Clay Rotunda

The Clay Rotunda is a free-standing earth-based cylindrical structure constituting the outer, soundproof shell of the SE MusicLab, a high-fidelity music auditorium built inside the newly refurbished Gurten Brewery in Bern.

The cylindrical structure combines clay, a sustainable building material, computational design techniques, and a fabrication method developed through generations of MAS in Architecture and Digital Fabrication at ETH Zurich.

The structure has a diameter of 11 m and reaches a height of 5 m, with a thickness of just 15 cm of unreinforced clay.

This method consists of picking and compacting into place clay cylinders with the aid of a mobile robotic arm, providing enough force to build up monolithic structures.

Location: Bern, Switzerland
Built for: SE Music Lab
Construction: 2020-2021

🔗 Gramazio Kohler Research
🔗 SE Music Lab
🔗 Lehmag

Digital Bamboo

The pavilion explores using natural materials combined with digital fabrication technologies. This structure consists on a bamboo space truss, connected by 3D 380 bespoke printed joints (multijet fusion, direct metal sintering) and covered by a textile skin with a 3D printed reinforcement.

The use of computational design allowed optimization and formal exploration of complex structures. This high-performance structure cantilevers almost 5 meters in three directions, requiring minimal support. Post-tensioned cables reinforce the main load-bearing system. The geometry of the pavilion, consisting of more than 900 bamboo elements, was form-found using specifically developed digital tools.

Presented at: ZAZ (Zurich, Switzerland), Venice Biennale 2021 (Venice, Italy)
Construction: 2020, 2021

🔗 Digital Building Technologies
🔗 ZAZ Bellerive

Discrete Concrete Spine

This project was inspired by double-curved architecture and the freedom of eggshell technology (concrete casting with 3D-printed plastic formwork). We decided to design an element that would not be limited by architectural archetypes: where the limit between wall, capital, and column dissolved.

The shape comes from the idea of a continuous nucleus based on a spine. This axis was then split vertically to generate the sections and horizontally to connect between the levels. This spine is then extruded to create a continuous horizontal area.

A post-tensioning cable is meant to connect and reinforce the elements, which are inter-connected through a male-female joint.

Developed at: MAS ETH DFAB 1920

🔗 MAS DFAB 1920

TropiCRETE

Facade elements fabricated using concrete 3D printing. The design concept focuses on countries with tropical weather, aiming to control the interior temperature by using an optimized element that answers to the radiation analysis of the particular location of the building.

The information is transferred to parameters that are used to control the openings of the segments.

Developed at: MAS ETH DFAB

🔗 MAS DFAB 1920

Magic Queen

This hybrid environment seeks to incorporate and fuse biological systems with organic materials and machines, generating an ecosystem of empathy and coexistence with the creation of an ecology of non-human subjects. Nurturing, and restoring itself with the use of sensors and machine learning.

The landscape itself is built robotically with the use of natural binders and compaction, having the possibility of going back to nature after the exhibition. This process builds up organic figures of only previous digital existence.

Built for: Venice Biennale 2021

🔗 Venice Biennale

🔗 MAEID

EGGSHELL Brick

Mexico is one of the main egg producers worldwide, taking advantage of this we decided to develop a bio-composite that reuses eggshell waste.

Our waste is turned into robotically fabricated architectural elements… EGGSHELL Bricks, that can be completely decomposed and are completely organic.

This specific demonstrator consisted of a self-standing sine curve-based wall, based on 105 discrete bricks. All the waste used for the project was based on the donation of local businesses.

Presented at: Design Week Mexico 2022 (Colección Inédito)
Awards: Design Week Mexico 2022 (Honorable Mention), What Design Can Do (Finalist), 3D Pioneers (Finalist), Dezeen Awards 2023 (Nomination), Green Product Award 2024 (Finalist), Make It Circular Challenge (Winner)

🔗 MANUFACTURA – Instagram

EGGSHELL Column

Eggshell Column is also part of the EGGSHELL Project, the ongoing development of an eggshell-based bio-composite.

In this case, the 3 legs of the column together with the stiffness of the material help maintain the support of the spiraling structure.

The infill of the structure has been a direct response to the characteristics of the material and process. Providing support to the circular sections through their angle limits that adapt computationally to the scale.

Presented at: Zona Maco 2023

🔗 MANUFACTURA – Instagram

WOOD Project

This project/research in collaboration with La Metropolitana, a furniture manufacturing and design workshop that combines traditional wood manufacturing with cutting-edge technologies.

