Gate Precast Turns to 3D-Printed Forms For Sugar Crystal Facade

A towering mixed-use structure with a unique façade in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood has not only changed the New York City skyline, but has shown the transformative possibilities of 3D-printed concrete formwork.

Thanks to a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, Jacksonville, Fla.-based Gate Precast Co. was able to bring the intricate design of One South First’s “sugar crystal” exterior to life as well as provide a major step forward for architectural precast.

Designed by Manhattan-based COOKFOX Architects, the 45-story building sits on the edge of the East River and features interlocking towers that seamlessly integrate residential, retail, and office spaces together. One South First is located at the northern end of developer Two Trees Management Co.’s redevelopment plan of the Domino Sugar refinery site, and is the third project to open after mixed-use 325 Kent (2017) and the six-acre Domino Park (2018).