3D-printed ceramic tiles clad the gates of studio RAP's residential building block in delft

studio RAP is planning a new residential building block in delft, the netherlands, whose gates will be clad in 3D-printed ceramic tiles. titled ‘new delft blue’, the pioneering project reinterprets the world-famous decorative qualities of delft blue porcelain, while celebrating its legacy through a contemporary, rich and detailed landmark. together with dutch ceramics manufacturer koninklijke tichelaar, the studio is fusing 3D clay printing, computational design and artisanal glazing, in order to reveal the potential of ceramics and ornament in the 21st century.all images courtesy of studio RAP

studio RAP is planning to frame the lush communal courtyard of the poortmeesters building block, which is part of the large scale redevelopment ‘nieuw delft’ with two large entry gates. a reference to delft as a medieval trading city, the gates also offer passers-by a glimpse of the idyllic life going on inside. for the design of the gates, the rotterdam-based studio has drawn from traditional delft blue porcelain plates, reinterpreting their aesthetic qualities with innovative techniques.

‘the design vocabulary of these plates has changed radically over the centuries from copying chinese and japanese oriental designs to making contemporary dutch designs,’ notes studio RAP. ‘the differentiation between a decorative, abstracted frame and picturesque scene, however, has been a recurring division. this division is the starting point for the new delft blue design where the scene is the ever-changing existing courtyard life and the gates exist as three-dimensional frames that focus the view.’

measuring four meters wide, eight meters high, and 12 meters deep, the gates cover a large public staircase that indicates the communal character of the courtyard. their deep blue color reflects the connection to delft blue porcelain and the surrounding canals, while it subtly contrasts the earth-toned masonry covering the building to indicate a threshold. the project requires approximately 4.000 contemporary, rich and unique ceramic tiles, which will be 3D printed.

certain manufacturing constrains, including maximum overhang, width, height and depth, are developed using an algorithmic approach to 3D pattern design, while they are taken into account when generating the geometry of the tiles. ‘because the tiles are 3D-printed, applying variation in their shape is rather cheap,’ adds studio RAP. ‘by applying a runny glaze on white-burning clay portions of the tile that are convex (hills) will remain white as the blue glaze pools in the concave (valley) areas of the tile. this poetic method of ‘painting with shape’ allows for smooth transitions between hues of blue and white that are impossible to produce otherwise.’