Polyhedral Structures Lab

ARCH 7040 Systems of Additive Assembly Research Studio Final Models Instructor: Masoud Akbarzadeh @masoudakbarzadeh Teaching Assistant: Yefan Zhi @yefan_zhi P1-3: Xiyan Li, Keke Liu P4-6: Hunter Gutt, Colby Cox P7-9: Gyo Hwang #architecture #prefabconcrete #weitzmanschool #weitzmanarch

ARCH 7040 Systems of Additive Assembly Research Studio Final Models Instructor: Masoud Akbarzadeh @masoudakbarzadeh Teaching Assistant: Yefan Zhi @yefan_zhi P1-3: Yilun Jin, Jiapeng Sun P4-6: Tom Yang, Mu Cao #architecture #prefabconcrete #weitzmanschool #weitzmanarch

Final review of ARCH 7040 Prefab, 3D Printed Mid Rise next Tuesday #architecture #weitzmanarch #3dprinting #concreteprinting

ARCH 7040 Prefab, 3D Printed Mid Rise Research Studio Midterm Models Instructor: Masoud Akbarzadeh @masoudakbarzadeh Teaching Assistant: Yefan Zhi @yefan_zhi P1-4: Yilun Jin, Jiapeng Sun P5-7: Gyo Hwang P8-10: Xiyan Li, Koko Liu Scaled fabrication models printed using concrete printing toolpaths. #architecture #prefabconcrete #weitzmanschool #weitzmanarch

ARCH 7040 Prefab, 3D Printed Mid Rise Research Studio Midterm Models Instructor: Masoud Akbarzadeh @masoudakbarzadeh Teaching Assistant: Yefan Zhi @yefan_zhi P1-4: Tom Yang, Mu Cao P5-7: Colby Cox, Hunter Gutt Scaled fabrication models printed using concrete printing toolpaths. #architecture #prefabconcrete #weitzmanschool #weitzmanarch

I was fortunate to have the opportunity of teaching a workshop focusing on 3D printing and graphic statics at the University of Calgary's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) this month. The 5-day workshop, part of SAPL’s Block Week, is titled Design and Optimization for Architectural 3D Concrete Printing. Students were exposed to the geometric structural form-finding method of polyhedral graphic statics and the concrete printing slicing and optimization framework. Through the Polyhedral Structures Laboratory-developed software PolyFrame 2 and Ovenbird, students were able to design innovative structures for cross-scale printing. Many thanks to my Teaching Assistant @mahdiyar.esmailbeigi , @ali_nv for the invitation, and @gegardner for the coordination. Workshop results: sign.upenn.edu/taylor-workshop-at-the-university-of-calgary2026/ #concrete #concreteprinting #3dprinting #ucalgary

[SmartConcrete] En #HormigónalDía, podrán conocer más sobre "Diamanti", una metodología que combina #hormigón impreso 3D, #construcción #modular, #diseño digital optimizado y #postensado para desarrollar elementos estructuralmente eficientes, con montaje en seco y potencial de desmontaje y reciclaje al final de su vida útil. El enfoque, desarrollado por Vertico en conjunto con investigadores del Laboratorio de Estructuras Poliédricas de la Universidad de Pennsylvania, incorpora además criterios de #sostenibilidad. . ¿Quieren conocer más detalles sobre esta nueva propuesta? Los invitamos a que revisen el artículo completo en #HormigónalDía, AQUÍ ▶️▶️ https://f.mtr.cool/fytarenquv . . #HormigónalDía #HAD #smartconcrete #diamanti #diamantibridge #3dprintedconcrete

Closing out 2025 with the opening of our multifunctional, dual-banded post-tensioned, 3D-printed, carbon-absorbing modular concrete floor structure! Excited to continue building.

