Monday, 10 January 2022

ETH Zurich develops formwork from 3D-printed foam to slash concrete use in buildings

Close up of precast concrete slab with hollow cells created using 3D-printed FoamWork by ETH Zurich

Researchers at ETH Zurich have used 3D-printed formwork elements made from recyclable mineral foam to create a pre-cast concrete slab, which they say is lighter and better insulated while using 70 per cent less material.

The system, known as FoamWork, sees a conventional rectangular mould filled with 24 mineral formwork elements in different shapes and sizes before concrete is cast around them and left to cure, creating hollow cells throughout the panel.

The resulting internal geometry was optimised to reinforce the slab along its principal stress lines, creating the necessary strength while drastically reducing the amount of concrete needed to produce it.

Hand placing 3D-printed mineral foam formwork inside timber perimeter formwork for concrete casting
The 3D-printed FoamWork elements are arranged inside a timber perimeter mould

If adopted at scale, architect Patrick Bedarf believes this could help to reduce the carbon footprint construction and cement production in particular, which is the biggest single emitter of CO2 in the world.

"Construction contributes significantly to CO2 emissions, with cement production alone responsible for 7 per cent of emissions globally," said Bedarf, who is a researcher in the department for Digital Building Technologies (DBT) at ETH Zurich.

"With FoamWork, emissions through material consumption would be reduced in the concrete slab. The lower mass would also have secondary effects on the dimensioning of the entire load-bearing structure and would reduce efforts for shipping and handling on construction sites."

Ribbed concrete slab with internal cells – some empty and some filled with 3D-printed FoamWork by ETH Zurich
Ultra high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete is poured around the formwork elements

The formwork elements themselves are 3D printed by an autonomous robotic arm using mineral foam, which is traditionally made by foaming cement and is increasingly being used as an insulation material in construction due to its high porosity.

To avoid the emissions associated with cement production, the FoamWork system makes use of an alternative developed by Swiss start-up FenX that is made of a waste product from coal-fired power stations called fly ash.

This helps to minimise the carbon footprint of the foam, the company claims, even when considering the emissions associated with coal combustion.

Overhead view of precast concrete slab with hollow cells, half filled with formwork half empty
The formwork can be left in place or removed, recycled and reprinted

The final FoamWork elements can either be left in place to improve the insulation of the precast concrete slab or recycled and reprinted to create new formwork.

Considering that no offcuts are created in the additive manufacturing process, this means the entire system has the potential to be zero-waste.

"Currently, custom formwork geometries are very wasteful to produce or simply not feasible," Bedarf told Dezeen.

Robotic 3D-printing arm at ETH Zurich
The system was 3D-printed using an autonomous robotic arm

"Hollow plastic forms can be used to reduce concrete in large standardised slabs and, for smaller non-standardized applications, complex formwork for concrete is manually built in timber or CNC-cut from dense plastic foams," he added.

"Both approaches are labour-intensive and waste a lot of material through chipping and offcuts."

The internal geometry of the concrete panel was optimised for its particular shape, informed by the way that Italian architect Pier Luigi Nervi developed floor slabs in the 1940s that were ribbed along their principal stress lines.

But the shape and configuration of the internal cells could be customised to create a range of concrete building elements from walls to entire roofs.

Close-up of 3D-printed FoamWork inside precast concrete slab
The FoamWork provides additional insulation through its porosity

In a bid to tackle its outsized carbon footprint, the Global Cement and Concrete Association recently committed itself to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

To achieve this, the industry is working to find substitutes for clinker – the most carbon-intensive ingredient of cement – as well as making use of carbon capture technologies to remove the emissions created in the clinker production process. It currently involves burning calcium carbonate at high temperatures to separate the calcium needed to create cement from the carbon, which is released into the atmosphere.

Until these kinds of innovations can be adopted at scale, the easiest way for architects to minimise the embodied carbon footprint of their buildings from materials and construction is to use high-carbon materials such as concrete and steel more sparingly and efficiently.

Close up of precast concrete slab with hollow cells created using 3D-printed FoamWork by ETH Zurich
The system reduces the amount of concrete needed to product a slab

Currently, a large number of buildings in the UK are overdesigned according to Cambridge University engineering professor Julian Allwood.

