Architecture and Digital Fabrication still use them every year. Most of the things that you see on the program's home page, when it comes to plastic printing, are the prebirth of SAEKI technology.

RuMoer: Which academic background do you and your fellow founders have?

Matthias: From a customer perspective the product is the printed piece, and this could be for example the formwork for a concrete piece or a mould for a carbon fiber component. There are a lot of companies that sell you the hardware, and you do all the rest that comes with it yourself. This includes all the engineering, toolpath planning, operating the machine, etc., which places the boundary and the frustration level to enter the field often quite high. We would like to avoid this and do not sell our hardware. If you want something, you lease our capacity to produce something. I think that is the major difference between us and other companies.

RuMoer: Are your typical customers then usually experienced in additive manufacturing?

Matthias: I think currently we don't have a typical customer. Some have experience in 3D printing, might also own a small 3D printer and have tested the material before. Now they want the option to produce something bigger, so we produce those pieces. Then we have construction companies that want to do something with

57

84 | Additive Manufacturing

digital manufacturing techniques, but they don't exactly

thermoplastics we can use. We can produce elements

know what yet. A lot of people are now able to design

using polymers that are easy to recycle, or biodegradable

using computational tools, but only a few people can

ones. The possibilities here are quite broad.

manufacture them at this time. For example, we just finished a project with a local Swiss construction company.

RuMoer: We started this interview with the question

They made a Grasshopper and an ArchiCAD file to make

about how you envision the construction sector in the

a twisted column, but they told us that they could not find

next 10 to 15 years. Where would you position SAEKI in

someone to produce this formwork for on-site casting.

those regards? Which issues will you be tackling and in

There was no one to do this in a reasonable amount of

which areas of expertise?

time, at a reasonable cost. That was the moment we crossed paths. We made this column formwork for them,

Matthias: The idea is to have a lights-out factory,

whilst they had no previous experience with 3D printing

meaning a human comes in and brings raw material into

at all.

the system. The robots start producing; one robot ‘ghost’ picks up elements, then brings them to the next one, and

RuMoer: What is the material you then print with?

ideally, finished parts come out at the end. There are a few examples of lights-out factories already. I believe

Matthias:

Right

thermoplastics.

now,

our

extruders

are

There

are

different

types

using of

that increasing the level of automation is crucial for us because this allows us to overcome the lack of skilled labor. In addition, this allows us to produce complex designs, enabled through computation design tools, in a cost-effective way.

RuMoer: So you want to innovate the building sector by automating the process as much as possible and thus make it accessible for a wider audience.

Matthias: That is indeed what I was trying to say. That is the first thing. The other thing that is important to us are cradle-to-cradle production screens. Concrete is a great material, but we just use so tremendously much of it that every impact that you can make can also be a meaningful contribution. We therefore talk about 3D printed form work mostly. We take a model of the finished concrete

Fig. 3: SAEK I Tool 3D printing © Saeki

58

piece and automatically generate formwork data for

Company

it. I am convinced the drawing is not needed anymore; this kind of work can be optimized quite significantly.

Eventually, this technology is then linked to the quoting platform. If a product is designed for our production

W'we don't throw anything away at SAEK I, we pick up the shavings and collect them in a bag. Once we have enough, we ship it out to get it recycled'

process, I can directly tell you how much material we will use, and how long the robot will print, which defines the cost. After this, robots will take over and produce the product. We can either produce formwork that can be used on-site, or on a precast facility. This brings us to another super important factor, recycling the formwork that has been used, given that 3D printed formwork is most likely going to be used for nonstandard elements.

You will probably not use our printed formwork a hundred times, but maybe twenty to fifty times. This is why it is important that we put the plastic that we have taken out of the system back into it again. We therefore have the buyback option. If we make you an offer, we will buy the formwork back from you after use. We actually took back formwork from a construction site recently and are now collaborating with a research institution in Aarau, allowing us to recycle this used material. If we talk to potential customers, this aspect of formwork recycling is very important to them. We see there is great potential in making bespoke concrete architecture more accessible while keeping the waste generated at a minimum.

Fig. 4: SAEK I concrete structure © Saeki

RuMoer: Which polymers do you use to recycle them easily? And does that mean your idea is to recycle inhouse and reuse the material yourself to produce new products, or do you bring the used material somewhere else?

Matthias:

We

use

different

materials;

PP-based

polymers, ABS with carbon fiber, PETG. In theory, all those materials can be recycled very well. Working with wellestablished materials, like PP, allows people to know how to handle and recycle the material. In order to recycle polymers efficiently, you need big batches of material, 1 ton or more. If there was less, it would not be worth turning on the very big machinery necessary for recycling.

That is the reason we will not recycle in-house and work together with local recycling companies. We don't throw anything away at SAEKI. We pick up the shavings and collect them in a bag. Once we have enough, we ship it out to get it recycled.

