AROUND THE NETWORK: Simpson Strong-Tie Involved in the US’s First Multi-Story 3D Printed House

The 4,000-square foot project showcases the possibilities of 3D printing technology, mass customization, and design solutions that integrate conventional construction methods. With a hybridized construction method that combines concrete 3D printing with wood framing, this approach allows the two material systems to be used strategically and aims to increase the applicability of 3D printing in the U.S., where framing is the one of the most common construction techniques. The building design is conceptualized as a series of printed cores that contain functional spaces and stairs. The spatial cores are connected by wood framing to produce an architectural alternation of concrete and framed interiors. The project’s scalable design and construction process is applicable for multifamily housing and mixed-use construction. Using the COBOD BOD2 gantry printer, the project takes advantage of the printer’s modularity for its design layout.

The project is the culmination of a two-year collaborative effort between design researchers and industry partners. The project is spearheaded by architectural designers and assistant professors at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University Leslie Lok and Sasa Zivkovic, principals of HANNAH; along with PERI 3D Construction, an internationally leading provider for 3D construction printing, and CIVE, one of the leading engineering and design/build contractors in Houston.

The project also developed detailed solutions with key building industry partners from construction material to HVAC systems. The team selected Quikrete’s new generation of specially formulated 3D printable concrete for the project. Working with Huntsman Building Solutions and their R&D research team, the building integrates a closed-cell foam insulation system. The hybridized construction utilizes BuiltWorlds Member Simpson Strong-Tie’s anchoring systems for both 3D printed elements and wood connections. The residential building deploys Toshiba Carrier’s state-of-the-art Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) technology for an efficient HVAC system that is translatable to larger scale housing and multi-family construction.

Interested in all things related to Building Technology? BuiltWorlds is proud to launch a new forum dedicated to anything and everything Building Technology.

The goal of this ongoing forum will be to foster connections between forum participants, learn about upcoming technologies and trends in buildings, and discuss challenges building technologists face. The Building Tech forum is open to all company types, including; contractors, developers, designers, material and product manufacturers/suppliers, and building tech companies.

Our inaugural meeting will be on November 16th at 1:00pm EST at our Venture East Conference in Miami, FL. Our Director of Technology Adoption Tyler Sewall will kick off the forum with an overview of topic areas and goals, lead a panel of building tech expert speakers in the industry, and facilitate introductions for building tech forum participants.

Hope to see you there!

 

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BuiltWorlds “Around the Network” Briefings offer BuiltWorlds Members an opportunity to keep the Community informed of their own initiatives, resource offerings, and other things they are excited to share about or collaborate around. We generally pull these posts as “highlights” from Member Company Pages, Innovation Exchange Posts, and other places our members share with us what they are up to.

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BuiltWorlds is the buildings and infrastructure industry’s leading professional network for open innovation, keeping companies in the worlds of engineering, construction and related fields informed and connected, and helping them find avenues to collaborate for their own strategic success and for the betterment of the industry, as whole. For more information about BuiltWorlds, visit the BuiltWorlds Network  or sign up for the BuiltWorlds Newsletter to stay connected to the Community for free.