emerging objects builds undulating bloom pavilion with 3D printed cement

emerging objects builds undulating bloom pavilion with 3D printed cement
all images by matthew millman photography

california-based emerging objects have built the ‘bloom’ pavilion using 840 customized 3D printed cement blocks, mapping a pattern derived from traditional thai flower patterns onto its surface. the 9 foot tall freestanding pavilion represents a new paradigm in building construction methods, with each block printed using a farm of 11 powder 3D printers of a unique composite formula of iron oxide-free portland cement. this material requires no formwork and produces no waste; additionally, the support material can be reused and repurposed to produce more blocks. each unit has then been assembled and held in place using stainless steel hardware.

in plan, ‘bloom’ is a curved cruciform shape that rises to meet the same shape rotated at 45 degrees, creating a torqued ‘X’ composition. the undulating spaces recalls an elephants foot or, when coupled with the flower pattern on its exterior skin, the traditional mud houses of the tiebele people in ghana — a reference to the earliest sources of reference for 3D printing by the emerging objects team.

view of entrance

the 9 foot tall freestanding pavilion represents a new paradigm in building construction methods

interior

looking up from interior

bloom from above

block production in the printFARM

‘bloom’ plan

project credits:

project date: 2015
project team: ronald rael, virginia san fratello, kent wilson, alex schofield, sofia anastassiou, yina dong, dr. stephan adams, alex niemeyer, ari oppenhiemer, reem makkawi, steven huang
video documentation/editing: sofia anastassiou
additional project information: bloom was made possible by a partnership with the printfarm (print facility for architecture, research, and materials) at the university of california berkeley college of environmental design and the siam cement group (scg thailand). additional project support was made through generous sponsorship from 3D systems and entropy resins