59

84 | Additive Manufacturing Fig. 5: SAEK I formwork © Saeki

RuMoer: Amazing. Is your robot also adaptable for use

industry, but also, for example, the automotive sector, or

cases we have not discussed yet?

aerospace. If you change the polymer that you print with, which is one of the reasons we use polymers, then all of

60

Matthias: Our micro-factory is super flexible. We have

a sudden you can use the technology to make a carbon

this backend infrastructure that we are developing on the

fiber tool. We could feed the machines with a high-grade

hardware and the software side. It would be an easy change

polymer, which has a similar strength as aluminum. So,

to put a concrete printing tool on the printers we currently

the micro-factory, this whole hub system, is not only

use or alter it to print foam for example. The backend that

about doing something for the construction sector. By

we are developing is prepared for that. That being said,

localizing and bundling the machines, you can produce

our micro-factory can not only serve the construction

things for different sectors efficiently. As an example, one

Company

week the micro-factory can produce formwork and next week you are able to produce for a local aviation company by switching materials. Making the use of our hubs very flexible.

RuMoer: That means you are envisioning the future of the company to expand outside of the construction sector?

Matthias: Yes, we are already doing that. We do have

Matthias Leschok

ongoing construction projects, but also have customers from different industries already.

@SAEKI Matthias Leschok is a Ph.D. researcher at the Chair of

RuMoer: How would you think that the challenges we

Digital Building Technologies

discussed in the beginning of the interview can be

(DBT,

ETH

addressed by the construction sector?

work

investigates

Zürich).

performance

3D

His high-

printed

Matthias: Puh, that's a tough one! I think there are

facades systems and he is

things that can be addressed right away like increasing

the author of a patented 3D

awareness on the impact of the construction sector on

printing technology. He has

our environment. If we shift from ‘we built as cheap as

exhibited in various venues

possible’ to ‘we try to build as smart as possible’, I am

and events, including the

convinced that we can address the aforementioned

Venice Biennale and the ZAZ

challenges step by step.

Bellerive museum in Zurich.

With SAEKI, we aim to provide a platform that facilitates

He is co-founder and COO

such decisions. By reducing the complexity of fabricating

of SAEKI Robotics AG, an

functional integrated elements, we can achieve precision

ETH

and variability in components without increasing costs.

decentralised

production

In this way, we are able to create site-specific solutions

hubs

large-scale

that, hopefully, perform better than their off-the-shelf

bespoke elements. In 2017

equivalents.

he graduated from the MAS

Spin-off for

developing

in Architecture and Digital

RuMoer: Thank you for this insightful interview Matthias.

Fabrication.

We wish SAEKI all the best for the upcoming years and your ambitious plans!

61

TRADITIONAL HOUSE OF THE FUTURE Lidia Ratoi and John Lin @ The University of Hong Kong The Traditional House of the Future proposes strategies for recycling and revitalizing vernacular houses, meanwhile seemlessly incorporating 3D-Printing technology. It follows up research on how self-builders are transforming their own houses as a response to the urbanization of rural China. The research demonstrates the necessity to evolve and adapt the traditional wooden house, incorporating modern amenities with flexible spatial organizations resulting from changes in livelihood. The project is part of a government plan in Nanlong Village, Guizhou Province, China, where hundreds of wooden houses are dilapidated and abandoned. It proposes a participatory framework for design and construction that combines robotic

Fig. 1: Construction Photograph © The university of Hong K ong

84 | Additive Manufacturing

on-site printing and traditional wood craftsmanship.

building practices. Considering the existing built fabric

Chinese traditional houses are built in such a way that they

as a “new nature”, which cannot be altered and therefore

can be dismantled in a single day. The original house was

requires adaptation, the process touches upon key areas

scanned, and robotically printed walls were customized

of sustainability: social, technological, and cultural.

to incorporate the original structure, making it possible to design new spaces: planting, entrance courtyard,

About not giving up the past

skylight, balcony, kitchen, and bathrooms. Local villagers

Living in a world shaped by culture, nature, and now,

dismantled and reconditioned the original structure,

technology, most find themselves at a crossroads beyond

and once the walls were 3D printed, they were able to

definitions. Neither rural nor urban, both traditional and

recycle and reassemble it into the new house. The project

modern, Traditional House of the Future is a prototype

questions how technology can act as a social potentiator

encapsulating the realities of a rapidly changing lifestyle.

and become a means to strengthen local and cultural

Located in the Guizhou province of China, in the village

Fig. 2: Interior Photograph © The university of Hong K ong

64

making, using their unique qualities, while creating space

implications at the scale of time – past, present, and most

for modern needs?

important – future.

