The demonstrator "Ligno Print Column" with a size of around 3 meters x 4 meters consists of 34 individual, short wood fiber-reinforced components and was produced in a total printing time of 1280 hours. It will be on display at the international architecture exhibition until the end of November 2023.

In the 3DNaturDruck project, the LZH and partners are researching how to produce individual building elements from natural fibers using additive manufacturing (more on the project here). The focus is on designing and fabricating 3D-printed components from biopolymer-based filaments reinforced with continuous and short natural fibers, especially for large-scale architectural components. The exhibit at the Biennale di Venezia was fabricated by project partners ATMAT Sp. Z o.o. and Rapid Prototyping Technologie GmbH, as well as at LZH.

There is great interest in the use of natural fibers in architecture and construction because natural fibers have several advantages. They have good mechanical properties combined with low weight. As a renewable resource, they are also readily available and more ecologically sustainable than synthetic fibers. With the help of additive manufacturing, components with complex geometries can be realized from natural fiber-reinforced biopolymers with few work steps and low material and cost requirements. Topology optimization of components according to their load-bearing capacity can also be implemented well with additive manufacturing.

Please find more information on the exhibition at https://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/2023