Although 3D printing promises a revolution in many industries, primarily industrial manufacturing, nowhere are the possibilities greater than in the field of product design and modular architecture. Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello, of the cutting-edge San Francisco–based design firm Emerging Objects, have developed remarkable techniques for "printing" from a wide variety of powders, including sawdust, clay, cement, rubber, concrete, salt, and even coffee grounds, opening an entire realm of material, phenomenological, and ecological possibilities to designers. In addition to case studies and illustrations of their own work, Rael and San Fratello offer guidance for sourcing alternative materials, specific recipes for mixing compounds, and step-by-step instructions for conducting bench tests and setting parameters for material testing, to help readers to understand the process of developing powder-based materials and their unique qualities.

This book investigates how architectural design advances as a result of the rapid developments in 3D Printing. As this technology become more powerful, faster and cheaper, novel workflows are becoming available and revolutionizing all stages of the design process, from early spatial concepts, to subsequent project development, advanced manufacturing processes, and integration into functional buildings. Based on a literature review and case studies of ten built projects, the book discusses the implications of the ongoing manufacturing revolution for the field of architecture.

Some architects dream of 3D-printing houses. Some even fantasise about 3D-printing entire cities. But what is the real potential of 3D printing for architects? This issue focuses on another strand of 3D-printing practice emerging among architects operating at a much smaller scale that is potentially more significant. Several architects have been working with the fashion industry to produce some exquisitely designed 3D-printed wearables. Other architects have been 3D-printing food, jewellery and other items at the scale of the human body. But what is the significance of this work? And how do these 3D-printed body-scale items relate to the discipline of architecture? Are they merely a distraction from the real business of the architect? Or do they point towards a new form of proto-architecture – like furniture, espresso makers and pavilions before them – that tests out architectural ideas and explores tectonic properties at a smaller scale? Or does this work constitute an entirely new arena of design? In other words, is 3D printing at the human scale to be seen as a new genre of 'body architecture'? This issue contains some of the most exciting work in this field today, and seeks to chart and analyse its significance. Contributors include: Paola Antonelli/MoMA, Francis Bitonti, Niccolo Casas, Behnaz Farahi, Madeline Gannon, Eric Goldemberg/MONAD Studio, Kyle von Hasseln/3D Systems Culinary Lab, Rem D Koolhaas, Julia Kӧrner, Neil Leach, Steven Ma/Xuberance, Neri Oxman/MIT Media Lab, Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello, Gilles Retsin, Jessica Rosenkrantz/Nervous System, and Patrik Schumacher/Zaha Hadid Architects.

Some architects dream of 3D-printing houses. Some even fantasise about 3D-printing entire cities. But what is the real potential of 3D printing for architects? This issue focuses on another strand of 3D-printing practice emerging among architects operating at a much smaller scale that is potentially more significant. Several architects have been working with the fashion industry to produce some exquisitely designed 3D-printed wearables. Other architects have been 3D-printing food, jewellery and other items at the scale of the human body. But what is the significance of this work? And how do these 3D-printed body-scale items relate to the discipline of architecture? Are they merely a distraction from the real business of the architect? Or do they point towards a new form of proto-architecture – like furniture, espresso makers and pavilions before them – that tests out architectural ideas and explores tectonic properties at a smaller scale? Or does this work constitute an entirely new arena of design? In other words, is 3D printing at the human scale to be seen as a new genre of 'body architecture'? This issue contains some of the most exciting work in this field today, and seeks to chart and analyse its significance. Contributors include: Paola Antonelli/MoMA, Francis Bitonti, Niccolo Casas, Behnaz Farahi, Madeline Gannon, Eric Goldemberg/MONAD Studio, Kyle von Hasseln/3D Systems Culinary Lab, Rem D Koolhaas, Julia Kӧrner, Neil Leach, Steven Ma/Xuberance, Neri Oxman/MIT Media Lab, Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello, Gilles Retsin, Jessica Rosenkrantz/Nervous System, and Patrik Schumacher/Zaha Hadid Architects.

Recently we've seen consumer 3D printing gaining traction. The power of 3D printing is huge and its applications are seemingly endless-medicine, architecture, and food, to name a few. Incorporating 3D printing into your design cycle reduces overall project costs and lowers project duration, as it allows for rapid prototype iterations and instant, more descriptive feedback. 3D printing looks to revolutionize modern manufacturing and the technology is improving in leaps and bounds each and every day."3D Printing for Architects with MakerBot" strives to give you a good foundation for what MakerBot can do. It offers a hands-on way to learn about how 3D printing works, and how you can use its powerful features to produce great prints. With this book, you will learn everything you need to know about designing and printing architectural models using the MakerBot Replicator 2X and how to incorporate multiple parts and colours from designs created by you and the community."3D Printing for Architects with MakerBot" will take you through a number of clear, practical examples which will teach you how to unlock the power of your MakerBot Replicator 2X and the MakerBot community. It will show you how to create models composed of multiple parts and colours which are 3D printer ready.You will also learn about the different types of 3D printing and the history leading up to the purchase of MakerBot by Stratasys. You will take a look into the details of 3D printing software, learning how to convert your 3D CAD model into a physical 3D prototype and how various options will affect your print. You will then create more advanced architectural models with parts created to fit together that are designed either by you or from the extensive community libraries found on Thingiverse and GrabCAD. If you want to learn how to gain the upper hand over the competition by creating architectural prototypes using 3D printing, then this is the book for you.

The introduction of digital manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing applied to concrete material, opens up new perspectives on the way in which buildings are designed. Research on this theme is thriving and there is a high rate of innovation related to concrete. At the same time, the first life-size constructions made from printed concrete are emerging from the ground. This book presents state-of-the-art knowledge on the different printing processes as well as on the concrete material that must adapt to these new manufacturing techniques, such as new hardware and new printers for concrete. The possibilities in terms of architectural design are discussed as well as the pathways that remain to be uncovered. The book also explores the challenges that researchers and companies expect to overcome as they get closer to democratizing this potential revolution that is the digital manufacturing of concrete.

3D Concrete Printing Technology provides valuable insights into the new manufacturing techniques and technologies needed to produce concrete materials. In this book, the editors explain the concrete printing process for mix design and the fresh properties for the high-performance printing of concrete, along with commentary regarding their extrudability, workability and buildability. This is followed by a discussion of three large-scale 3D printings of ultra-high performance concretes, including their processing setup, computational design, printing process and materials characterization. Properties of 3D-printed fiber-reinforced Portland cement paste and its flexural and compressive strength, density and porosity and the 3D-printing of hierarchical materials is also covered. Explores the factors influencing the mechanical properties of 3D printed products out of magnesium potassium phosphate cement material Includes methods for developing Concrete Polymer Building Components for 3D Printing Provides methods for formulating geopolymers for 3D printing for construction applications