3D Printed Recycled Plastic Panels Translate Energy Into Architecture

Aectual has created a custom 3D printed wall panel system for energy company E.ON. The design turns the company’s visual identity into a tactile interior surface. It takes inspiration from the dot in E.ON’s logo, while the flowing pattern refers to networks, cables and energy systems.

The panels combine straight and curved shapes to form a continuous three-dimensional structure. As a result, the walls gain movement and depth. The system also turns a familiar graphic element into a physical experience within the interior.

Custom Digital Production

Aectual used large-scale 3D printing to produce every panel for the exact size and shape of the interior. This custom approach allows the company to make complex surfaces without cutting parts from larger sheets. According to Aectual, on-demand printing therefore created no material waste during production.

In addition, Aectual mixed pigments directly into the printing material. This process allowed the company to match E.ON’s brand colours closely. It also removed the need for an extra coloured finish.

The panels contain recycled post-consumer plastic and belong to Aectual’s circular production system. After use, Aectual can take back the panels and shred them. The company can then use the recovered material to print new architectural products. In this way, the system extends the useful life of the plastic and allows the design to change over time.

A System For Different Locations

The project combines computer-based design with local digital production. Consequently, designers can adapt the panels to the size and needs of each location while keeping a consistent visual style. The method could therefore support branded interiors across several sites without requiring identical panels in every building.

According to Aectual co-founder Hedwig Heinsman, the collaboration shows how circular design, digital production and brand identity can form one architectural system. Moreover, designers can reprint and adapt the panels for future uses.

E.ON first presented the system at its House of Energy in Berlin. However, the concept can also suit future locations and different settings. The project treats branded interiors as flexible material systems instead of fixed installations. Therefore, they can respond to new spaces, technologies and sustainability goals.

Source & photos: Aectual