The Living Prototypes exhibition was the culmination of the Living Prototypes research project - a collaboration between CITA, the ANCB The Aedes Metropolitan Laboratory in Berlin and two further European research teams. The project aim was to conceive, design, manufacture and present resource-efficient prototypes for living spaces, using digital fabrication techniques and biobased materials. By demonstrating real spatial proposals, it was intended that these prototypes would stimulate public interest, and by demonstrating feasibility, would create momentum and build confidence and experience in the construction industry.

The main objective of the Living Prototypes project was to demonstrate and communicate the added value of biomaterials and digital fabrication for architectural practice in terms of design potential and resource-efficient building, by making this tangible and experienceable.

CITA contributed with project management, the establishment of a theoretical foundation and projects. Here especially the scaling up 3D printing to building element scale. This took place in the example of cellulose biopolymer 3D printing with industry partner COBOD A/S and the Radicant demonstrator.

Living prototypes was exhibited at AEDES Gallery in Berlin from 10 Dec 2022 - 25 Jan 2023

Team: Martin Tamke, Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen, Paul Nicholas, Gabriella Rossi, Ayoub Lharchi, Hasti Valipour Goudarzi, Carl Eppinger, Konrad Sonne,Tim Marvin Bruder

Collaborators: COBOD International A/S, | Denmark, ITKE - Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design, University of Stuttgart | Germany, FibR GmbH, Kernen| Germany, IAAC - Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Barcelona | Spain, WASP, Massa Lombarda | Italy, ANCB - The Aedes Metropolitan Laboratory, Berlin | Germany