Application of 3D printing in architecture
Daniel Arellano joined Bercy Chen Studio seven years ago, fulfilling his life's goal of working in an architectural firm. Today, he is a Senior Project Manager overseeing a range of projects for different clients – younger people building their own office space or older people, for whom he is designing their dream home.
Building in the heart of Texas
Bercy Chan Studio is located in Austin, Texas, and their projects are performed in and around the city, as well as in Central Texas. For Daniel and his colleagues, it is very important to see the building plans from all angles because of the focus on the design, but also the construction itself. In order to achieve this and present the design to clients, in 2015 the team began using 3D printing to render models.
They bought a 3D printer to make it easier to present their designs to clients, but the device has become an integral part of the development process. They can send models directly to the client, show them in video meetings, or perform live demonstrations, thus eliminating any doubts and doubts about the project itself.
"Our clients keep telling us how much the 3D model helped them understand the project"
Everyone involved in the process enjoys the 3D samples and clients very often insist on keeping the 3D model even though the Bersi Chen team prefers to keep them as an example of the completed project.
Models are, however, more than a materialized construction project. These 3D printed models serve to convey to the client how certain features can bring the entire design to life. "It's easier for them to fall in love with the design," says Daniel. "It is like a certain belief that the project will become a reality. The model seems to say that the project has become a reality. It can be built and it will become your home or business.”
Economic solutions for design
Bersi Chan Studio currently has an Ultimaker 2 Extended running normally 24 hours, once a week. When looking for a 3D printer in 2015, the team wanted a machine that was easy to use, backed by a reliable company with good customer communication. Ultimaker definitely wins when it comes to ease of use as well as the fact that it has a large and active online community. Now, after almost three years of experience with 3D printing, they manage to get the most out of every design.
"Now we are not rejecting any idea. We print out what we came up with and can share it with the whole team. If in the end we don't realize that idea, it lives on our desk or shelf for some later moment."
The benefits of using a 3D printer go beyond models on the shelf. The ease of use of the Ultimaker Cura software and the quality of the Ultimaker 2 Extended printer are two features that are multi-useful. "Creating a model is incomparably more profitable than paying someone to make it," explains Daniel. "Architectural models are expensive and a machine can make a model much faster than a human." Since using the Ultimaker 3D printer, Bercy Chan's team has realized significant savings in time, money and overall productivity.
The Ultimaker also allows them to print models that would be very difficult to make by hand, which also makes it easier to meet clients. It is this versatility that is key in the design process, which involves using programs such as Rhino, Revit and FormIt before entering data into SketchUp and Ultimaker Cura for printing.
Modeling the future of architectural design
One of Daniel's favorite projects, to this day, is a large model with several buildings that he worked on with two other architects. His team took the time to print out the entire construction site with all the buildings, including those that were someone else's project, to get a comprehensive representation. The client was impressed, and presented the model to investors and the city to get construction approval. Another favorite of the Bercy Chan team is a luxury house perched on a cliff.
Daniel believes that architects have multiple benefits from 3D printing, as it is an invaluable tool in presenting ideas to clients, but also for the development of different phases of a project. Creating 3D printed architectural models brings life to a project that a 2D presentation cannot.
“This is a great tool for architects. There is something elusive about holding a model in your hands and working on it through all the model changes.”
Bersi Chen Studio hopes to be able to participate even more in the construction process with 3D printing in the future. They look forward to further advances in 3D printing in the form of faster printing, higher resolution models, and larger print volumes that architects and builders will be able to use to create even more innovative architectural solutions.
They bought a 3D printer to make it easier to present their designs to clients, but the device has become an integral part of the development process. They can send models directly to the client, show them in video meetings, or perform live demonstrations, thus eliminating any doubts and doubts about the project itself.
"Our clients keep telling us how much the 3D model helped them understand the project"
Everyone involved in the process enjoys the 3D samples and clients very often insist on keeping the 3D model even though the Bersi Chen team prefers to keep them as an example of the completed project.
Models are, however, more than a materialized construction project. These 3D printed models serve to convey to the client how certain features can bring the entire design to life. "It's easier for them to fall in love with the design," says Daniel. "It is like a certain belief that the project will become a reality. The model seems to say that the project has become a reality. It can be built and it will become your home or business.”
Economic solutions for design
Bersi Chan Studio currently has an Ultimaker 2 Extended running normally 24 hours, once a week. When looking for a 3D printer in 2015, the team wanted a machine that was easy to use, backed by a reliable company with good customer communication. Ultimaker definitely wins when it comes to ease of use as well as the fact that it has a large and active online community. Now, after almost three years of experience with 3D printing, they manage to get the most out of every design.
"Now we are not rejecting any idea. We print out what we came up with and can share it with the whole team. If in the end we don't realize that idea, it lives on our desk or shelf for some later moment."
The benefits of using a 3D printer go beyond models on the shelf. The ease of use of the Ultimaker Cura software and the quality of the Ultimaker 2 Extended printer are two features that are multi-useful. "Creating a model is incomparably more profitable than paying someone to make it," explains Daniel. "Architectural models are expensive and a machine can make a model much faster than a human." Since using the Ultimaker 3D printer, Bercy Chan's team has realized significant savings in time, money and overall productivity.
The Ultimaker also allows them to print models that would be very difficult to make by hand, which also makes it easier to meet clients. It is this versatility that is key in the design process, which involves using programs such as Rhino, Revit and FormIt before entering data into SketchUp and Ultimaker Cura for printing.
Modeling the future of architectural design
One of Daniel's favorite projects, to this day, is a large model with several buildings that he worked on with two other architects. His team took the time to print out the entire construction site with all the buildings, including those that were someone else's project, to get a comprehensive representation. The client was impressed, and presented the model to investors and the city to get construction approval. Another favorite of the Bercy Chan team is a luxury house perched on a cliff.
Daniel believes that architects have multiple benefits from 3D printing, as it is an invaluable tool in presenting ideas to clients, but also for the development of different phases of a project. Creating 3D printed architectural models brings life to a project that a 2D presentation cannot.
“This is a great tool for architects. There is something elusive about holding a model in your hands and working on it through all the model changes.”
Bersi Chen Studio hopes to be able to participate even more in the construction process with 3D printing in the future. They look forward to further advances in 3D printing in the form of faster printing, higher resolution models, and larger print volumes that architects and builders will be able to use to create even more innovative architectural solutions.