Brief
Czech Republic-based firm So Concrete has designed a one-of-a-kind ultra-high-performance concrete tram stop with via a robotic 3D printer. The Výstaviště tram stop in Prague resulted in a 60% material reduction, and the technology enabled the basic structure to be completed in 24 hours.
Insight
Technology, aesthetics and sustainability: this is how we can sum up the design for the Výstaviště tram stop, adjacent to the Stromovka park in Prague 7, a progressive, modern and creative district, home to numerous artistic and cultural institutions.
The ideal place to experiment with an innovation in the construction sector, namely robotic 3D printing with high-performance UHPC concrete, creating a tram shelter with a strong visual impact, but with characteristics that save up to 60% in materials, while obtaining excellent performance in economic and sustainability terms.
In addition, the stop is complemented by a bench and information panels, providing a complete solution for the entire space in which it has been inserted.This is the first intervention by the Czech So Concrete firm, which boasts a long experience in robotic construction technologies for urban furniture.
The aim, in fact, was to demonstrate the functionality of this technology and its high aesthetic value. Because one thing is certain: the beauty of street furnishings, and in particular in public transport infrastructure, is an excellent deterrent to vandalism.
The creative process started from nature and from a parametric design, as the location, the shapes of the ribs and the columns of this small architecture all make maximum use of the effectiveness of nature-proven solutions. Záviš Unzeitig, So Concrete designer, explains how the design process works:
“Already during the design phase, the structure is statically analysed, and with the help of topological optimisation, it is then possible to reduce the volume of material used. At the same time, the aesthetic qualities and structural requirements are maintained.
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