
In collaboration with the Nova Fundaziun Origen, ETH Zurich has taken a further step towards digital construction processes. As part of the Master of Advanced Studies in Architecture and Digital Fabrication (MAS ETH DFAB), students designed the interior of the temporary installation “Gelateria” in Mulegns, a small town in the canton of Graubünden. The structure combines classic architectural elements with modern manufacturing methods and focuses on sustainable material strategies.
The project combines an external load-bearing structure made of reused solid wood with a colorful, robotically manufactured interior made of recycled plastic. The timber construction is formally based on a historic barn that once stood on the same site. The prefabricated timber elements were processed in a nearby factory and assembled into a faceted structure with origami-like geometry. The translucent outer skin made of foil allows light to enter and at the same time makes the complex internal structure visible.
The central element is a dome-like construction made from recycled PETG, manufactured using a specially adapted large-scale extrusion process called “Hollow-Core”. This technique was originally developed for façade elements and further developed for the Gelateria project in the Robotic Fabrication Lab at ETH Zurich. By reducing the geometric resolution, it was possible to increase the printing speed and save material at the same time. Despite an area of over 250 square meters, the total weight remains under one ton.
The Gelateria can be completely dismantled and is designed to be recyclable: the wood and plastic can be dismantled separately and the plastic can be reused. The project illustrates how digital design and production methods not only enable design diversity, but also promote sustainable construction principles.
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