Timeless and functional, expressive and forward-looking: the parallels between the historical Bauhaus movement and the 3D printing concept of the Dutch company Aectual are unmistakable. It is therefore only logical that Aectual has teamed up with DUS Architects in the Bauhaus year of 2019 to design and print the TINY (BAU)HAUS. With a clear design language, it impressively demonstrates which new approaches can be taken for a mass-produced yet individually customised building. 3D printing is democratising the use of design in building homes as well as interior design.
Unconditionally modern: this is the thinking behind everything that Aectual develops. Elegant, clear lines in unusual patterns – printed in one piece with the Aectual printer – structure terrazzo floors, facade elements and wall panels. Aectual is a technology company with aspirations in design. This is how for BMW World, the renowned Milan-based Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola has created a «sporty» 320-square-metre floor consisting of white printed lines and a green marble panel that consciously combines tradition and technological innovation. With Aectual, anyone can become a designer. All personal ideas can easily be implemented, and exclusive rooms can be created to suit every person and every brand: take ethereally radiant, bright white structures as an example. And this is all carried out through careful use of natural resources. Aectual design is a new avant-garde in that it’s customisable, sustainable and for everyone to use.
How can building and furnishing once again be rethought? How can everyone take part in innovative design? The solution is simple: 3D printing. The use of this modern technology makes it possible to produce individually adapted, cost-effective floors and walls of any size on demand. Whether in private households, flagship stores or on 900 square metres at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Walls, room dividers, stairs and tables are also possible. Every design idea can be realised: Colours and shapes can be applied indefinitely, while transparent or opaque structures can be selected. Art and technology merge to form an architectural style that, even in its reduced form, creates its own aesthetic. At the same time, Aectual gains good standing on account of its use of 100 per cent recyclable materials and the ability to maintain a sustainable cycle in the production process. Bioplastic or recycled plastic is used; panels that are only in temporary use can be re-melted and processed into new objects. It’s transformation without a guilty conscience. Aectual is the true pioneer in using 3D printing technology for design applications. It proves that this method can be used not only to create the simplest living space, but for stunning high-end solutions as well.
