An 8-meter-tall 3D-printed relief! The University of Tokyo's Department of Architecture's innovative design was exhibited at the 2021 London Design Biennale. The architecture education lab "T-BOX" housed six Ultimaker 3D printers , combining 3D scanning and 3D printing . See the production process now:
The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo and Sekisui House, Ltd. of Japan have collaborated to launch the international architecture education laboratory "T-BOX," with Toshiki Hirano serving as the director. The laboratory is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of architectural talent and has chosen to use the Ultimaker 3D printer to meet the research requirements of the architecture department. This allows students to create 3D prototypes of their 3D model data and practice their designs.
In the past, the architecture department did not have production facilities equipped with technological manufacturing tools, so students could only choose to buy 3D printers themselves or make them by hand. Now, with T-BOX and six Ultimaker 3D printers in the workspace, teachers and students can easily design and produce their prototypes. All ideas can be quickly transformed and modified into actual products, without being bound by the complexity of the shapes, and can be used for display and presentation.
At the 2021 London Design Biennale, Toshiki Hirano collaborated with students to design Japanese architecture. The work showcased various objects from Tokyo and London, ranging from lucky cats, Kaminarimon gates, cicadas, and taiyaki in Tokyo to London's Underground subway, mailboxes, kiosks, and other elements. These were all 3D scanned into 3D data and then used to create the works using the Ultimaker 3D printer and Ultimaker white PLA filament.
"In the past, I thought that it would be difficult to successfully 3D print complex-shaped models after 3D scanning . But since using the Ultimaker 3D printer , I can produce exquisite results even with complex details." Toshiki Hirano prints his work in six parts and then assembles them together at the end.
Mr. Hirano stated that the original scan data of the finished product was as high as 1TB. Even after being reduced in size, a single panel still occupies at least 300 MB, making the file very large. When the file was placed into Ultimaker Cura software for slicing, the software still operated smoothly. Ultimaker, from its machines to its software, is very suitable for producing large-scale projects with complex details!
After deciding to integrate Ultimaker into T-BOX and using it, we found that the Ultimaker 3D printer is suitable for various 3D printing filaments and has excellent performance in printing accuracy and speed. Even with the most basic experience and knowledge, users can intuitively follow the instructions in the device and software to design works according to their needs.
Mr. Hirano stated that they never imagined that "architectural research" would require the use of "3D printers," but as they combined this technology, they discovered that it not only greatly helps in research and development and production, but also has an increasingly important role in the global architecture field. Now, 3D printing has become a major helper in the design cycle for architects and students.
Since the advent of 3D printing , it has reshaped many industries, from manufacturing, construction, and automotive to aerospace, and from the rapid production of prototypes in the past to the stable additive manufacturing of today, the technology has become increasingly mature. 3D printing technology has also spread widely to universities around the world, providing students and faculty with faster and more convenient production processes. 3D printing has innovated the construction field and created new standards for future living.
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