Make is a distinctive architectural practice company that aims to "design the world's best buildings, places, and spaces." Make's Ultimaker 3D printers support the studio's democratic design culture, allowing the model-making team to print thousands of models annually—from concept to large-scale context.
• Model Making Before 3D Printing
Before using 3D printers, Make relied on traditional model-making methods, typically involving hand-cutting foam (styrofoam or other plastics) and cardboard, and creating wooden models, which was a time-consuming process.
Paul Miles, Make's Head of Models, emphasizes: "We still have a timber workshop, but moving large pieces of wood is very cumbersome, and the noise and dust it generates are incomparable to the clean and quiet 3D printers in the office."
• Time and Cost Savings
To date, almost all of Make's architectural designs begin on the Ultimaker print platform. 3D printers are even used for large-scale studies; for example, the team recently completed a 1:1000 scale cityscape model of East London, reconstructing a kilometer of the city by printing 850 buildings, precisely positioned on a one-square-meter base.
3D printing allowed this large-scale research model to be completed in just two weeks at a cost of £2,000 (approximately NT$80,000).
Just a few years ago, Paul had to commission other suppliers to build such models out of wood, which typically cost £20,000 (approximately NT$800,000) and took six weeks to complete. Now, with just a set of Ultimaker 2+ and Ultimaker 3 printers, Paul's team can produce hundreds of individual architectural structures in two days. And the cost? Just $2,000 (approximately NT$60,000) for labor and materials, completed in just two weeks. While a 90% savings in time and cost would be a game-changer for most businesses in terms of ROI, Paul believes this is just one of the biggest benefits. For him, the true value of using 3D printing for models encompasses many more aspects.
Designers used 3D printed models to reshape the West End landmark: LSQ London, while preserving its original appearance.
Through an elegant curved roof, Make Architects discovered the potential of the site, earning them the Structural Steel Design Award in 2017.
• Supporting the Studio's Culture
Ultimaker printers play a vital role in Make's studio, where every employee is instructed on how to use the model room's 3D printers and build their own designs. Paul says, "This wouldn't be possible without Ultimaker's user-friendly operating system; the entire system of Ultimaker Cura and the printers allows anyone to print 3D designs. Using preset material profiles and files, the simple production process is undoubtedly a major advantage." This is extremely helpful for designers, as they can quickly print, modify, and replace 3D models to test site limitations and bring concepts to life.
Using 3D printed models allows for visualizing actual results and fine-tuning the structural aesthetics of buildings.
Designers, architects, and clients can make important creative decisions based on accurate and cost-effective models.
To achieve this, designers print rough "3D sketches" to explore the aesthetic limits of space. Scale, volume, mass, proportion, and orientation are all important variables during exploration. When designing the optimal building for a site, they need rigorous consideration; then each structure is checked against the surrounding urban landscape to ensure the outcome is harmonious with the environment, adaptable to human activity, and even casts the correct shadows.
Paul explains that the same experience cannot be achieved on a 2D computer screen; printing conceptual models in 3D allows everyone—from architects to clients—to directly observe, replace models, and directly experience the building.
3D printing applied to conceptual samples and showcasing post-processed models has become an indispensable part of Make's design development. Almost every year, there are nominated projects—some of which continue to win awards; for example, their St James's Market design recently won the 2018 RIBA London Award.
• Globally Connected Digital Productivity
With cross-timezone studios in Sydney and Hong Kong, Make's 3D printing workflow can operate 24/7, increasing productivity; global teams can assist with 3D design right up to deadlines. Paul adds, "There's a lot of throughput between offices; we might set up files in London and print in Sydney or Hong Kong. It's an integrated operation, not a lone studio."
Make architects use their 14 Ultimaker 3D printers to create 3D models and research site constraints.
Ultimaker Cura's simple yet powerful interface allows every employee to participate in Make's 3D printing.
Over the years, model making has become increasingly reliant on Ultimaker printers. After their first two printers became popular with colleagues in 2014, Paul quickly expanded to four, then eight, and now has 14 printers, allowing the team to create various model projects. Paul says, "When using multiple Ultimaker 3 printers, Cura Connect makes it easy to track printers and their status. I even log into the network from home and check print progress from there."
• Consistent Awards Through 3D Printing
With 3D printing now embedded in the workflow, Ultimaker printers have become an effective tool for the team; through this technology combined with spray painting and laser cutting, Paul's team focuses valuable time and attention on the overall presentation of models. Currently, 14 printers meet their needs. But Paul says, "If we need 100 Ultimakers in the future, we will undoubtedly set up 100."
To learn more about how 3D printing can benefit your work, you can refer to our other articles for more information; or if you already have a great idea, we also provide excellent printing services. In the future, we will continue to share various manufacturing methods and information related to the latest technology, so please stay tuned.
Original link: https://ultimaker.com/en/stories/52690-make-architects-from-3d-print-to-award-winning-building