Zaha Hadid Architects and Block Research Group unveil world's first 3D-printed concrete footbridge built without any reinforcement

A first-of-its-kind arched masonry footbridge composed of 3D-printed concrete blocks and assembled without mortar or reinforcement is now open in Venice. The project, called Striatus, is being showcased at the public park Giardini della Marinaressa during the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale until November.  Photo: © naaroThe approximately 40-by-52-foot pedestrian bridge was developed through a collaboration between the Block Research Group (BRG) at ETH Zurich and Zaha Hadid Architects Computation and Design Group (ZHACODE), in collaboration with Incremental3D (in3D) and made possible by Holcim. The project combines traditional masonry techniques with advanced computational design, engineering, and robotic manufacturing technologies. It aims to demonstrate an alternative, more sustainable, and ecologically responsible approach to building with concrete.  Photo: © naaroStriatus is composed of a new type of 3D-printed concrete, which the researchers developed together with in3D. In ...