3D Printing of Churches?

3D printing is not your typical technology. It is still in development, but the opportunities are enormous, says James Theimer, principal architect of Trilogy Architects in Redding, Calif., a practice that includes churches as clients.

3D printing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes whereby an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object. Today, material extrusion is the most common 3D printing process.

In general, 3D printing enables creators to produce complex and functional shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

3D printing enables you to produce complex and functional shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

According to Christopher Mims of The Wall Street Journal, “3D printing is now scaling up. All over the world, an impressive diversity of people and organizations, ranging from startups and hobbyists to construction and engineering firms, are successfully prototyping 3D-printed buildings. This technology is still nascent. It isn’t about to disrupt the approximately $10-trillion global construction market. It can’t instantly solve housing crises or radically shrink building costs.”

The benefits—that the technology could save energy, materials and time—are enabling architects to strive for widespread adoption.

Early ramifications for church design

According to Danae Dougherty, managing principal with Visioneering Studios Inc. in Irvine, Calif., “3D is still pretty experimental for architecture and construction. There are prototypes out there but I doubt we will see any of this tech in the non-profit space anytime soon. The cost will be higher to deploy simply because of how new it is. Additionally, the actual time test for this technology hasn’t been met yet – we’d like to see how it performs in real life for the next 10-20 years.”

"3D is still pretty experimental for architecture and construction. There are prototypes out there but I doubt we will see any of this tech in the non-profit space anytime soon." Danae Dougherty, Managing Principal, Visioneering Studios, Irvine, CA

In addition, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Designers use different software, print in different materials, and use different printer technologies.

“The implications are exciting,” Dougherty continues. “3D printing allows for potential benefits in labor and material cost, construction disruption to traffic and surrounding sites, and the ability to duplicate multiple units quickly, if they are all the same prototype design.”

Architects have been experimenting with 3D printing for years but, with the exception of a few very large firms, everything that’s been printed is extremely limited in size, Theimer notes.  And those architecture firms that are experimenting with full-sized buildings are doing so outside the United States. 

3D is beneficial from a construction standpoint because pieces are strong enough to run through a machine, and can be put together eliminating steps such as sanding and painting. There are no limitations on color, and an iconic shape can be directly printed in the material. “3D printing can be built on-site, put in an extruding machine, and it’s complete,” says Theimer.

“3D printing can be built on-site, put in an extruding machine, and it’s complete.” James Theimer, Principal Architect, Trilogy Architects, Redding, CA

So, what is the future for 3D printing when it comes to buildings? It really comes down to scale. Presently, architects use 3D printers to make small-scale models of their buildings, or if they are more inventive – and have access to more expensive machines –  perhaps they are fabricating building components that are non-structural. But when it comes to full-sized buildings, it’s all about proving that it is structurally sound. It has to be tested to meet the requirements of the building code, and that’s no easy matter.

On a small scale, a 3D printer can replicate a simple structure, such as a piece of liturgical furniture, figurines, artwork and small statues. In the immediate future it can create the architectural concept of church spaces, says Ken Smerz, CEO of Eco3d USA, the largest digital as-built service provider in North America.

On a small scale, a 3D printer can replicate a simple structure, such as a piece of liturgical furniture, figurines, artwork and small statues. In the immediate future it can create the architectural concept of church spaces, says Ken Smerz, CEO of Eco3d USA.

In practical application

For now, there are practical ways 3D technology impacts the church space. When a church decides to expand, a 3D miniature model of the plan not only creates excitement among the decision-makers, but with the help of a 3D printer the entire model can be made in-house.

Theimer notes that now designers can download designs and convert them into objects, it’s time for regulation to catch up. And even if that happens, the technology is dramatically changing year by year. There are other challenges, such as sourcing more sustainable materials for use in 3D printers, and providing top-notch infrastructure to connect suppliers and users of digital designs. Also, if something goes wrong with a 3D-based product, who is at fault? The designer, the supplier, the business you purchased from?

Smerz used 3D technology to convert a church in Scottsdale, Ariz., into commercial, office, retail and restaurant space. Called Meetinghouse at 3080, Eco3d virtualized the physical environment of the [church] structure’s interior by digitally documenting it in 3D. Then Eco3d was able to accurately capture measurements of the entire church interior, a crucial factor of the building conversion due to its unique shape, saving time and lowering costs.

Called Meetinghouse at 3080, Eco3d virtualized the physical environment of the [church] structure’s interior by digitally documenting it in 3D.

Given the current limitations with this technology, should architects even care about 3D printing? The answer is a resounding yes, Theimer notes. With today’s technology, designers can already be thinking about how they will be designing in the future. Even at this stage, 3D printing can be used to fabricate small-scale building components that are very complex, and for a fraction of the cost in the labor to make that same part by hand. 

It’s not quite as simple as creating a shape on a computer and pushing a button, but it’s close. As long as it’s not being used for structure, pretty much every finish is fair game for the creative mind. Each year, the speed of fabrication gets faster, the size of the component becomes bigger, and the cost drops lower. 

Each year, the speed of fabrication gets faster, the size of the component becomes bigger, and the cost drops lower. 

The technology is leading design professionals from small objects to bigger pieces, and finally to full-sized buildings, the experts report. It’s only a matter of time where progress is measured in months, not years.

Much like large cement mixer trucks pouring concrete into forms on a building site, the future of 3D printing machines -- extruding building walls, floors, and roofs in a single day -- is not hard to imagine. It will radically change the building industry, and those architects that are learning how to design to this technology today will be the ones that are ready when small models of their buildings suddenly transform to the full-sized version.