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A team of researchers and industry partners have unveiled a new 3D printed bridge design now on display at the European Cultural Centre’s Time Space Existence exhibition in Venice, running from 10 May to 23 November 2025.
Led by Professor Dr. Masoud Akbarzadeh, Founder of the design practice Massive Form, and Director of the Polyhedral Structures Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with Swiss company Sika Group, the project investigates how computational geometry and robotic 3D printing can be applied to concrete construction in ways that improve efficiency, adaptability, and sustainability.
Known as Diamanti, the structure is formed from nine prefabricated concrete segments, each produced with a two-component cementitious mix developed by Sika and printed using a robotic arm. The geometry of each segment includes hollow sections and patterned surfaces that maintain structural integrity while lowering embodied carbon.
The segments are assembled using eight ungrouted steel cables in a post-tensioned system, a method that avoids adhesives and grout, making the entire bridge fully demountable and recyclable.
The novel Diamanti bridge
For this project, two versions of the Diamanti bridge have been constructed to date. The first, a 2.5 m prototype produced by Dutch company Vertico, is the piece on view in Venice. Built in France by Carsey3D, the second extends to 10 m and has undergone testing at a 9 m span, confirming that the system can be scaled for practical use.
Its structural logic is shaped by Polyhedral Graphic Statics (PGS), a method that maps the flow of compressive and tensile forces through a polyhedral framework. This approach results in segments with diamond-shaped anticlastic surfaces, which provide stiffness, distribute loads more effectively, and cut concrete use without sacrificing strength.
Although the display model has a depth of just 26 cm, the same principles can be applied to much longer spans. The modular format is intended to limit waste during production, ease transportation of components, and make dismantling straightforward when the bridge reaches the end of its service life.
According to designboom, work on the bridge brought together expertise from several fields. Post-tensioning systems engineering firm AEVIA supplied the post-tensioning system, researchers at City College of New York (CCNY) and Villanova University carried out independent structural analysis, and the Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches de l’Industrie du Béton (CERIB) institute in France conducted load testing.
Together, these contributions have turned Diamanti into a working prototype for low-carbon, demountable infrastructure, linking computational design with new materials and additive manufacturing.
3D printed bridges expand worldwide
Additive manufacturing is being adopted worldwide in bridge building, viaducts, and other civil engineering projects for its capacity to improve material efficiency while reducing costs and construction time.
In line with this, a 15.25 m 3D printed pedestrian bridge was unveiled in China through a partnership between Shanghai Mechanized Construction Group Co. and filament manufacturer Polymaker. Designed to demonstrate pollution-free building methods and the integration of “smart” technologies, the project reflected how additive manufacturing was being applied to public infrastructure.
In the Netherlands, global nutritional science and materials company DSM took part in building a 3D printed footbridge in Rotterdam’s Kralingse Bos park using recyclable source materials. The installation was notable for being the first to incorporate fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, expanding the scope of materials used in bridge construction.
Paris also saw advances in large-scale printed infrastructure. A consortium featuring 3D printing firm XtreeE secured a contract to design and build a 40 m 3D printed pedestrian bridge from structural concrete in preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games, signaling growing acceptance of the technology in high-profile urban projects.
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Featured image shows AI-generated image of the low carbon 3D printed Diamanti bridge. Image via Massive Form.