Digital Fabrication meets traditional craftsmanship The project proposes strategies for recycling and

Working with robots and working with traditional craftsmen

revitalizing vernacular houses. It started as a collaboration

are similar methods, as there is no need for drawings –

between two bodies of work which are seemingly in

robots operate based on code, and woodworkers learn

opposition – investigations in rural China done by John

from mock-up models and adapt on site. Therefore, the

Project

of Nanlong, it questions the built environment and its

Lin, and built projects in the realm of robotic fabrication

by Lidia Ratoi.

Re-thinking the old - balancing tradition and modern needs The Nanlong Village itself it situated at a crossroads – a village hosting mostly traditional wooden houses, it becomes slowly more and more obsolete, as residents are moving to the neighboring village, where they can get modern concrete houses for affordable prices. The research brought together many different entities: it is part of a government plan to revitalize the village, by offering a wooden house prototype that can respond to

Fig. 3: Section drawing © Lidia Ratoi, John Lin

modern needs. The design brief for said prototype was done together by the two designers, as well as students of Hong Kong University, the team surveying houses and interviewing their inhabitants.

Following the interviews, it was discovered that villagers are giving up the traditional houses because they don’t have modern amenities (kitchen, bathroom etc), but also because there was no financial incentive to continue to live in the village. However, they were moving to generic concrete houses, which did not respond to individual family needs and were poorly built. Therefore, the question became – how do we re-think ancestral ways of

Fig. 4: Floorplan Groundfloor © Lidia Ratoi, John Lin

65

84 | Additive Manufacturing

combination between the robotic printing and traditional wood working techniques was natural. Chinese traditional houses are built in such a way that they can be dismantled in a single day. The original house was scanned, and as 3D printing is a versatile method of designing and building, it was possible to accommodate for every imperfection, flaw or natural element of the ancient wooden structure.

After dismantling, the wood was reconditioned, and the printing was done. The new walls allow for all the spaces established in the design brief with the villagers - planting, entrance courtyard, skylight, balcony, kitchen and bathrooms. It also permitted that a one level house, with a ground floor traditionally used for animals, to be turned into a two-storey house, as the villagers do not raise domestic animals anymore. The craftsmen then reintroduced the wooden structure, having to adapt the traditional way of building wooden frames and then erecting them. Throughout the entire process, there was a constant loop between the teams.

Adaption for the unique location The remote location of the village posed some limitations – as the initial plan was to use cable or gantry bots, in the end, the only possible fabrication solution was to use a robotic arm. The geometry of the house, weaving from inside to outside, creating various indoor and outdoor spaces, not only respects the original wooden structures, but the limitations and size of the robotic arm.

The project did not aim to push the boundaries of printing or make a statement in terms of robotic fabrication – instead, it proposed a methodology that actually allows experimental, state-of-the-art building techniques to be included in solving real life issues.

Fig. 5: Woodframe of traditional house© The university of Hong K ong

66

Project Fig. 7: Aerial view of printed concrete walls © The university of Hong K ong

Challenging the perspectives on common practices of the built environment Technology affects most of us, but often fails to benefit a vast majority of people. In this process of a prototype house that can be further tailored to fit different needs of different households, the entire village was involved: apart from working with the trained wood craftsmen, untrained villagers were involved in the construction by helping to reassemble the roof tiling. From the beginning to end, local dwellers were cooking, cleaning, waterproofing for the rainy season, and doing all the adjacent jobs. The construction process of the house became an opportunity to earn income locally, and found ways to integrate more type of workers apart from skillets robotic technicians.

The question of residents reactions came up often – however, the projects proposes a look into the traditional Chinese village that is beyond a romanticized, outdated Fig. 6: Robotic arm for printing, photograph © The university of Hong K ong

view. Most of the locals have jobs related to technology

67

84 | Additive Manufacturing Fig. 8: Interior and Exterior Photorgaphs of Traditional Hous of the Future © The university of Hong K ong

68

Project

(the area being host to many “Taobao villages”, where most of the technology we use is produced), so their relationship to technology is natural.

The project gave an opportunity to consider key areas of sustainability – cultural and historical, environmental and technological – but its biggest driving force was to challenge, and counter propose perspectives on a currently rigid understanding of the built environment and the ones participating in or affected by it.

Lidia Ratoi

John Lin

@The University of Hong

@The University of Hong

Kong

Kong

Assistant Professor - Lidia

Professor of Architecture -

holds a degree in robotic

In 2005 when the Chinese

fabrication

government

from

IAAC

announced

Barcelona, the Open Thesis

its plan to urbanize half of

Fabrication

and

the remaining 700 million

program,

has

previously

completed

rural citizens by 2030,John

her

master’s

studies

in

recognized that the rural

UAUIM,

is at the frontlines of the

architecture Bucharest.

at In

HKU,

she

urbanization

process,

coordinating

and together with Joshua

the year 2 undergraduate

Bolchover established Rural

degree,

Urban

is

currently

projects material

and

works

on

investigating ecology

and

Framework

(RUF).

