Daytime rendering of AETHERIUS in a natural setting

AETHERIUS – A modular pavilion 3D-printed using recycled stone aggregates

An organic structure in which additive manufacturing transforms waste from the stone industry into architecture for the city.

2024 · Puglia · Pavilion · 3D Printed Design

When waste becomes structure

AETHERIUS stems from a desire to demonstrate that architectural 3D printing can generate forms of great geometric complexity using materials with a low environmental impact. The pavilion is conceived as a modular structure printed by extrusion, whose mortar is composed of marble dust, stone and aggregates recovered from the stone industry. This approach tackles two issues simultaneously: the search for new applications for additive manufacturing on an architectural scale and the reuse of industrial waste that would otherwise end up in landfill.

The design challenge lay in reconciling an organic, fluid morphology (inspired by natural forms) with the technical constraints of the extrusion process. Each module had to be printable as a standalone unit and assembled sequentially, ensuring structural continuity and formal coherence. The large openings at the top are not an aesthetic gesture but a deliberate strategy: they allow natural overhead light and natural ventilation to enter, reducing the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning.

The most distinctive feature of AETHERIUS is the three-dimensional texture of the soffit, generated directly by the printing process. Rather than concealing the traces of additive manufacturing, the design transforms them into a spatial quality: the 3D-printed layers are enhanced by the interplay between natural light and the sinuous three-dimensionality of the structure. The integration of trees into the structure (which grow through the upper openings) dissolves the boundary between architecture and landscape, making the pavilion a hybrid organism between the built and the natural.

The project has been developed in collaboration with B&Y Srl and is conceived as a replicable prototype: the modularity of the system allows the configuration to be adapted to different contexts, from temporary installations to permanent public spaces. AETHERIUS demonstrates that 3D printing is not merely an alternative construction technique, but a design paradigm that allows for the simultaneous rethinking of form, material and process.

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Technical specifications

Year: 2024
Client: B&Y Ltd (in collaboration with)
Typology: Modular pavilion
Status: Concept
Designers: Maurizio Barberio, Micaela Colella (Barberio Colella Architects)
Contributors: B&Y Ltd
Main materials: 3D-printed mortar made from marble dust, stone and recycled stone aggregates

How can an architectural structure with organic geometries be created using recycled materials?

Those who design pavilions or temporary structures often find themselves at a crossroads: choosing simple, cost-effective forms that lack identity, or complex geometries that come with high costs and waste. Additive manufacturing opens up a third way, but most architectural 3D printing projects use conventional cementitious mortars, shifting the problem without solving it. AETHERIUS demonstrates that it is possible to print structures of great formal complexity using recycled stone aggregates (marble dust and stone dust that would otherwise be waste) transforming an environmental problem into a design resource.

Frequently Asked Questions

Extrusion-based 3D printing deposits successive layers of mortar through a nozzle controlled by a robotic arm or a Cartesian gantry. Each layer solidifies and supports the next, allowing complex shapes to be built without formwork. In AETHERIUS, the mortar consists of marble dust, stone powders, and aggregates recovered from the stone industry, mixed with binders that ensure structural strength. The process enables the production of modules with organic geometries and surface textures that would be impossible or uneconomical using traditional methods.

Waste from the stone industry (marble dust, granite and travertine powders) are among the most promising materials for architectural 3D printing. Reduced to fine aggregates, they can be incorporated into printable mortars that retain good mechanical properties and a natural material appearance. The advantage is twofold: it reduces material procurement costs and avoids the disposal of tonnes of processing waste in landfill. AETHERIUS uses precisely this type of mortar, demonstrating that material recovery does not compromise the quality or complexity of the final result.

The structural safety of a 3D-printed component depends on three factors: the mortar formulation (compressive and tensile strength), the component’s geometry (topological optimisation) and the printing process (inter-layer adhesion, absence of defects). In AETHERIUS, the organic form is not random: it is designed to distribute loads efficiently through double-curved surfaces, which function as structural shells. Furthermore, during the detailed design phase, each module is verified using finite element analysis prior to printing.

The cost of a 3D-printed structure depends on the scale, geometric complexity and technology used. For complex geometries such as those of AETHERIUS, 3D printing can be more cost-effective than traditional methods because it eliminates the cost of formwork, which for organic double-curved shapes can account for 40–60% of the total cost. The use of recycled stone aggregates further reduces material costs. Fixed set-up costs (robotic arm, calibration) make the technology more cost-effective for series of repeated modules with parametric variations, as in the case of AETHERIUS.

In architectural 3D printing, visible layering can be a flaw (if uncontrolled) or a design quality (if intentional). In any case, the texture of the underside is also carefully designed: the printing parameters (speed, layer height, distance between passes) are calibrated to generate a three-dimensional relief that modulates overhead light and improves the acoustic performance of interior spaces. The texture is not a by-product of the process, but a design objective.

AETHERIUS integrates trees that grow through the structure’s upper openings. This requires a design that takes into account the current and future dimensions of the root system and canopy, additional loads (weight, wind), and water management. The zenithal openings in AETHERIUS are sized to allow the trees to grow whilst simultaneously providing natural light and natural ventilation to the interior spaces. The integration of vegetation and structure is a bioclimatic design principle that improves thermal comfort and air quality. ---

Are you looking into 3D printing for an architectural project?

If you have a concept with complex geometries that need to be translated into printable components, or if you want to understand how additive manufacturing can work with recycled materials, we can assess the feasibility together. BCA designs for 3D printing and coordinates the fabrication process.

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