Tutor : Marirena Kladeftira

Computation offers new possibilities of design for building components, however existing methods of steel additive manufacturing have major limitations. The motivation is to overcome those by examining a new fabrication method of steel-gel casting in FDM formwork.

The thesis develops a design language for the investigated process and demonstrates its potential in a design study of a prototypical steel component, embedding the functions of structural connection, integrated lightning and ornament.

The entire manufacturing chain was set up and discovered, the shape definition followed by the digital mold making; the formwork 3d printing and steel gel-casting.

The result of the thesis is a prototypical steel component, which is a combination of a functional element and a sculptural object, inspired and informed by the manufacturing method.