They currently produce 4-6 bags of sawdust from multiple species in their daily activities, material that is rarely taken advantage of.

This material takes advantage of this fact to repurpose this high-quality material sustainably, using bio-binders as the matrix.

Developed for: LUUNA Showrooms
Production: 2022

🔗 MANUFACTURA – Instagram

Sueños con Tierra/Concreto

Sueños con Concreto explores the future of affordable housing in Mexico through low-impact construction methods.

The horizontal cover, based on a joist and vault system. The prefabricated concrete joists have been optimized with computational design methods developed at MIT, which minimize up to 50% of material use and associated environmental impact.

The 3D-printed ceramic vaults are placed between the joists as a lost formwork, and then the upper concrete slab is poured, manufactured by MANUFACTURA and ANFORA Studio. The use of tepetate, a local soil with a high clay content, allows the manufacture of compressed and sun-dried blocks that make up the walls of the pavilion.

Design and development: MIT
Presented at: Mextrópoli 2022

🔗 Norman Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism
🔗 MIT

TALAVERA Project

This project aims to create a dialogue between new technological methods and tradition. Talavera is a traditional Mexican and Spanish method listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

This method requires specific clay sourcing and processing, making it hard to innovate.

Considering this the process for this specific project consisted of 3D printing the piece that would shape the mold based on the restrictions, to then pour, shape, and treat with the specific method required for Talavera.

Exhibited at: Patio Efímero Edición 4

🔗 Manufactura

CORNCRETL

This research proposes a circular economy model for the construction industry through the development of CORNCRETL, an innovative bio-based material grounded in both heritage and sustainability. Drawing from pre-Hispanic Mayan construction knowledge and fabricated through robotic 3D printing, CORNCRETL is composed of limestone derivatives, corn, and recycled nejayote (calcium-rich abundant agricultural byproduct of Mexico’s nixtamalization process). The material achieves up to a 70% reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional concrete, while promoting cultural continuity, environmental responsibility, and inclusive labor practices.

Developed at: WASP 3D Residency

🔗 MANUFACTURA – Instagram

🔗 Video

GRAM Space application’s development

This joint project with the European Space Agency, LIST (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology), and multiple industry partners aims to develop the GRAM (Gradel Additive Manufacturing) technology for its use in space.

This multi-layered research combines structural and mechanical design development, carbon composite for this specific application and in-house computational methods for its robotic application.

Ongoing development, currently TR5
Presented at ESA in 2024

🔗 Gradel LW

BMW M Visionary Material Seat

The creation of the BMW M Visionary Materials Seat is based on combining sustainability with cost-efficiency. To meet this requirement, BMW M obtained valuable support from leading companies in this field. BMW Designworks created the design, color, and material concept, while Automotive Management Consulting GmbH, Gradel Light Weight Sàrl, Lasso Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, and Bcomp Ltd – a Top 100 Global Cleantech Company – contributed their collective know-how.

Some of the elements that characterize this seat are: a lightweight construction, design for circularity, and BMW’s characteristic high quality and practicality.

Development and production: 2023-2024

🔗 BMW M Visionary Seat

Floating Platform

The Floating Platform is an example of a pure wound system consisting of 74 pins and a carbon fiber skeleton. This complex structure has many different sensors, battery packs, thrusters, and fuel cells. This custom build was specifically requested by the customer to meet a severe weight reduction, reaching a final weight of 300 g per disc.

As a standard sandwich plate, the construction was too heavy due to the inserts and pins. Gradel explored making a sandwich structure that utilized integrated hybrid joints to connect the various parts and also serves as the substructure of the platform. This in turn, allows the researchers to change configurations in several ways while reducing the weight of the final structure.

The programming for the application of the structure is currently being developed through its simulation at the Zero Gravity Lab of the University of Luxembourg.

Initiative of the: Space Robotics (SpaceR) Research Group

🔗 Gradel LW

NextGEN 2.0 Seat

NextGEN 2.0 showcases a new way of producing automotive parts. GRAM is applied on this seat with the purpose of making it strong, light, fast to reproduce, and replicable. Qualities wanted in automotive parts and inherently sustainable due to its efficiency in production, material reduction, and basalt fiber structure.

This seat was FEA analyzed to extract the areas that required more support, reacting to the needs of the structure.

Presented at: Lightweight Symposium 2021 – Kasel Germany

🔗 LinkedIn Video

🔗 Gradel LW

Luxembourg Phone Holder

This phone holder shaped with the sillouhete of Luxembourg showcases the capability of the GRAM technologies, to create lightweight, strong and versatile products.