"We have done a lot of studies on the utilisation of steel," he said during RIBA's recent Built Environment Summit. "And we found that most commercial buildings in the UK are overdesigned by up to 50 to 60 per cent."

"What we can do today to reduce emissions in construction is all about material efficiency, using less materials because the materials have embodied emissions."

The photography is by Patrick Bedarf.

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Sunday, 9 January 2022

Theater Zuidplein's multi-faceted auditorium promises perfect sound in every seat

Theater Zuidplein, wall surface and seating in auditorium designed by Studio RAP

Computer modelling was used to design the angular wall surfaces of Rotterdam's newest theatre, to ensure a completely even distribution of sound.

Theater Zuidplein is a major new cultural venue for the Dutch city, housing two auditoriums, a restaurant and a library.

Theater Zuidplein, auditorium designed by Studio RAP
Studio RAP and Arup partnered to create the theatre's faceted surface

While the building was designed by architecture firm De Zwarte Hond, experimental office Studio RAP was tasked with shaping the interior of the main theatre.

Working with engineering firm Arup, Studio RAP's ambition was create a wall surface design that optimises the acoustics of the 600-seat auditorium.

Theater Zuidplein, wall surface and seating in auditorium designed by Studio RAP
The geometries are designed to optimise sound quality in every seat

Using digital technologies, they developed an extremely multi-faceted surface that is calculated to bounce sound evenly across different parts of the interior.

"The project was designed using algorithms, which resulted in a rippling ocean of thousands of triangles," said Wessel van Beerendonk of Studio RAP.

Theater Zuidplein, balcony in auditorium designed by Studio RAP
The configuration was developed using parametric modelling software

The design process involved simulating a wide variety of different types of performance – across theatre and music – and measuring the effect of different curvatures on the reflection of the sound.

The wall surfaces were then "digitally kneaded" using parametric modelling software, to find the best all-round geometries.

Theater Zuidplein, wall surface in auditorium designed by Studio RAP
There are 6,000 triangular panels in total, all made from aluminium-composite

The next step was to transform this organic shape into something easy to manufacture. This involved dividing up the entire interior into approximately 6,000 triangles. Some of the triangles are flat, while others are folded.

"The result is an even distribution of sound across the entire auditorium, so that every member of the audience can fully enjoy the show or concert they came to see," said Studio RAP.

These triangles are made from aluminium-composite, in a bold shade of red that gives the auditorium a distinct identity.

This is emphasised by the differences in light and shadow across the panels, due to their varying orientation. The effect is further amplified by the seating upholstery, which is also various different shades of red.

Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam by De Zwarte Hond
Theater Zuidplein is located in the south of Rotterdam. Photo by Scagliola Brakkee

The auditorium's other features include a versatile layout, designed to adapt to a varied programme of performances.

For events where guests stand or dance, it's possible to convert part of the stage area into additional space for spectators. The ground floor and balcony can also be separated off thanks to a moveable wall.

Facade of Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam by De Zwarte Hond
The building's masonry facade features curved recesses. Photo by Scagliola Brakkee

Theater Zuidplein forms part of Hart van Zuid, a newly developed area in the south of Rotterdam.

Both the main theatre and the smaller auditorium are located in the side of the building that faces the bus and metro stations, to act as a noise buffer for nearby residential buildings.

Roof detail of Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam by De Zwarte Hond
The entrance is signalled by a wall of anodised aluminium. Photo by Scagliola Brakkee

The building has a masonry structure, with a facade that curves outward to create a curved recess.

Here, a semi-transparent wall of anodised aluminium presents a patterned surface, encouraging visitors to enter.

"By day, the semi-open facade creates a beautiful play of light inside, and by night, the facade illuminates from within to highlight the inviting entrance," said De Zwarte Hond.

Lobby of Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam by De Zwarte Hond
The building's lobby is designed a community space. Photo by Scagliola Brakkee

The building's lobby, with interior design by BURO M2R, was imagined as "a living room for Rotterdam-Zuid".

