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Short Bio: Manuel Jiménez García is the co-founder and CEO of the robotic 3d printing and design brand Nagami, based in Avila, Spain, co-founder of Automated Architecture Ltd (AuAr), a design-tech for robotically assembled housing based in London, and founder and principal of madMdesign, a computational design practice based in London. For more than a decade, Manuel has developed a large variety of projects focusing on computational design, automation and sustainable building methods, especially large-scale 3dprinting with recycled plastics. His work is part of the permanent collection of Centre Pompidou (Paris), and has been exhibited worldwide in venues such as Victoria & Albert Museum (London) Canada´s Design Museum (Toronto), The Design Museum (London), Royal Academy of Arts (London), Zaha Hadid Design Gallery (London) and Philadelphia Museum of Art. Alongside his practice, Manuel is an Associate Professor in Architecture at The Bartlett School of Architecture UCL (London). He is programme director of MSc/MRes Architectural Computation (AC), and unit master of AD-RC4. Both part of The Bartlett B-Pro; in addition, he is also co-founder of UCL AUAR Labs and curator of Plexus, a multidisciplinary lecture series based on computational design.

Presentation: Rethinking Architectural Elements: 3D Printing at Nagami 

This lecture explores how Nagami uses large-format robotic 3D printing with recycled plastics to rethink the elements that shape our buildings. Starting with familiar, often overlooked objects - a door, a toilet, a partition - it asks how their design might move beyond established conventions to offer new forms of architectural expression. Through selected projects and experiments, the lecture examines how material, fabrication, and form develop together. The texture of a printed surface, the movement of a contour, or the way an element meets the body can transform an everyday object into a meaningful part of the experience of a building. Drawing on Nagami’s practical experience, the lecture reflects on the possibilities and challenges of this approach, and its implications for architecture and construction. It presents Additive Manufacturing as an opportunity to reconsider the character of architectural elements, the value of recycled materials, and the ways we inhabit and experience space. 

About Nagami: Nagami is a design brand and manufacturing studio exploring new possibilities for architecture through robotic 3D printing with recycled plastics. Its work spans furniture, interior design, and architectural solutions, with collaborations including Zaha Hadid Architects, Ross Lovegrove, Karim Rashid, the Norman Foster Foundation, and many others. Nagami’s work is part of the permanent collection of the Centre Pompidou in Paris and has been exhibited internationally, including at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Design Museum in London, the Venice Architecture Biennale, and Milan Design Week.

Short Bio: Michael Osswald is Managing Director of Rupp Gebäudedruck GmbH and an experienced expert in 3D construction printing. With a background in mechanical engineering and project management, he spent several years at PERI, where he worked on bringing 3D concrete printing from innovative technology to real-world construction applications. Today, he combines engineering expertise, hands-on construction experience and entrepreneurial drive to advance the future of automated and additive construction.

Presentation: 3D construction printing: From Proof of Concept to a Viable Construction Method

Challenges and Practical Experiences on the Path to Everyday Construction Practice

The future of 3D construction printing depends on the efficiency of the entire construction process.

3D construction printing has long since delivered the proof of concept: Buildings can be produced automatically, layer by layer, using concrete. The key question today is no longer whether the technology works, but how it can become a cost-effective and scalable construction method.

Drawing on concrete real-world experience, this presentation highlights the key factors driving this development. The focus is not solely on print speed and material consumption, but on examining the entire construction process: from planning and permitting through material and machine technology to the integration of windows, building services, ceilings, and subsequent trades.

Practical examples demonstrate where 3D construction printing can already deliver benefits today, which interfaces continue to cause delays and cost overruns, and why standardization, process integration, and repeatability are particularly crucial for the cost-effective deployment of the technology.

Short Bio:  Architect with over 20 years of experience at TAKENAKA Corporation (Japan) and TAKENAKA Europe.

Experienced in a wide range of projects, from small-scale timber structures to large multi-story office buildings.

In addition to architectural practice on Earth, serves as a leader of the Space Architecture Task Force at TAKENAKA, promoting the development of architecture for future space environments.

Presentation: Large WAAM furniture “Hagoromo Bench”

This presentation introduces the Hagoromo Bench, a large-scale stainless-steel furniture installation developed by Takenaka Corporation using robotic metal additive manufacturing technology. The project explores how digital design, parametric modeling, structural analysis, and Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) can be integrated to create highly customized architectural elements with forms that would be difficult to achieve through conventional fabrication methods. The bench was designed as a continuous organic surface that supports various postures and interactions, demonstrating the potential of computational design and large-scale metal 3D printing in architectural applications. Sho Tanaka will also highlight key design and fabrication challenges encountered during production and the opportunities that additive manufacturing offers for future architecture and construction. The session concludes with an overview of Takenaka Corporation’s ongoing research into lunar architecture, where additive manufacturing is expected to play a critical role in the design and construction of future habitats on the moon.

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Register now for free access to the recording of our Technology Talk and gain valuable insights from industry experts.

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The Technology Talk on mechanical and plant engineering was sponsored by Xometry.