This phoneholder was mass produced and robotically built, and has the possibility of being applied with endless shapes and composite fibers.

Gift for GRADEL LW’s production hall opening event in 2023

🔗 Gradel LW

SHA Wellness Center

SHA, currently in Alicante, Spain, is a clinic that integrates natural therapies and Western medicine. To create an
effective supervised fusion that adapts to each patient’s nutritional condition, genetics, health, and well-being.
This proposal, currently being built, adapts to Mexican culture and tourism.
This proposal offers Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos’ distinctive material expression applied to the site organically. Within its final volume, it accommodates residences, spa and hotel linearly, taking advantage of its view of the Caribbean.

Ongoing construction
Location: Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico

🔗 SHA Wellness Center

🔗 SHA – Sordo Madaleno

Mexico City’s New International Airport

A collaboration between Foster + Partners, FR-EE, and NACO won the international competition to design Mexico City’s new international airport.

Conceived as one of the largest airports to revolutionize the airport experience by ensuring short walking distances, few level changes, easy navigation, and optimized mobility with the use of internal trains and underground tunnels.

Its design merges the Mexican symbolism and architectural monumental scale with contemporary design and structural elements. Some of which include spans of more than 100 m, a lightweight glass and steel structure, a vaulted roof designed for the area’s challenging soil conditions, a unique pre-fabricated envelope system and a high performance envelope that meets high thermal and acoustic standards.

Location: Texcoco, Mexico (canceled)
Years: 2014-2020

🔗 FR-EE Website

🔗 Foster + Partners Website

Iximaltic

Iximaltic means cornfield in Tojab’al, a mayan language. This project aims to show a bit and promote the use of the native corn diversity in Mexico, reaching approximately 64 varieties with different colors, sizes and taste.

Currently the reliance on genetically modified corn introduced from the US, has an impact at multiple levels. Cross breeding and pollution causes local crops to fail. Additionally, the reliance on prices related to production capacity make it unattractive and hard to continue with the production of native species.

These pieces are based on multiple elements produced with locally sourced and naturally modified clay produced by coeur de terre. The pieces are woven together using adapted basketry techniques and corn husk of purple cacahuazintle and green Oaxacan green corn. Some pieces were also done using open firing.

presented at: BARRO, part of NYLAT (New York Latin American Triennale)

🔗 Barro NYC

Iximaltic – Fire

Iximaltic means cornfield in Tojab’al, a mayan language. This project aims to show a bit and promote the use of the native corn diversity in Mexico, reaching approximately 64 varieties with different colors, sizes and taste.

Currently the reliance on genetically modified corn introduced from the US, has an impact at multiple levels. Cross breeding and pollution causes local crops to fail. Additionally, the reliance on prices related to production capacity make it unattractive and hard to continue with the production of native species.

These pieces are based on multiple 3d printed elements, fired with an open firing and wound together using adapted basketry techniques.

presented at: BARRO, part of NYLAT (New York Latin American Triennale)

🔗 Barro NYC

Earth Space

Winter School hosted by Università della Svizzera Italiana

ZHAW/USI winter research project on sustainable construction through digital fabrication. This project is an investigation towards 3D-printing articulated and reconfigurable clay walls.

Earth Space investigates the potential of industrialized 3D-printing of clay modules for articulated and reconfigurable structures. Through computational design and digital fabrication a small series, based on approximately 600 pieces of differentiated modules, is produced and used to design and build a functional, reconfigurable and spatially unique wall. This allows a meaningful reflection on novel sustainable constructive systems enabled through digital processes.

The modules are unfired, gaining strength with the geometry. The pattern on the outside walls is adapted to allow more design options and show more customizability alternatives.

Collaborative Structure

Participative fabrication with recycled timber through digitally augmented processes. This workshop explored the interaction between manual craft and digital fabrication processes through the collaborative development and fabrication of parametrically controlled furniture design. This furniture is imagined as a functional bench consisting of a multitude of different elements, each neighboring designer has the possibility of influencing the next stage of the design.

The fabrication system is based on a flexible assembly system based on timber-only connections, manipulated and adapted using a custom parametric configurator made with ShapeDiver. The configurator makes it possible to export the information that is used to cut the pieces, this process is done with the use of a Shaper Tool machine (portable CNC router).

The system is easily applicable and hightly flexible, the final artefact is the result of both individual and collaborative decisions that are directly executed through a participative fabrication process.