Featuring flexible, mobile furniture elements, it can configured in different ways to host various community activities.

"The high lobby forms the heart of the building," said De Zwarte Hond. "Every function is directly or indirectly connected with this space, where there is always something for people to do and discover."

Library in Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam by De Zwarte Hond
A library also features within the building. Photo by Scagliola Brakkee

Theater Zuidplein's auditorium was longlisted for Dezeen Awards 2021 in the civic and cultural interior category.

The category winner was MuseumLab, a lightning-struck library converted in a children's museum in Pittsburgh.


Project credits

Client/tenant: Municipality of Rotterdam
Developer/owner: Hart van Zuid (Ballast Nedam, Heijmans)
Architect: De Zwarte Hond
Interior design lobby: BURO M2R
Design theatre wall: Studio RAP
Contractor theatre wall: Aldowa
Acoustics consultant theatre wall: Arup
Acoustics and building physics consultant: dGmR
Theatre consultant: Theateradvies Amsterdam
Structural engineer: Zonneveld
Building contractor: Hart van Zuid
Services (design and realisation): Hart van Zuid
Process management: Municipality of Rotterdam
Users: Zuidplein Theatre and Rotterdam Library

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Coffey Architects encases Norwich technology hub in perforated aluminium

Perforated metal facade of Exterior of Digi-Tech Factory

White panels made from perforated metal create a feeling of "light and airiness" at this digital-technology education centre, completed by London studio Coffey Architects for City College Norwich in Norfolk.

The 2,877-square-metre Digi-Tech Factory brings together the college's technology, engineering and design courses in one building, with robotics labs, digital studios, classrooms and support spaces.

Exterior of Digi-Tech Factory
Coffey Architects has created a centre for digital technology at City College Norwich

In the spirit of industrial design, Coffey Architects used off-the-shelf components for the building, including an exposed steel frame, composite panels and glass surrounded by a perforated aluminium shell.

The aluminium shell, which is raised one storey on steel columns and set away from the building's thermal envelope, defines a covered external plaza and terraces around the building.

White perforated-metal facade
The Digi-Tech Factory is wrapped in perforated metal panels

The terraces lead into a large atrium, which is lit by skylights in the building's sawtooth roof.

Around the atrium are Digi-Tech Factory's teaching spaces, which look out at the surrounding campus through windows that break up the perforated screen. Some windows are covered by panels to create a play of light and shadow in the day and silhouettes at night.

Outdoor terrace at the Digi-Tech Factory
Its aluminium shell overhangs outdoor terraces

"Light manipulation is a central principle of [our] design practice, often explored, as here, through the use of an external screen to provide light, texture, variation and environmental control," explained the studio.

"In this case the building's panels play with both nature and artificial light depending on the time of day," it continued. "By day, natural light is diffused through the panels into the interior, and by night, light from the spaces within the building activates the facade."

Voids in each floor and full-height internal windows allow light to travel through the atrium and create visual connections between spaces.

"As you move through to the upper floors, the feelings of light and airiness continue despite a small footprint, achieved through a combination of light wells in the roof at each end of the corridors and moments of double-height spaces on each floor," added the studio.

White corridor with exposed steel structure
Wide corridors are designed to encourage socialising

Wide internal corridors, as well as the covered spaces surrounding the building, have been designed to encourage socialising between lessons.

The glazed ground floor extends into a corrugated metal-clad block of labs at the rear of the building, which sinks into and overlooks a gently sloping garden.

Industrial interiors of the Digi-Tech Factory
The structure and services have been left exposed

Continuing the industrial theme, Digi-Tech Factory's structure and services have been left exposed inside, allowing students and staff to see how the building works while creating flexibility for any future additions or alterations.

The white of the exterior is carried through to the interior steelwork and walls, contrasted by doorways marked out in a vibrant yellow.

Industrial interiors of the Digi-Tech Factory
Large internal windows create visual links throughout

Coffey Architects was founded in London in 2005 by architect Phil Coffey. The studio used a similar approach of playing with light and texture at King's Cross, where it designed a three-storey office block clad with perforated aluminium panels.

Neiheiser Argyros also recently used perforated aluminium to enclose the exhaust vents and fire escape of a London Underground station.