Very pleased with the result of this wonderful collaboration with @detailmagazine and @edition.detail in documenting almost a decade of work in the design of architectural structures with the emphasis of using geometry-based method of polyhedral graphic statics and innovative use of materials, details and fabrication techniques. The first edition is already sold out! :) @edition.detail @detailmagazine @weitzman_arch @weitzman_school @dezeen @thepaacademy @archdaily @larsmullerpublishers @mitpressbookstore @arch.ethz @ethzarchitecture

Congratulations to the faculty and student researchers behind the 3D-printed High-Performance Concrete Pavilion. Last week, a full-scale prototype was unveiled during an event presented by the Office of the Dean as part of the Weitzman Innovation Showcase. The pavilion has been the effort of a multidisciplinary team from the Weitzman School of Design and Penn Engineering, led by associate professor of architecture Masoud Akbazadeh, in collaboration with industry partner SIKA US. The structure integrates a geometry-based efficiency, digital fabrication, and modular dual-banded post-tensioning to substantially reduce material demand and embodied carbon. The system is remarkably lightweight and produced with a carbon-absorbing concrete formulation. Masoud presented the structural and design principles of the system. Shu Yang, the Joseph Bordogna Professor of Engineering and Applied Science and Chair of the Materials Science and Engineering, discussed the development of the carbon-absorbing concrete for 3D printing. Dorit Aviv, assistant professor of architecture and director of the Thermal Architecture Lab, followed with her presentation on the structure’s thermal performance. Lastly, Ryan Welch, principal and research director at KieranTimberlake Architects, explained how Life Cycle Assessment confirms the system’s potential to achieve carbon-negative building structures. @weitzman_arch @weitzman_school @masoudakbarzadeh @polyhedralstructureslab @thermal_architecture_lab @kierantimberlake @sikausa #weitzmanschoolofdesign #weitzmanarchitecture #penndesign #upenn #universityofpennsylvania #architecture

We're honored to have been part of last week's unveiling at Penn's Weitzman School of Design—a milestone that represents two years of groundbreaking collaboration on carbon-negative concrete construction. Principal and Research Director Ryan Welch joined an exceptional multidisciplinary team led by Masoud Akbarzadeh (Polyhedral Structures Laboratory), Shu Yang (Materials Science and Engineering), and Dorit Aviv (Thermal Architecture Lab), to present a revolutionary building system that addresses one of construction's most pressing challenges. Concrete accounts for roughly 8% of global carbon emissions, yet it remains essential to modern construction. This project demonstrates that we can radically transform its environmental impact through integrated innovation—combining 3D-printed lightweight structures, carbon-absorbing concrete formulations, and rigorous thermal performance optimization. Ryan's presentation focused on how Life Cycle Assessment validates the system's potential to achieve truly carbon-negative outcomes. As the lead developer of Tally LCA, he brought critical embodied and operational carbon accounting expertise to help prove that sustainable, high-performance structures at scale are not just possible—they're within reach. The event concluded with a tour of a full-scale prototype, making the research tangible and real. This kind of cross-disciplinary partnership between academia, industry, and practice is essential to advancing climate solutions in the built environment. Congratulations to the entire team on this important work, and thank you to Penn's Weitzman School for bringing us together through the Weitzman Innovation Showcase.

✨ What a journey ✨ Last Sunday, we wrapped up the seventh edition of #TimeSpaceExistence, and looking back on these past months fills us with immense gratitude and pride. This year’s architecture biennial exhibition brought together a global community and achieved remarkable results: ▫️ 207 projects exhibited ▫️ 52 countries represented ▫️ Nearly 370,000 visitors over six months ▫️ +20,000 attendees compared to the 2023 edition ▫️ 15% average growth across ECC’s social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube) ▫️ Over 137,500 website visits Media Partnerships with @archdaily , @thearchitecturalreview , @designboom , @stir_world , @domusweb , @platformarchitecture , and @venezia_news Media coverage from AD Italia, The Architects’ Journal, Dezeen, Frame, Interni, Living Corriere, Wallpaper* and more Thank you to all the architects, designers, institutions, and artists who brought this exhibition to life. Your ideas, voices, and presence transformed our spaces into a vibrant platform for dialogue and imagination. A heartfelt thank you also goes to our wine sponsors @borgodus e @colle_regina for the Closing Event, whose generous support helped us celebrate this edition with a truly special moment of community. A special thanks to the incredible teams at ECC Italy, your dedication and passion made everything possible. As we close the doors, we carry with us the energy of these moments and the inspiration shared along the way. We can’t wait to return in 2026 with our biennial art exhibition #PersonalStructures new ideas, new perspectives, and even more conversations. @racheledst @luped @sasaradani @vesperferaud @bianchibenedetta_ @elidallanoce @nena_volpato @hadi_elhage @chiara_dallarosa #ECCItaly