Conducted as a non-profit organization

providing

sustainability in the realm of

design services to charities

robotic fabrication. She has

and NGOs, RUF has built

previously taught at the Royal

or is currently engaged in

Danish Academy of Fine Arts,

various projects in diverse

School of Architecture.

villages

throughout

China

and Mongolia.

69

BT SPOTLIGHT Editor's note by Ramya Kumaraswamy The Building Technology Course is one of the five mastertracks offered at Bouwkunde at Delft University of Technology. The master track focuses on research, technological design and innovation, dealing with the newest technology and interacting with the current market. This programme offers a balance between applied research and design of buildings and building elements.

BT Spotlight is a collection of works done by the students during their course. In this edition, BT Spotlight focuses on the integrated design studios- MEGA project and Extreme technology offered in the third quarter of the MSc1 BT program.

The next edition will present the works from two integrated design studios of the fourth quarter - User-Centred Sustainability Studio and CORE (COmputational REpertoire for Architectural Design and Engineering). RuMoer Committee looks forward to see what the next edition has in store.

Fig. 1: Photograph from Extreme final presentations © Job Schroën

ROTT-UP Ece Sel Course: MEGA (AR0139) MEGA is a collaborative integral multi-disciplinary design of a special big and/or tall building which could be a multifunctional skyscraper or a multifunctional building with a large span. Disciplines involved are: architecture, structural design, climate design, façade design, design/construction

management

and

computational

design/

BIM. Sustainability runs transversally across these disciplines.The disciplines are divided amongst the team members; each member is responsible for the contribution and integration of these aspects in the collective design. Students are encouraged to match their role in the team with the specialization they follow in the Master track.

Fig. 1: Group work; render by Ruben V.

84 | Additive Manufacturing

The ‘Rott Up’ is a high-rise building introducing a

the mega structures and partial secondary structure are

paradigm shift of urban land-use with its unique concept

designed for longevity. These elements are constructed

of combining a “macro-city”, serving the wider city at eye-

using concrete and steel to ensure their long-term

level by celebrating the urban flows by opening up to the

stability and performance. On the other side, the timber

Rotterdam Central station and Het Groot Handelsgebouw,

structure is designed for adaptability, acknowledging the

with the “micro-city”, a city on its own, replicating urban

potential for functional changes in the future as well as

life to create a sustainable and vibrant community in the

rapid construction with the modular cube structures. By

sky. The robust superstructure and modular infill cubes

incorporating that, the building can be reconfigured or

ensures the building is futureproof by providing an

repurposed without compromising its overall integrity.

optimal balance between longevity and adaptability. The

This adaptability aligns with evolving user requirements

design fosters a vibrant vertical community, departing

by reducing the need for extensive demolition and

from traditional anonymity and catering to the preferences

reconstruction. Furthermore, as construction materials

of next generations, envisioning an engaging, self-

significantly

contained urban hub for both residents and visitors

maximizes timber usage despite challenges in using it as

impact

the

environment,

this

design

a primary high-rise structural element.

Structural Concept As the life span of the building elements has varying

Primary Longevity: a versatile grid-truss system, spans

life durations, the structural design approach takes

3.5 meters deep with a 4x4 meter grid, serving as a

into account two main concept as “longevity” and

multi-purpose floor acting as a basement and supporting

“adaptability” (Fig 2). The primary structure, comprising

the six timber-cubed storeys (Fig 3). The vertical piers, strategically positioned around the cores, bear vertical loads and provide wind stability. These piers optimized load-bearing for individual towers, reinforcing the building's structure (Fig 4).

Seconday Adaptability and Longevity: timber glulam columns and beams, as modular cube structures, enable rapid construction and easy reconfiguration without compromising the building's integrity, crucial for the design's narrow plot size (Fig 5). In the macro city, concrete columns and beams are integrated. This ensures the necessary stability for mega structures while also serving an aesthetic purpose through exterior columns.

Fig. 2: Longetivity and Adaptability; © Ece S. & Pavan K.

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(Fig 6).

BT Spotlight Fig. 3: Mega Floors (Primary-Longevity); Ece S. & Pavan K.

Fig. 4: Vertical Piers (Primary-Longevity)

Fig. 5: Cube Structure (Secondary-Adaptability)

Fig. 6: Concrete Column & Beam (Secondary-Longevity)

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Group work in MEGA Mega is a course, where students get to change to

considered. The strong integration within the group

collaborate by focusing on diverse disciplines on

reflected both in the project’s design results and the

designing a high-rise, that is a scenario is very similar to

collaborative process itself, as well as everyone did learn

real life. The project has been done in close collaboration

a lot from each other. It was a great excitement to see at

with each team member, the figure 7 shows which software

the end that to know that the design “does work”. Overall,

was used by which role. It is divided into the main actions

the course was a great opportunity to experience an “a

of the projects digital workflow.

very like” real-life collaboration.

