Visit the first 3D Printed Bioplastic Facade

Designed by DUS Architects, the striking façade of the mobile ‘Europe Building’ is made with 3d printed bioplastic elements. The building is intended to host the EU Presidency for half a year starting this January at the Amsterdam Marineterrein (Marine Area). After the presidency is finished, the bioplastic will be shredded and fully recycled.

Mimicking the historical sailing ships that used to be built in the area, the building’s entrance echoes the playful form of sails. These ‘sails’ create alcoves containing large, blue 3D printed benches. Large to small in size and round to square in form, the variety of forms and sizes of the different benches represent the variety found within the EU community. At night, the sails are illuminated.

These benches were printed in Amsterdam with the use of the XXL 3D Printer, the same printer used to print Amsterdam’s well-known 3D Print Canal House. This 3d printed can print elements up to 2 x 2 x 3,5 meters in dimension. Each bench is parametrically designed, for a millimeter perfect fit within the alcove. It is the first time that this type of 3D printed project of this scale has been made accessible to the public domain, so if you want to experience the feeling of being within a 3D printed structure, be sure to drop by over the course of the next six months!

The production of the 3D prints has been done by Actual, an Amsterdam-based start-up that develops online customizing software for building elements linked to XL 3D printing. The façade has been developed in a very short time span thanks to the close collaboration between the various parties: DUS (design), Actual (parametric development & 3D printing), Neptunus (temporary structures), TenTech (engineering), Henkel (material development), Philips (light), and Heijmans (construction and assembly).

Photo credits: Ossip van Duivenbode