electronic displays showing timetables for the city’s 38 tram routes is visible on the tram stop
Photography by Tomáš Hejzlar.

So Concrete Builds a Sustainable Transit Stop in Prague

Employing robotic fabrication and a super-strong mix of the material it’s titled after, So Concrete has built a sturdy and sustainable transit stop in Prague.

After being awarded a commission by the city of Prague to design the Výstaviště tram stop from 3-D printed ultra-high-performance concrete, local multi­disciplinary studio So Concrete enhanced an initial AI rendering with a 1:50 scale model of the structure’s canopy.

How So Concrete Built a Sustainable Tram Stop

a 1:50 scale model of the tram stop structure’s canopy
Image courtesy of So Concrete.

In conjunction with engineering consultant Stráský, Hustý, a more detailed rendering was made with Rhinoceros.

a more detailed rendering of the tram stop
Image courtesy of So Concrete.

Another rendering examines the three columns supporting the canopy and bench to determine the least amount of steel needed, thereby reducing the project’s energy use.

a rendering examining the three columns supporting the canopy and bench
Image courtesy of So Concrete.

Trajectories of a six-axis robotic arm were mapped out before the 3-D printing process, which resulted in a compression strength five times that of regular concrete.

a six-axis robotic arm
Image courtesy of So Concrete.

A ma­terial specialist at So Concrete prepared the UHPC, modified to ensure optimal printing for the canopy and bench, which were both printed in six pieces before being assembled on-site.

a ma­terial specialist at So Concrete preparing the UHPC
Image courtesy of So Concrete.

The Stats

  • 10 engineers, designers, concrete technologists, and robot operators led by robotic engineer Dimitry Nikitin and designer Záviš Unzeitig
  • 36 hours to 3-D print the basic structure
  • 26 foot canopy length
  • 15 days of installation
  • 60% of comparable material saved

The base of the tram stop, which is located in the art-centric Prague 7 district, is UHPC that has been robotically milled with graceful arches.

The base of the tram sto
Photography by Tomáš Hejzlar.

Panels of laser-etched Plexiglas form the backrest for the bench and cap the 9-foot-high canopy, both of which are made of tinted, 3-D printed UHPC that’s been robotically cut.

Panels of laser-etched Plexiglas form the backrest for the bench
Photography by Tomáš Hejzlar.

Furthering the project’s sustainability, electronic displays showing timetables for the city’s 38 tram routes are solar-powered, all helping to encourage the use of public transportation instead of cars.

electronic displays showing timetables for the city’s 38 tram routes is visible on the tram stop
Photography by Tomáš Hejzlar.

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