Collaborating with a passionate group was a standout

Team: Daniel

aspect of the course. From the start, all eight of the

Neuhaus, Pavan Sathyamurthy, Ece Sel, Bo Valkenburg,

members

Ruben Vos, Nils Wulfsen.

dedicated

hours

to

studio

discussions,

Aristizábal,

Dimitra

Mountaki,

Lara

consultations with other disciplines while designing

Received class awards: the most innovative design

disciplined-based parts, ensuring every idea was

award & the most integrated design award.

communication

Climate

visualisation

Computational Structural Architect Facade Management

data sharing

3D modeling

data handeling

design explo.

analysing

optimising Fig. 7: Digital workflows; Lara N.

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BT Spotlight Fig. 8: Group work; render by Ruben V.

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BUFFERING OASIS Carmen Guchelaar Course: EXTREME Technology (AR0142) The project is about building in a extreme situation, in respect to climate, location and function. Essence is the interaction between the extreme circumstances, the technical solutions, and the architecture.

Extreme circumstances request technical solutions which will be the starting point for the design development. The designer has to direct the 'engineer questions and answers', towards the articulation of the form which is based on integration of aesthetic and technology.

At the end of the course , the student is able to design a coherent, significant, elaborated, correct and innovative design - on mainline and on aspects – on Master 2 level.

Fig. 1: View of Buffering Oasis © Carmen G.

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In the Extreme course a design is developed taking into

Context and design concept

account Extreme weather conditions. This year the course

To accommodate for the extreme conditions a design

location was Pakistan, where extreme heat and floodings

concept was developed focusing on creating healthy and

occur. Half of the students worked on apartment buildings

safe housing, which uses local materials and simple and

in an urban setting and the other half on incremental

low-tech construction and climate control methods. This

housing in a rural setting. This project worked on the latter.

to make sure the housing is affordable and the people can build and expand their houses themselves.

Research The first part of the project consisted of a small research

Construction and climate control

into a specific topic of one’s own choice, which could later

A step by step guide was developed to show how the

be used in the design phase. The combination of high

housing can be simply built. The main building products

temperatures and high humidity levels and bad excess to

were Compressed Stabilized Earth Block (CSEB) and

electricity in rural Pakistan, fuelled a research into low-

bamboo and the building was elevated to be fully

tech solutions for dehumidification. A literature research

functional during most occurring floods. The focus for

and physical test gave the following conclusions which

the climate control solutions (Fig 2) were that they had

were used in the design: use of household desiccant

to be simple and low-tech. The main concept was that

materials; combine with induced ventilation; use building

the building had a lot of thermal mass and with using

materials with humidity buffering effect.

protrusion and canals in the walls the active surface

Fig. 2: Climate control concept summer; © Carmen G.

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mass functions to stabilize the indoor temperature. The double roof with overhangs shaded the building and night flushing could be used to get rid of heat. Furthermore desiccant materials could be used during humid periods to lower the humidity and wet clothes could be used for

BT Spotlight

area for the thermal mass could be doubled. The thermal

evaporative cooling during arid periods (Fig 3).

Reflection This course gave the opportunity to dive into techniques and materials which would not be generally used in the Netherlands. Specifically focusing on simple and lowtech solutions was an experience which forced you to think outside of the box from which a lot was learned during this course. The most fun was made with making a lot of models and trying out connections and shapes in real life (Fig 4).

Fig. 3: Use of dehumidification and evaporative cooling ©Carmen G.

Fig. 4: Final model © Carmen G.

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Makers4Future Véronique van Minkelen Course: MEGA (AR0139) MEGA is a collaborative integral multi-disciplinary design of a special big and/or tall building which could be a multifunctional skyscraper or a multifunctional building with a large span. Disciplines involved are: architecture, structural design, climate design, façade design, design/construction

management

and

computational

design/

BIM. Sustainability runs transversally across these disciplines.The disciplines are divided amongst the team members; each member is responsible for the contribution and integration of these aspects in the collective design. Students are encouraged to match their role in the team with the specialization they follow in the Master track.

Fig. 1: Render © Véronique van Minkelen

84 | Additive Manufacturing Fig. 2: Render of the Atrium © Max M.

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The design proposal by Team 01 for MEGA 2021, named

Overview of the design and context

"Makers 4 Future," represents a collaborative effort

MEGA-2021 centered on a highrise building project

exploring the intricacies of high-rise building design.

that demanded meticulous consideration of design,

Emphasizing multidisciplinary contributions, the team,

computation, engineering, and construction management.

comprising nine members across various roles, aimed to

The chosen site, M4H (Merwe-Vierhavens), poised for

integrate diverse perspectives into a singular, cohesive

urban renewal, symbolizes a transition from a traditional

design. This report delves into the comprehensive design

port area to a dynamic district combining work, living,

process and decisions made for the MEGA building,

and production. Named the "Makers District," this locale

focusing on its integration within the urban context,

fosters innovation, housing entrepreneurial ventures and

functions, sustainability, and architectural intricacies.

knowledge institutions.

