3D Printing: Elevating Urban Furniture and Creating Distinctive Spaces

3D Printing: Elevating Urban Furniture and Creating Distinctive Spaces
A futuristic bench almost unattainable for traditional techniques created for the Puerta Barqueta real estate development in Seville confirms the potential of architectural 3D printing.
Palimpsest , a term derived from the Greek “to engrave anew,” refers to parchment that was once used and then scraped clean to make way for new text. The concept of palimpsest also extends to an archaeological phenomenon where layers of human activity accumulate over centuries, creating a historical tapestry.  Seville , a city that flourished as the largest urban center in Europe during the Middle Ages,  embodies the essence of a living palimpsest . Throughout history, various civilizations, including Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, and Arabs, were drawn to its strategic location along the banks of the Guadalquivir River.
Today, the Barqueta Bridge, which played a prominent role in the inauguration of the Expo 92 universal exhibition, connects the technological polygon of La Cartuja with the city’s mainland. It leads to the site where the old Almenilla or Barqueta gate once stood, constructed by the Almoravids. In 1873, a residential complex was erected on its original spot, later renovated by the architect José Espiau y Muñoz in 1924.
However, ACCIONA is now on a mission to breathe new life into this historical area and propel it into the 21st century. With the ambitious  Puerta Barqueta project , we have recaptured the essence of Espiau and Muñoz’s original design while integrating the latest cutting-edge technologies. The result is a groundbreaking creation:  a unique piece of furniture that blurs the lines between a bench and a sculpture , taking pride of place in the block’s inner courtyard, serving as a symbolic meeting point.
The innovative furniture piece, with its elegant, sinuous forms and surprisingly lightweight,  has been masterfully manufactured  using the revolutionary 3D printing technique  known as contour crafting. This addition becomes a new layer in Seville’s palimpsest, destined to etch its mark in the city’s history books.
The Puerta Barqueta project strikes a balance between preserving the charm of early twentieth-century Seville and embracing a contemporary aesthetic. The structure’s exterior showcases strips of exposed brick, reminiscent of the city’s architectural heritage, while exuding a sense of clarity and sleekness. However, it is within the interior courtyard where the true heart of the building lies.
The question that arose was how to honor this extraordinary space truly. Typically, the  design of urban furniture pieces  constructed with concrete involves molds and formwork, often leading to mass production. Yet, it was evident from the outset that we required a distinctive element that would encapsulate the essence of the entire project. This realization prompted us to turn to our  3D printing technology , enabling us to bring to life a bench with curved lines that would have been unattainable through traditional manufacturing methods.
Achieving these remarkable curves demands the integration of several mechanical elements. Firstly, a material collection system introduces the  dry mortar , serving as the concrete base. This dry mortar is then  transferred to a gunite machine , where it is mixed with water and a retardant.
The challenge lies in striking the perfect balance: ensuring the mixture does not set too early, which could lead to clogging the 3D print head, while also preventing it from setting too late, causing the concrete to deform under the weight of subsequent material layers.
Once the concrete mix is prepared, it is pumped to the robot head via the gunite mixers. One mixer is mounted on a stationary bed, while the other moves along a twenty-three-foot-long track. Each mixer deposits successive layers of concrete, building up the intricate design.  After twenty minutes, the part is fully formed, ready to be transported the following day .
From the virtual to the physical world
The 3D-printed bench at Puerta Barqueta went through several phases before reaching its final destination. Join us from the first sketch to its installation.
Design
During this initial stage, we receive the preliminary design with a focus on aesthetic factors, which will later require refinement to attain functional manufacturability.
Calculations
The Puerta Barqueta bench is not just a work of art but a feat of engineering. Lacking a formwork or supporting mold, precise calculations become crucial for determining weight distribution and the concrete’s setting speed as successive layers take shape.
3D Modeling
With all the necessary calculations in hand, the final 3D model is crafted, which mirrors the exact design of the bench that will ultimately grace the inner courtyard of Puerta Barqueta.
Programming
The next step is preparing precise instructions for the robotic head, specifying its movement speed, layer count, and precise stopping or continuing points. This process translates the 3D model into the printer’s language, ensuring seamless execution of the design.
Printing
Guided by the instructions, the robotic head deposits successive layers of the part using a concrete mixture infused with a retardant, preventing premature setting.
The absence of formwork and  reduced concrete usage  inherently fosters a more sustainable construction approach. Furthermore,  on-site module manufacturing  significantly reduces the carbon footprint of transportation.
Additionally, the flexibility of 3D printing enables experimentation with different concrete mixes, aiming to incorporate  waste and recycled materials  to enhance project sustainability further.
INFOGRAPHIC.  3D-Printing, a Unique Piece of Urban Furniture
The 3D printing technology we use has already proven its versatility by creating canopies,  urban furniture like acoustic screens , and even vertical gardens on facades to combat noise pollution. However, the potential of these 3D printers extends further.
Our upcoming project involves  building a demonstration home in Chile using local raw materials , with the entire robotic installation transported by ship to the construction site.
In the years to come,  3D printing will revolutionize urban landscapes , offering endless possibilities, from innovative building facades to designer street furniture. It’s time to embrace the possibilities and start dreaming in 3D.
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