EN
3D printed staircases
of every shape
Scawo is a patented innovation for customising concrete staircases from prefabricated formwork. Developed using the latest 3D print technologies, Scawo3d allows us to tailor each staircase to the client’s individual needs.
Our company has been manufacturing innovative formworks for reinforced concrete staircases for more than 10 years. Under the working title "Scawo" (short for "Scale Wohlgemuth", after the inventor and company owner), the digital planning as well as production of CNC-milled and coated EPS lightweight lost formworks was patented in 2015 and successfully applied in countless projects.
After milling, the Scawo formwork was joined into assemblies, coated and delivered to the construction site. Once assembled, the steel reinforcement was inserted and the entire formwork was filled with concrete. The result was a reinforced concrete staircases, producible in any shape, which enabled a quick and easy assembly.
In order to continue to meet the requirements for fire protection and current trends in the construction industry, we started looking for ways to print staircase formworks in the same material with which it they are cast – concrete. In 2021, we came closer to this goal and were able to successfully use the world's first print head for 3D-printed cement paste using Selective Paste Intrusion (SPI). Eversince, we are able to print any shape of staircase as lost formwork in 3D concrete.
Staircase G. is the first project to be realised using the Selective Paste Intrusion (SPI) method. As the central architectural element of a private house on Lake Garda, the staircase extends over two storeys and a total height of ten metres. The 3D-printed core of lost formworks allows the steps to cantilever from it, thus separating them from the surrounding interior walls and enabling a crucial separation for sound insulation.
The load-bearing element of the staircase consists of 18 SPI-printed boxes that act as lost formwork. Weight optimisation to reduce the material used and assembly aids in the form of recesses for inserting the steel steps were already included during the planning stage. On the construction site, the steps were simply placed in the inserts provided in the respective formwork element. The individual elements together with the steps were then placed on top of each other, reinforced and cast at the same time.
This modular construction method allows for staircases to be installed in a short amount of time and offers many aesthetic and technical options for the design of the staircase and its separation from the surrounding building for enhanced sound insulation.
Location: Salò, IT
Status: completed
Year: 2022
Design / CAD modelling: Skeno
Location: Flair Fashion, Bressanone, IT
Status: completed
Year: 2023
Architecture: Assaggio
CAD modelling: SCAWO3D
Photos: Argento Artistry (1-4)