The aim of this research-oriented design project was to develop a multi-story building prototype that can be constructed with reinforced concrete on-site using digital manufacturing methods. In recent years, 3D-printed concrete buildings have become increasingly important. They are characterized by fast, cost-effective construction and a high degree of design freedom. However, one problem with this technology is that unreinforced 3D-printed mortar has structural limitations, which has made it difficult to construct multi-story buildings. For digital manufacturing to become part of everyday construction in cities in the future, solutions are needed to enable the construction of larger, multi-story buildings. The Institute for Structural Design (ITE) is researching such a solution in cooperation with a consortium of various industrial partners. The aim is to enable reinforced concrete structures to be produced using fully digital fabrication processes and without the need for formwork. The Swiss company MESH AG has developed a system for the robotic production of reinforcement cages. These prefabricated components are then to be shotcreted on the construction site using a large 3D printer. The Danish company COBOD is a leading manufacturer of gantry printers for the construction industry. In collaboration with ITE and the company Rupp Gebäudedruck, this printing system is being further developed for the freely orientable spraying of shotcrete. As part of the “Next-Level-AM” research project, a two-story section of a building corner is to be created as a technology demonstrator. Against this background, I developed a building design for my master's thesis for a multi-story residential building with public use on the ground floor, which will also serve as the design basis for the Next-Level-AM demonstrator. The six-story building has been designed with an external load-bearing structure. On the one hand, this is intended to enable flexible and free floor plan design for the apartments inside. On the other hand, the digital reinforced concrete construction is to be made visible from the outside, thus combining the structural and facade design. The recess of the actual building envelope creates an open pergola on the north side for horizontal access and spacious, shaded loggias on the south side. The building has different types of apartments, ranging from small studio apartments to large 100m² apartments. This is intended to enable use by different people in a wide variety of living situations.
