Fabrication and durability testing of a 3D printed facade for desert climates

The use of 3D printing in architecture has grown tremendously over the last decade thanks to its strong reputation as a versatile, cheap and fast technology. However, its ability to maintain its initial performances over time cannot be taken for granted. Its durability, in fact, depends on several factors (above all design accuracy, quality of materials and environmental aggressiveness), which may lead or contribute to rapid performance decay over time. With this in mind, the paper describes the design-to-production process for a facade shading system using additive manufacturing and the associated testing campaign to assess the feasibility of the design and durability of materials. The aim of the project was to create a second skin for an overlay pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai with a facade design that evokes desert dunes. Horizontal lamellas, with a complex curved geometry, were generated using computational design optimised for additive manufacturing. In order to select the most suitable 3D-printable material, tests were conducted on different polymers in a climatic chamber at Politecnico di Milano to monitor material performances over time at high temperatures such as the ones in Dubai. The data gathered from these tests was crucial to the correct design of the facade manufacturing process.