BT Spotlight

Design principles and integration The design vision hinged on six core principles, emphasizing contrast, coherence, landscape integration, public orientation, extension of the Makersstraat, and architectural transparency. These principles aimed to harmonize the building with its surroundings, foster inclusivity, and exhibit innovative aspects while ensuring integration into the cityscape.

Functionality and Collaboration: The MEGA building accommodates seven distinct functions, necessitating a cohesive integration of spaces.

The collaborative process involved daily interactions among

team

members,

ensuring

each

discipline

contributed insights and solutions throughout the project stages. Challenges were addressed, and a balance between individual tasks and group dynamics was sought.

Fig. 3: Climate principle © Frank V.

Management and Reflection: Reflecting

on

the

acknowledgment in

facilitating

of

managerial challenges

interdisciplinary

role,

faced,

there's especially

communication

and

setting clear visions from project onset. Learning from difficulties, managing remote collaboration, and guiding the team revealed the importance of clear communication and proactive planning.

Architectural Contributions: The architect's role in synthesizing the project's interdisciplinary aspects emerged as crucial. The architectural design evolved from a clear concept, incorporating diverse functional needs and integrating with structural, facade, and climate considerations.

Fig. 4: Facade for dwelling; © Mariana G. and Thomas L.

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Fig. 5: Render © Max M.

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84 | Additive Manufacturing

The MEGA 2021 project offered invaluable lessons

Both courses held distinct strengths: the MEGA course

in

inclusivity,

enabled intricate collaboration and project management,

sustainability, and integrative architecture. Despite

collaborative

design,

emphasizing

whereas Extreme fostered creativity through freedom

challenges, the team's dedication and collaborative

and real-case scenarios. Ultimately, these experiences

spirit underscored the creation of "Makers 4 Future,"

enriched the skill set, providing invaluable insights

a landmark highrise embodying diverse functionalities

applicable to future careers in architecture.

BT Spotlight

MEGA vs. EXTREME

within an innovative, urban context.

Throughout the course, the primary challenge involved

Team: Max Meere, Véronique van Minkelen,

the integration of nine different styles and perspectives

Vahstal, Irene Zanotto, Mariana Georgoulopoulou,

from various roles, resulting in numerous discussions

Thomas Lindemann,

on task allocation and individual responsibilities. Clear

Uijtendaal.

Frank

Feiyang Lei, Haihan Yu, Roy

schedules and well-defined roles were deemed essential in navigating this collaborative process. As the architect, the experience provided a learning curve in managing a complex group project and effectively merging diverse strengths.

The workload proved notably high, presenting a significant challenge, yet the ultimate outcome showcased a wealth of details encapsulating extensive learning opportunities within a single building. Engaging in the MEGA course allowed for an exploration of the complexities involved in managing a multifaceted project with various stakeholders, honing skills in architectural design within a collaborative setting.

Simultaneously participating in the Extreme course provided unparalleled design freedom. While the depth of climate, structural, and building construction knowledge wasn't exceedingly high, the course facilitated the exploration of challenging concepts based on individual preferences. The relaxed schedule, supported by fantastic instructors, provided an environment conducive to learning without overwhelming time constraints.

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RESILIENT RURAL HOUSING Kuba Wyszomirski Course: EXTREME Technology (AR0142) The project is about building in a extreme situation, in respect to climate, location and function. Essence is the interaction between the extreme circumstances, the technical solutions, and the architecture.

Extreme circumstances do request technical solutions which will be the starting point for the design development. The designer has to direct the 'engineer questions and answers', towards the articulation of the form which is based on integration of aesthetic and technology.

At the end of the course , the student is able to design a coherent, significant, elaborated, correct and innovative design - on mainline and on aspects – on Master 2 level.

Fig. 1: Render © Kuba W.

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Concept and Design The project is a multi-person housing in Sibi in eastern Pakistan (Fig. 1). Sibi falls within a seismically active zone and experiences a moderate, seasonal flood risk due to its location near the Nari River. Most buildings in the region are made from Adobe, a low-cost, widely available and a fully circular material. However due to its brittleness, low tensile strength and behaviour when in contact with water it is extremely fragile during natural disasters. This posed a key and defining challenge for the project.

Fig. 3: Construction process ©Kuba W.

Unit’s geometry follows a shape of a catenary dome – ensuring that adobe is in compression only. It was further computationally optimised building on a thrust line analysis to ensure that a thrust line fits into the dome regardless of the in-plane earthquake direction (Fig. 2).

