OPENCALL | Vertico Greenfield Residency 2025

The Vertico Greenfield Residency 2025 is an open call for academic institutions. It is the second edition of the residency, and it opens our Eindhoven workshop to (assistant) professors or studio supervisors and their student groups who may not normally have access to robotic fabrication technology.

Teams can work with concrete printing or with other digital manufacturing techniques. Vertico offers time, space and expertise to students and supervisors who want to learn, experiment and build.

Goals of the open call

The open call gives students hands-on experience with the real-world application of robotic manufacturing. Participants work directly with our robotic systems for one full week, build practical skills and see their projects produced.

The brief

Submitted projects should be innovative and must use our robotic systems for production. Vertico specializes in 3D concrete printing, but projects that experiment with other manufacturing processes and materials are welcome, as long as they require the robot. You can also use our concrete printing equipment if you want to.

The intent is for an (assistant) professor with a group of students from an institution of higher education to work together on one project or several smaller ones. A group from the same workshop or course is preferred.

A tutor should be present to guide the students in the use of the equipment. Vertico provides access to the machinery, on-site safety support and limited online support for robotics. Prior knowledge of robotics is key to completing the project.

First edition: Greenfield Residency 2024

The first edition took place in 2024 and welcomed a team from Cairo University, led by Professor Noeman. Their project focused on Laplacian growth, using a custom algorithm to translate natural branching patterns into a parametric bench design.

During the week, the students worked hands-on with Vertico's robotic systems and dealt with real-world challenges such as non-planar slicing and structural optimization.

The final assembly was not successful because of structural miscalculations. The experience was still valuable: it showed the importance of practical testing, collaboration and adapting a design to fabrication realities. It was a week of problem-solving and learning by doing, and the start of what we hope becomes a yearly tradition.

Eligibility

The residency is open exclusively to academic institutions. We only accept applications from university or college professors, assistant professors or studio supervisors who will lead a group of students on an academic project.

Individual applications from students will not be considered. The aim is to support institutions that do not typically have access to large-scale robotic fabrication equipment and to give their students hands-on experience in a professional setting.

We welcome participants from all over the world and encourage diverse proposals from across disciplines.

Deadlines

Submission requirements

First round: text description

Submit a text description of the project you want to produce at the Vertico facility (about 500 words). It should cover:

• A convincing artistic statement
• An original project concept
• Conceptual and technical elaboration of the project
• Technical justification for using robots in your project
• The possibility of realizing the project within one week, with one robot on track
• The possibility of working independently on the Vertico equipment
• Experience and/or competence in the technology you plan to use
• Submission as a PDF file (the submission form can be downloaded on this page)

Second round: Zoom interview

In the second round, we discuss the project description, specifications and production plan in an online Zoom interview. We will contact you to elaborate verbally.

A highly detailed submission is not required.

Technical information about our facility

Equipment available:

• Robot on Track (ABB6400, 3.2 m reach, 150 kg payload, on a 4.7 m travel track)
• Print bed
• 8 m x 2 m x 2.5 m (height) available for projects
• 2K printhead for 3D concrete printing (if needed)
• Silo (if needed)
• Pump (if needed)

• Opening hours from 9 AM to 5 PM
• WiFi is provided
• A maximum of 12 students is allowed

You are responsible for cleaning the space and returning it to its original state.

Terms and conditions

Confidentiality

Participants agree to respect the confidentiality of any proprietary information shared by other participants or the workshop organizers.

Confidential information disclosed during the workshop must not be shared outside the workshop without explicit permission.

Health and safety

Participants must follow all health and safety guidelines provided by the workshop organizers and the facility.

Participants must wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times in the facility. Any injuries or accidents must be reported immediately to the workshop facilitators.

Liability

The workshop organizers are not liable for any personal injury, loss or damage to personal property during the workshop. We provide safety instructions before production starts.

Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation arrangements and expenses.

Photo and video consent

Participants consent to being photographed and video recorded during the workshop. These recordings may be used by the organizers for promotional, educational and documentation purposes.

Participants may make their own content during the project. Use of this content must be approved by Vertico.

Acceptance of terms

By confirming participation, participants acknowledge that they have read, understood and agree to these terms and conditions.

Contact and address

For questions about these terms and conditions, contact victoria.fedorova@vertico3d.com.

Our facility is located at Urkhovenseweg 3, 5641 KA Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

By participating in this open call, you agree to comply with and be bound by these terms and conditions. Please read them carefully. For more about how Vertico supports universities, see our page on 3D concrete printing in education, or read about the next edition, the Vertico Greenfield Residency 2026.