Designed by architect Fletcher Priest, the building at 6 Bevis Marks is a 16 story structure crowned by an enormous glass-covered courtyard. To support this dome, the architects at Fletcher Priest created a series of 8 unique tree-like columns that sprout from the courtyard floor and branch out to beams supporting the glass above.
Because of their unique branching structure, advanced construction techniques were going to be needed to build the nodes that hide the bolted connection points for each of the columns branches. At first Skanska engineers envisioned the columns’ nodes being constructed from cast steel. However, since that process would require 8 separate casts, each of which would only ever produce 1 node, the engineers decided to scrap that plan and went looking for another method of production.
That’s when they came across SLS printing.
In a process that took nearly 3 weeks, engineers created each of the nodes for the columns of the Bevis Marks’ courtyard by printing them in sections and then joining them as they were mounted on the column.
“We’re very excited by [using 3D printing] – it’s the first time the company has used the technique,” said Skanska project manager Jonathan Inman. “[And] we’re currently talking to other clients about other opportunities for 3D printing.”
While architects have been intrigued with the possibility of using 3D printing to create both aesthetic and structural components, Fletcher Priests project might be the high-profile case study that pushes printing to the fore in this innovative industry.
Image Courtesy of CIOB