The final structure includes deep concrete foundations, two layers of adobe brick with a bamboo mesh interwoven between the brick-work to ensure some ductility and wire wrapping placed around the openings of the structure to Fig. 2: Optimization process © Kuba W.

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resist localised stresses.

for experimental construction methods. The domes are

The complex geometry of the dome, taking into account

constructed using a number of reusable formworks:

low financial resources of rural Pakistan, forced a search

wooden and pneumatic inflatable (Fig. 3).

BT Spotlight

The Dome

Fig. 4: Construction toolkit © Kuba W.

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builders an algorithmic simulation of plans and façade panels was put together using Grasshopper. It shows different configurations of the floor plan and façade panels and can allow for simulations of its evolution.

BT Spotlight

In order to support the decision making of the local

The final problem was to ensure comfortable climatic conditions inside the units and protect from the desert climate of Sibi. This was achieved with insulating the wall’s cavities as well as ensuring cross ventilation within units.

During the winter season the warm air can be trapped inside by closing a special opening at the top (Fig. 8).

Fig. 6: Facade panel example © Kuba W.

In Sibi housing is in a constant state of change and evolution, adapting its capacity and boundaries to the changing structure of the family and the local community.

With the evolving plan very often one unit might change its function multiple times. This was another key challenge for the project. To tackle that the brick domes, with a lifespans of several decades will be equipped with large openings to which modular facades can be fitted according to sun orientation, required privacy level, and spatial relation to other rooms (Fig. 6). The facades combine local, easily accessible materials such as bamboo, lime plaster and rice husk (Fig. 7).

Fig. 7: Facade materials © Kuba W.

Fig. 8: Ventilation © Kuba W.

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DEBUT 2023: Earthquake Resilience Interview with Ece Sel (BouT Chairperson) and Sander Bentvelsen (Chair of Company relations) by Ramya Kumaraswamy and Fieke from RuMoer.

Rumoer: What is the debut event? What is the purpose of this event?

Ece: The DEBUT event is an annual event of BouT and one of the highlighted student events within Bouwkunde TU Delft emphasising the pivotal role of student-industry collaboration while raising awareness about specific topics. As the DEBUT team, we view this as a significant opportunity for companies to engage with students who could become future employees upon graduation as well as to further collaborate with the other companies involved in the event.

Fig. 1: Debut event 2023: group image © BouT

QR1: Bout website

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Rumoer: What was the Debut 2023 theme about? Why did you choose this theme?

Ece: Every year, there are over a million earthquakes worldwide. Sadly, earthquakes have caused over a million deaths. We also witnessed this in the 6th February earthquake in Turkiye by causing casualties over 50 thousand in Turkiye and Syria and affecting 16% of the Turkish population. A similar earthquake happened in Morocco by causing over 3.000 lives. Thus, by taking in consideration those natural disasters we chose to focus on earthquakes as natural phenomena and them turning into disasters. As a person, who has closely witnessed

Fig. 2: Student case work © BouT

the amount of destruction the earthquake provided for

Municipality to procure real-life documents regarding

my own country, I specifically felt the responsibility to do something as much as we can, at least raising an awareness and brainstorming on the possibilities. The key question guiding this focus is the understanding that natural phenomena themselves aren't disasters inherently; rather, it's our response and preparedness that determine the scale of the disaster. As engineers and architects, there's a pivotal role in designing and constructing structures that minimise damage and enhance safety, potentially averting such catastrophic outcomes.

Ece: We focused on an earthquake-prone zone, aiming to generate ideas that could significantly reduce Presently, Istanbul is expecting a

major earthquake proven by scientific data, with a Mw around 7.2, which is believed to be highly destructive.

We obtained information from the Istanbul Municipality concerning estimated losses and damages in the event of an earthquake. Furthermore, we contacted the

96

during this expected seismic activity. The students and attending companies were asked to focus on one of the proposed scales and intervention levels to mitigate the risk by thinking about the local people, economy and the rich history the city has.

Sander: The students were given the choice of selecting their own emergency management phase, and intervention level when thinking about earthquake management in Istanbul. They could focus on Mitigation, Preparedness,

Rumoer: What was the case designed for the students?

potential damage.

a school building evacuated due to the risk of collapse

Response, or Recovery and combine such a phase with either the urban, architectural or technical scale. Giving the students this amount of freedom was useful to allow the varying range of companies to assist with their own experience. For instance, a company with structural knowledge could collaborate with students to come up with an innovative bracing system on the technical level. While a company more focussed on computation was free to develop a framework for building retrofitting assessment in the city.

BouT

Rumoer: What companies were involved? Did they have any prior experience/ expertise in the debut topic?

