Immensa Technology Labs, in collaboration with construction giant, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), has released the result of a world-first joint effort to recover a series of concrete casting techniques with the aid of large-format 3D printing.
The Sensorial Adaptive Concrete Screen was developed with NOWlab, the Innovation Department of Berlin-based BigRep.
The Sensorial Adaptive Concrete Screen showcases techniques that once belonged to skilled craftsman but have had life breathed back into them through expert digital fabrication. It sheds light on 3D printing as the tool that will allow architects to become the master builders of the 21 st century and enable direct control of the 1:1 production of their designs.
Fahmi Al-Shawwa, CEO of Immensa, commented: This breakthrough signals the immense potential that 3D-printed formwork offers companies to significantly shorten and simplify their studio to site rocess. It brings proven concrete casting methods back to todays building sites, renewed for the modern era and offering significant added value. This fulfils Immensas mission to drive innovation in the 3D printing industry and highlight the unique benefits of this manufacturing method to show how it can benefit companies in the construction sector. We are proud to have achieved a world first in our industry, which strengthens Dubais growing reputation as a global hub for 3D printing in line with the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy.
The Sensorial Adaptive Concrete Screen is made from 3D printed formwork produced on Immensa Labs BigRep ONE 3D printer. The sensor-embedded screen is activated by the simple touch of a hand on the outer surface of the concrete wall, and then turns on and off the functional 3D-printed hexagonal light fixtures in the grid.
CCC manager M.I.S. and Business Processes Re-engineering, Aref Boualwan, said: “Digitisation of the construction industry, shown through advancements including the Sensorial Adaptive Concrete Screen in collaboration with Immensa, was crucial to meet needs globally. The age of construction and engineering is dramatically changing and we are ready at the forefront, working with leading organisations to seize opportunities that will truly transform our industry and society in coming years. The sensors in the screen are remarkable – activated by the touch of a hand, allowing effectively any piece of concrete to become a switch. Architects now have direct control of the development of their designs this functionalization of a concrete surface is the first of its kind. The potential impact of this technology is limitless and we are truly proud to present these world-first results with Immensa.
