Elephants and Ruins — |°

ELEPHANTS AND RUINS

Proposal for a 3D printed concrete temporary pavilion to be placed facing the Valle dei Templi of Agrigento.
The project was born in the context of the candidacy of Agrigento to Capitale Italiana della Cultura for the year 2020.

The research that led to the project of the pavilion within the ruins of the greeks temple starts from the conviction that, in a country where archeology is an important element of the landscape and where the demand for knowledge and accessibility leads to a social, cultural and economic value, the architectural design is the tool to provide responses, also able to interpret the opportunities granted by the regulatory framework to manage the cultural assets. In this way, following a European orientation which has particular application and significant results in some countries, such as Spain, France and Germany, where architecture for archaeology reaches remarkable quality and development, about management of the historical and archaeological heritage, certain but also about landscape and environment.
The design exploits the capabilities of technology D-Shape, that was the first 3D printer in the world capable of manufacturing large objects. The D-Shape brand e the operating technology is owned by Monolite UK, that have developed prototypes into full scale. His research and applications continue to grow, with a variety of construction systems integrating the flexible use of geometry for both structural and non-structural elements, providing architecture with opportunities for experimentation, as in this case. The pavilion is designed to host a collection of statues and greeks artefacts as well as temporary exhibits, a small garden and a bookshop.