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Ten kitchen extensions that make a spacious addition to homes

Image of DGN Studio's Concrete Plinth in London

For our latest lookbook, we've chosen ten kitchen and dining extensions that create spacious and practical as well stylish additions to homes.

Kitchen extensions are one of the most popular building projects for homeowners. Constructed to add extra space to an existing building, they are often used for both cooking and socialising.

While they are common in homes all over the world, many of the kitchen extensions in this lookbook are found in Victorian and Georgian terraced homes in London. The traditional buildings have been remodelled to create a generous eating, dining and entertaining space.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous kitchen-related posts feature kitchen islands, green kitchens, and terrazzo kitchens.


Albion Terrace, UK, by Outpost

Albion Terrace, UK, by Outpost

Architecture studio Outpost added an extension with a zigzagging zinc facade to a Victorian terrace in east London's Haggerston. The open-plan kitchen and dining area were set within the extension, which boasts a zigzagging roof and ceiling that follows the profile of the facade.

The kitchen features cobalt blue cabinetry and wooden worktops that contrast against the extension's pale walls, floor and ceiling.

Find out more about Albion Terrace ›


Fruit Box, UK, by Nimtim Architects

Fruit Box, UK, by Nimtim Architects

A wooden partitioned extension that houses a galley-style kitchen was added to a 1970s townhouse in Forest Hill, London. Nimtim Architects employed plywood partitions and joinery throughout the extension to zone areas such as the kitchen and dining area.

Square white tiles clad some of the kitchen walls, forming splashbacks against tiled worktops. An adjacent island features a tiled waterfall countertop, which contains a sink and shelving beneath.

Find out more about Fruit Box ›


Cornerstone House, UK, by Merrett Houmøller Architects

Cornerstone House, UK, by Merrett Houmøller Architects

Located in the London neighbourhood of Crouch End, Merrett Houmøller Architects created a modern extension that looked to enhance the home's connection with the rear garden.

The extension was clad in blackened zinc tiles and houses the kitchen, dining and small living area. Floor-to-ceiling windows occupy the rear walls of the extension and provide views out to the garden from the kitchen and dining area.

Find out more about Cornerstone House ›


Punta Chilen, Chile, by Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados

Punta Chilen, Chile, by Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados

Santiagao-based architecture studio Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados built a house extension on bright red-painted stilts, which houses Punta Chilen's kitchen as well as the home's living areas.

The extension takes shape as a large open-plan room that is primarily used for cooking and eating. Wood clads the walls, floors and ceiling of the space and extends across the kitchen to form blocks of worksurfaces and cabinetry.

Find out more about Punta Chilen ›


Mount View, UK, by Archmongers

Mount View, UK, by Archmongers

Pale pink tiles clad the exterior of this kitchen extension on a Victorian terraced home by Archmongers in north London. The extension occupies the rear of the home and houses a new kitchen and dining room, while providing the historic terrace with a 1970s-informed aesthetic.

The kitchen features a similar colour palette to the exterior tiles, boasting a pastel-toned interior that features a breakfast bar overlooking the garden.

Find out more about Mount View ›


Rydon Street, UK, by Moxon Architects

Rydon Street, UK, by Moxon Architects

Located in a conservation area of Islington, north London, the basement of this Victorian townhouse was excavated by Moxon Architects to add a bright open-plan kitchen, dining and living extension.

The basement was opened up and had a small extension added to the rear, forming an open-plan living and dining area that leads out to a sunken garden. It boasts a minimalist, gallery-like look.

Find out more about Rydon Street ›


Overcast House, UK, by Office S&M

Overcast House, UK, by Office S&M

Housed within a salmon-pink rear volume, this residential extension by Office S&M in north London's Haringey uses trending hues such as millenium-pink and mint green for the kitchen and entertaining space.

Unlike its unusual exterior, the interior of the extension boasts a typical design and features a kitchen tucked into a recessed wall behind a large island that contains a sink and storage solutions.

Find out more about Overcast House ›


Plinth House, UK, by DGN Studio

Plinth House, UK, by DGN Studio

DGN Studio extended this semi-detached Victorian terrace in east London by adding a sunken concrete floor that aimed to maximise the kitchen extension's ceiling height.

