Article:

The use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) for the production of architecturalcomponents has more and more examples attesting the possibilities and theadvantages of its application. At the same time we seen a fast grow of the usageof ceramic materials to produce fully customised architectural components usingLayer Deposition Modelling (LDM) [1] techniques. However, the use of thismaterial, as paste, leads to a series of constraints relative to its behaviour whenin the viscous state, but also in the drying and firing stages. Thus, when ceramicdries, the retraction effects may be a barrier to the regular use of this material tobuild future architectural systems. In this sense, it is important to study thematerial behaviour and know how to control and use it as a primary constructionmaterial. To do that we present the challenges and outcomes of projectHexashade, a ceramic vault shading system prototype whose geometry andinternal structure is defined according to the solar incidence. This paper explainhow we expect to build a real scale self-supporting prototype.