Spanning 8,000 hectares, the Parc de Collserola in Barcelona is a beautiful place to be immersed in nature, get some exercise and experience the cutting edge of 3D printed construction. That’s right, the Catalonian park is home to a 3D Printed Earth Forest Campus, which features a series of architectural structures 3D printed from earth and demonstrates alternative and more sustainable construction methods. The campus is the work of the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), which has leveraged WASP’s large-format 3D printing technology to create the 3D printed buildings.
Notably, the IAAC recently completed the construction of a new low-carbon building prototype that is made from local soil and organic materials. This structure, which is 100 m², features a deconstructed floor plan that includes enclosed, covered and open areas to demonstrate the variety of architectural features that can be made using 3D printing technology and the flexibility of the technology itself. WASP says of the project: “The organic spatial distribution of the project aims to create a multitude of rooms, perspectives, corners, indoor, semi-indoor and outdoor environments, the beginning of a labyrinth that distances itself from repetitive standardized contemporary architectural solutions, and demonstrating a high level of adaptation of buildings to their users’ needs.”
In terms of materials, the 3D Printed Earth Forest Campus takes advantage of ultra local natural resources. According to WASP and the IAAC, the foundation of the 3D printed buildings is made up of 50 cm of natural stone for stability and good drainage. Above ground, the first 30 cm of wall are made of a 40-70 cm thick (depending on load) stabilized earth base which is resistant to rain and even flooding. This part of the construction was made by casting the earth in a 3D printed formwork, which was recycled and reused. The upper part of the walls were then 3D printed using a material from the park itself: earth that was excavated from below 0.5 meters, dried in the sun, sieved for stones, then mixed with water, organic fiber and a natural enzyme.
Manufacturing on Demand
The new building in the Earth Forest Campus was 3D printed at a rate of 25 cm of height per day. This was found to be the optimal speed to ensure that the layers would support themselves without collapse. Using the Crane WASP system, the structure reached its complete height of 2.5 meters in just about 10 days. A timber roof was installed when the structure was partially dried and was then anchored to the walls for greater stability.
(Photo: Iwan Baan)
Notably, the walls of the 3D printed structure are 50% hollow. This architectural feature has several functions. For one, it means less material is used in the building process. For another, it makes it possible to integrate insulation and other systems into the walls, and it helps to ensure proper ventilation. Unlike other earth-based construction projects which tend to be thick and dark, 3D printing the natural building materials has also enabled lightness through a cantilevered design that features 20 cm openings that let light and air pour in.
Ultimately, the 3D Printed Earth Forest Campus aims to showcase the potential of alternative construction techniques, like 3D printing, and how they can take us closer to attaining carbon neutrality while still addressing a need for more housing. The first phase of the project was actually awarded the
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Author: Tess Boissonneault
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