Light oakwood lines the ceilings of the extension between a skylight that allows daylight to flood the sunken space. A large kitchen island occupies the centre of the space, while a dining area is located at the rear.

Find out more about Plinth House ›


Edinburgh Pavilion, Scotland, by Archer + Braun

Edinburgh Pavilion, UK, by Archer + Braun

Titled Edinburgh Pavilion, Archer + Braun built this minimal extension in Edinburgh as a deliberate contrast to the Grade B-listed structure it adjoined. The volume has a glazed rectangular form that is removed from interior walls.

Red elements frame the extension's glazed wall as well as its interior, providing pops of colour to the kitchen and dining room it houses.

The kitchen is neatly tucked within the red Corsehill sandstone volume of the extension and spills out to the open-plan glazed area, which doubles as a dining room.

Find out more about Edinburgh Pavilion ›


Exoskeleton House, Australia, by Takt Studio

Exoskeleton House, Australia, by Takt Studio

Takt Studio added a steel exoskeleton extension with a sloping roof to a 1950s brick bungalow in the foothills of the Australian mountains. The new addition opened up the home to create a single large living area that holds a kitchen and dining area surrounded by exterior decking.

The kitchen, located at the eastern side of the extension, takes shape as two rows of cabinetry and features views out to the surrounding landscape.

Find out more about Exoskeleton House ›


This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing elegant wood panelling, kindergarten interiors, smart storage solutions and plywood interiors.

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Yinka Ilori creates maze of colour and sound for V&A Dundee

Maze at V&A Dundee by Yinka Ilori

Designer Yinka Ilori has created a colourful maze-like installation called Listening to Joy for the V&A Dundee, exploring the difference between how adults and children approach space.

Open to visitors of all ages, Listening to Joy is a labyrinthine interactive play area made up of curving mesh walls patterned in bright graphics.

Multicoloured maze made up of curving walls in a museum gallery
Yinka Illori's Listening to Joy installation is located in the Locke Hall of the V&A Dundee

Unlike in a conventional maze, the mesh panels are covered in zippers that can be opened and closed, so visitors can remake the space, rather than becoming trapped in a dead end.

Ilori designed Listening to Joy as a way of honouring play, a behaviour that is instinctual to children but less so to adults. "Listening to Joy is a celebration of play, an essential experience to enjoying life as well as practising our problem-solving skills," said Ilori.

Yinki Ilori stands among children playing in the Listening to Joy installation
Ilori creating the installation to celebrate play and kids' uninhibited movement through space

The zippable walls are intended to reflect on what the V&A Dundee describes as "the often-contradictory spatial patterns adults and children form while experiencing space".

Children tend to be fluid and non-rational, while adults take a more controlled and linear approach, following implied boundaries.

In addition to the maze, Listening to Joy includes a musical component. Two circular xylophones are nestled in the space, inviting visitors to make sound.

The music created through the instruments is being recorded and will be mixed into songs that intend to document the sounds of the space and, through them, the joy that visitors felt.

Maze by Yinka Ilori
The mesh walls of the installation can be zipped open and closed, allowing visitors to remake the space

"Play should be collaborative, so I have created this installation for visitors of all ages to explore sounds, colours and patterns in a shared space," Ilori said.

"I hope that Listening to Joy will spark imaginations and remind all of us of the power of play."

Listening to Joy was created especially for the V&A Dundee and is installed on the ground floor of the Locke Hall. It will remain open until 24 April 2022.

Two large and colourful circular xylophones embedded within waved mesh maze walls in the Listening to Joy installation
The installation also incorporates xylophones, and the music of the space will be remixed into songs

Ilori is a London-based designer who calls on both his British and Nigerian heritage in his work.

His recent projects have included colourful crosswalk installations for the London Design Festival and a temporary skatepark at Miami art week.

He was also the creative director of the 2021 Brit Awards and designed its trophies together with Es Devlin.

The photography is by Michael McGurk.

Listening to Joy is on show at V&A Dundee until 24 April 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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