Sander: This year, in no particular order, the attending companies were Witteveen+Bos, Scheldebouw, RoyalHaskoning, OMRT, Mobius Consult & Aldowa. It’s a range of engineering and consultancy firms that specialise in varying disciplines in the building industry, for instance: area development, structural and façade engineering, climate and sustainability, parametric design etc. What was difficult this year was to connect the companies’ expertise with the topic of earthquake resilience in Istanbul, as not every company had the prerequisite

Fig. 3: Lecture Job Schroën © BouT

knowledge or experience in tackling earthquake prone

design as he is currently involved in several earthquake

regions. However, like I said, we tried to phrase the problem statement in such a way that allowed the companies to apply their knowledge in a more widespread manner. That being said, I will advise the planners of next year’s event to ask the companies themselves to come up with their own cases. This is how the day was structured in the past and remains a golden formulae for student and company collaboration.

Rumoer: How was the whole day designed/scheduled?

Sander: During the first half of the day the students that attended the event got to meet the companies they signed up for prior to the event. In three 30 minute sessions company representatives got to explain to groups of students what their company does and why they are interested in us as building technology students, after which there was time to ask questions. It’s actually very similar to an information market.

Then the second part of the day started, focussed around earthquake resilience in Istanbul. Here Job Schroën BK spoke about his experience in earthquake resilient

resilience projects. After which Juliet Schutten from TU Global Initiative Student Club took over. Explaining how the designs of the students could be further developed with the help of TU Global, in case they wanted to continue developing their design solutions and make a further impact.

After lunch the students got to collaborate with their chosen company and together they developed a range of design solutions, which they presented at the end of the day. With the help of our guest jury there was an award ceremony and finally some concluding drinks at the Bouwpub.

Rumoer: What was the outcome of the event?

Ece: We achieved great outcomes by the end of the event, even though it was a short workshop day. Creative ideas surfaced as it provided an excellent opportunity to brainstorm collectively with students and attending companies. Some groups developed interdisciplinary ideas, integrating mapping, technical technologies and architectural approaches, while leveraging the diverse

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expertise of the companies. Other groups focused on creative technical and structural details to mitigate earthquake magnitudes, and some directed their attention towards the local community, identifying their needs while preserving their history and culture. Ultimately, three different prizes were awarded by the Jury Members: Simona Bianchi, Job Schroën and Marcel Bilow.

•

The Most impactful: An Urban Solution for Earthquake Prevention, by Shake Up (Witteveen + Bos)

• •

The Most collaborative: Locating Safe Spots by Safe Havens (Royal HaskoningDHV)

Fig. 4: Debut organising team © BouT

The most innovative: One damper to rule them all by

fun along the way. One of the most important things we

Lord of the Ring moBius Ring (moBius Consult) One of the most crucial aspects of this collaboration was the diversity of backgrounds and focus areas among participants, which significantly strengthened the end results. It was evident that many groups combined the innovative ideas of students with the creative perspectives and technology offered by the collaborating companies.

We hope that some of these projects might serve as an excellent starting point for further earthquake-resilient initiatives for students or anyone interested in this field.

Rumoer: How was your experience in organising the event?

Ece: From the start, we had a great Debut team excited about organising the event, and felt honorful to do something for a global problem. With our special guest lecturer Job Schroën, TU Global Student Association and our Jury members the event even became stronger.

Collaborating with attending companies was one of the fun parts of the day. Also as the Debut team, we did have

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have noticed is that we do have impacts within the events we realise whether it is just raising awareness to a global problem or initiating an idea. Thus, we always should put our efforts to do something for a better society. I specifically would like to thank the main chair of the Debut event and my co-organizator, Sander, for his effort and of course the whole team!

Sander: It was a great experience! It was fun to see so many people with so much input and a great feeling having organised such a day. In the end the effort of 14 of our students helped to organise this day in some way or another, so having this many people on board was of great help. The feedback we received was mostly positive, I was told it was generally well structured and people told they enjoyed the day. Even if the award ceremony became a bit hectic at the end, or that the case challenge could’ve been more applicable to the expertise of companies. I feel like the students and companies truly connected with one another and now have a better understanding of one another. Ultimately that's what this day is all about.

ALDOWA Experts in metal Façades

Interested in script driven adaptive design, Automation, Visual scripting, or Robotics?

Email us at INfo@aldowa.nl

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Academic Year Event Chart September 2023 to January 2024

08-09-2023 BT Barbeque

Q1

100

19-09-2023 Lunch lecture - OMRT

27 - 09-2023 Master drinks 05-10-2023 Cultural trip - Tilburg

10-10-2023 Lunch lecture - Gevel Advies

BouT 17-10-2023 International potluck dinner

22-11-2023 Master drinks

01 - 12-2023 DEBUT 2023

14- 12-2023 Pub crawl

More events coming up! ?

15 - 11 -2023 Pre-Debut 2023

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Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors:

2nd quarter 2024

https://issuu.com/rumoer https://bouttudelft.nl/ rumoer@praktijkverenigingbout.nl rumoer_bt bout_tud