In 2023, a two-story building was newly erected at the Lingyan Community Health Service Center in Xiongzhou Street, Liuhe District, Nanjing, the red and blue colors, as well as the wavy and curved appearance, are particularly eye-catching. This project, with a building area of 52.8 square meters and a height of 6 meters, is the first truly livable, in-situ 3D printed two-story building in China that has been delivered for use.
That’s amazing! The combination of construction projects and 3D printing technology is truly an innovative transformation in the field of architecture! Up to now, 3D printing technology is constantly expanding from manufacturing to the construction industry, from building sand table models to decorative accessories in decoration, and even irregular building components. It adopts industrialized production methods, reduces labor input, greatly improves the efficiency of the construction industry, shortens the production and construction cycle, and prevents large-scale environmental damage during the construction process, improves building quality, reduces costs, and enhances the sustainability of buildings. And it also has significant advantages in personalized design and intelligent construction of buildings.
The application of 3D printing in the field of architecture is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
① Building model production
3D printing can quickly and accurately produce building models, which can greatly save time and labor costs, improve efficiency, and enhance the safety and sustainability of buildings compared to traditional manual production methods.
And it can present the details, structure, and appearance of the building more realistically, helping designers better showcase and express design concepts, and also helping clients understand the architectural design scheme more intuitively, achieving personalized design. For example, in urban planning exhibition halls, 3D printed models of various architectural projects are often displayed to facilitate citizens’ understanding of the overall layout planning and future development of urban construction.
② Rapid production of building components
3D printing can quickly achieve customized production of complex shaped components, breaking through the limitations of traditional manufacturing methods and meeting the needs for unique shapes and personalization in architectural design; At the same time, 3D printing can optimize component structures, reduce material waste, and lower production costs.
For example, a 3D printed concrete pedestrian bridge resembling a ribbon in Smart Bay, Baoshan District, Shanghai, took two printing systems 450 hours to print all the concrete components, fully demonstrating the ability and advantages of 3D printing in the production of building components.
③ Overall building printing
By using 3D printing technology to directly print the entire building on site, it is like squeezing toothpaste, printing concrete materials layer by layer, and building the entire building structure. Not only does it reduce the tedious process of manually building templates and tying steel bars in traditional construction, but it also shortens the construction period; It can also better control the quality of buildings, improve their stability and safety, and create various beautiful irregular curved shapes. For some emergency rescue, temporary construction and other scenarios, 3D printed buildings can quickly respond to demand.
At present, there are many cases of 3D printing entire buildings. For example, in Wujiazhuang Village, Xiahuayuan District, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, there is a rural house that is completely constructed using 3D printing concrete technology from the foundation, walls to the roof, and completed by mechanical arms. For example, the beginning of the article, a two-story building has been erected at the Lingyan Community Health Service Center in Xiongzhou Street, Liuhe District, Nanjing City.
④ Architectural Decoration and Art Design
3D printing provides more creative space and forms of expression for architectural decoration and artistic design. Designers can use 3D printing to create various unique decorations, sculptures, murals, etc. for the interior and exterior decoration of buildings, enhancing their artistic value and beauty.
For example, the Bao’an 3D Printing Park in Shenzhen, Guangdong, combines winding roads with naturally undulating terrain, such as clear springs flowing through valleys, fully reflecting the advantages of 3D printing concrete technology in constructing special curved shapes and adding a unique artistic atmosphere to the park.
⑤ Restoration of ancient buildings
It is possible to accurately replicate and repair damaged parts of ancient buildings, and create substitutes that are identical to the original components based on historical data and on-site measurement data, maximizing the preservation of the historical style and cultural value of ancient buildings. At the same time, it avoids the secondary damage that may be caused to the original building in traditional repair methods. At present, 3D printing technology has begun to play a role in the restoration projects of ancient buildings in some historical and cultural cities, helping to restore some precious ancient building components.
At present, the application of 3D printing technology in the field of architecture is mainly focused on the design stage, mainly in the production of building models. There are also applications of using 3D printing construction technology to build full-scale buildings during the construction stage, but not many. The application of 3D printing in the construction field still faces many challenges, such as the performance and cost of materials, the scale and efficiency of printing equipment, and the adaptability of building codes and standards. With the development and improvement of 3D printing technology, we believe that there will be more 3D printed buildings appearing in our lives in the future, bringing more development opportunities to the construction industry.