BERKELEY, Calif.—A research team at the University of California, Berkeley recently unveiled what it says is the largest powder-based 3-D printed cement structure to date. The pavilion, called Bloom, is 9 ft (2.7 m) tall, with a 12 ft by 12 ft (3.65 m by 3.65 m) footprint. It was designed at the university’s PrintFARM (Print Facility for Architecture, Research, and Materials). The structure’s undulating surface consists of 840 printed bricks fastened together with stainless-steel hardware. The pieces, each a unique shape, come together in a floral pattern. Unlike many architectural 3-D printing projects, the Berkeley team used small powder-based printers that the researchers adapted to print cement. The team says its method reduces waste and the need for formwork and storage, and will significantly reduce the cost of concrete buildings as the technology develops. Because they are printed as individual components, rather than as architectural-sized pieces, the bricks can be fine-tuned for additional performance benefits, such as heat retention.
