3D printed: Europe Building by DUS Architects

The Netherlands currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for a six-month period that started at the beginning of 2016. European politicians will now be gathering in a building planned and executed for the purpose by DUS Architects: the Europe Building. In reference to the Netherlands' past as a seafaring nation, the façade of the square structure has the appearance of a huge sail draped over the building.  A special and highly innovative touch is provided outside the building in the form of innovative benches integrated into curtain-like slits in the façade in an inviting gesture. Slotting perfectly into the alcoves, the blue, cement-filled seating elements were parametrically modelled and locally produced using an XXL 3D printer and a bioplastic especially developed for the purpose. Once the Netherlands' EU Presidency is over, the building will be dismantled and the bioplastic parts shredded for re-use in new printing projects.    The façade is the result of collaboration between DUS (design), Actual (parametric development and 3D printing), Neptunus, TenTech, Henkel (material development), Philips (lighting) and Hejijmans (design engineering and construction).  Source: Contemporist