Concrete Design Masterclass lets students 3D print with concrete
The Concrete Design Masterclass 2024 is set to take place at our 3D printing facility in Eindhoven, welcoming approximately 30 students this summer. These participants are the winners of the Concrete Design Competition from five countries. During the Masterclass, they will spend a week developing their designs in two ways: for the 3D concrete printer and by creating concrete models using textile molds.
The Concrete Design Competition is a biennial event held in Belgium, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. Each participating country takes turns hosting the International Concrete Design Masterclass. For the 11th edition of the competition (2023-2024), the Netherlands is the host. Participants will work in our 3D concrete printing factory in Eindhoven, engaging in various masterclasses and, on the final day, actively participating in the concrete printing process.
3D Concrete Printing in the Masterclass
We are providing our expertise and facilities for a week in August 2024, enabling students to learn how to design for the 3D concrete printer. The Masterclass, led by bureaubakker, is also intended as a hands-on workshop where students will create their own molds for concrete designs. In this Masterclass, in addition to designing for the 3D concrete printer, textile molds will be made.
"The form language of both textile molds and 3D printing is unique, perhaps even organic, and can therefore be excellently explored together by the students."
Siebe Bakker – bureaubakker
At the Weber Beamix printing factory, the printing process is fully digitally controlled. With these innovative techniques, we have realized many projects in recent years. The first printed bicycle bridge in Gemert was, in fact, the starting point for a series of printed bridges in Nijmegen, Steenwijkerland, and now for the province of North Holland. Various bicycle and pedestrian bridges have also been realized through printing. Additionally, we must not forget the Milestone project, consisting of five printed houses, the first of which is already inhabited. In 2022, we even entered the Guinness Book of Records with the world's tallest printed object (12.10 meters), the 3D-printed version of the Burj al-Hamam, showcased at the Floriade in Almere.
Student Design Competition
In the Netherlands, the design competition for students of architecture, civil engineering, interior design, and art academy is organized by Tektoniek, a platform for concrete architecture. "We challenge students to design with concrete, to explore the unique and aesthetic properties of this material within the theme of this edition, 'Presence'. This challenging theme addresses how the material can provide a certain tangible experience to the shape of a space or object in the built environment," says Cindy Vissering of Tektoniek.
The students eligible for the Concrete Design Masterclass are the winners of the Concrete Design Competition from the five participating countries. Each country organizes its own, comparable competition. In the Netherlands, in addition to participation in the Masterclass, prize money is also available for the winners. An expert jury evaluates the entries, and the winners will be announced in June. The Dutch jury consists of: Pim Peters from IMD consulting engineers, Albert Herder from Studioninedots, Arjen Ketting from MVRDV, Paul Stavert from Powerhouse Company, and Jan de Koning from De Jong Beton. In previous editions, there were around 40 entries. "We are very curious about the entries for this edition," concludes Cindy Vissering.