3D Printed Recycled Custom Façade

Aectual produced a custom 3D printed façade for the BOSS store at İstinye Park in Istanbul, designed in collaboration with Ippolito Fleitz Group. The 73 m² façade consists of 136 individually printed elements made from recycled post-industrial polypropylene.

The design draws inspiration from the warp and weft structures of woven textiles, translating the appearance of BOSS fabrics into an open architectural skin. Based on Aectual’s Gradient panel system, the pattern was customised by Ippolito Fleitz Group and developed through several 3D-printed prototypes. The finished components interlock to form a continuous façade that also functions as a large sunshade, helping to reduce direct solar exposure.

Large-scale additive manufacturing allows each component to have a different geometry without requiring individual moulds. This makes it possible to combine customised patterns with modular production for architectural applications.

The polypropylene panels are part of Aectual’s Circular Service. After use, they can be returned to the company, shredded and processed as feedstock for new 3D-printed products. This approach is intended to keep the polymer material in circulation rather than treating the façade elements as waste at the end of their first application.

The project demonstrates how recycled polymers and large-scale 3D printing can be combined to create customised façade systems with both decorative and solar-shading functions.

Photos: Stefaan Devooght