Holcim constructs Switzerland’s first onsite 3D printed building
The showroom for Kobelt AG spans 150m² and features 3D printed walls that reach a height of 6.2m
Holcim, a concrete 3D printing company, has completed Switzerland’s first onsite 3D printed building – a showroom for Kobelt AG, a company renowned for its construction and renovation services since 1964. Kobelt AG, facing space limitations in their current offices, sought an innovative solution and turned to Holcim’s cutting-edge 3D construction printing technology – marking a significant shift for the company, which is traditionally known for wood constructions
To bring this project to life, Holcim partnered with PERI 3D Construction and utilized a BOD2 3D construction printer from COBOD, with both PERI and COBOD holding minority stakes in the project.
The newly designed showroom spans 150m² and features 3D printed walls that reach a height of 6.2m. The construction was completed in just 55 hours over eight days – showcasing a speed unattainable with conventional building methods, especially for structures with curved walls.
“We printed the showroom in eight printing days with a total of 60m³ of concrete. There were several challenges, but these learnings will help us improve our workflow for future projects. A special thanks to everyone who helped us and supported us. Also, a big thanks to Kobelt AG for their trust in us to print the first onsite building in Switzerland,” said Kevin Böhlen, Project Manager at Holcim Switzerland.
The showroom’s minimalist interior design seamlessly blends wood with the unique 3D printed concrete walls. It includes functional zones such as meeting areas, sample displays, a children’s corner, a coffee kitchen, and a separate meeting room accessible via a rounded staircase.
“We congratulate Holcim on the development of the new 3D printable real concrete. For long we have been advocating printing with real concrete and not mortars, as the printing with mortars leads to use of more cement, higher CO2 emissions and costs. We need to lower the CO2 footprint of the construction sector, and this we can achieve by 3D printing material efficient design with real concrete, not mortars,” said Henrik Lund-Nielsen, Founder and General Manager of COBOD.
