First 3D concrete printed arched bridge to showcase in Venice Biennale exhibit

• 26 May 2021
• Construction Focus
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Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) have teamed with the Block Research Group at Zurich’s ETH university and Swiss cement company Holcim to create a “first of its kind” 3D concrete printed arched bridge, in time for the Venice Biennale exhibit, reported GCR.

The Striatus 3D concrete printed masonry bridge is being built for the “Time Space Existence” exhibition, hosted by the European Cultural Centre (ECC) during the Venice Architecture Biennale 2021, which runs from 22 May through November 2021.

To be located at the Giardini della Marinaressa, Striatus is an arched, unreinforced masonry footbridge composed of 3D concrete printed blocks.

Striatus combines traditional masonry with 3D technologies, allowing the structure to stand solely through compression without reinforcement, thereby reducing the amount of concrete needed.

The goal of the project is to establish a new language for concrete, making Striatus is circular by design and combining traditional masonry with advanced technologies.

Striatus was designed to place material only where needed, significantly reducing its environmental footprint. With no reinforcement and using dry assembly without binders, it can be repurposed repeatedly.

This approach opens up a world of possibilities with concrete in a design that is structurally informed, fabrication-aware and ecologically responsible. Material is precisely placed to build more with less.

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