OPENCALL

Applications are now open for the Vertico Greenfield Residency 2026. Each year, Vertico opens its workshop in Eindhoven to a selected academic team, which spends one week developing and producing a full-scale prototype with our robotic manufacturing technology.

The residency is an annual initiative for universities, research groups and academic studios that want to explore advanced robotic fabrication but may not have direct access to industrial equipment.

The program is aimed at professors, assistant professors and studio supervisors working with student groups. Research can focus on computational design, digital fabrication, material innovation, architecture, engineering or robotics.

By sharing our technology, facilities and expertise, we want to give students hands-on experience and help researchers test ambitious ideas at a meaningful scale. The residency is part of our wider work with universities and education partners.

Program goals

The Greenfield Residency gives participants direct access to industrial robotic fabrication in a real production environment.

The selected team spends one week at the Vertico facility, working closely with our team to develop and manufacture a physical prototype. The aim is to bridge academic research and practical implementation, so participants experience the challenges and opportunities of full-scale robotic fabrication firsthand.

The residency encourages experimentation and interdisciplinary collaboration across architecture, engineering, design, material science and related fields.

Program brief

Submitted projects must use Vertico's robotic systems as an essential part of the manufacturing process.

Vertico is best known for concrete 3D printing, but proposals are not limited to concrete. We welcome projects that explore alternative materials, fabrication methods and hybrid manufacturing approaches, as long as robotic production plays a central role.

Projects may investigate topics such as:

• Computational design
• Digital fabrication
• Material innovation
• Robotic manufacturing
• Architectural systems
• Structural experimentation
• Environmental design
• Product design
• Human-robot interaction
• Hybrid production methods

The residency is intended for academic teams, not individuals. A professor, assistant professor or studio supervisor submits the application on behalf of a group of students from the same course, studio, laboratory or research program.

Vertico provides machinery, workspace, safety guidance and limited technical support. Participants are expected to have a basic understanding of the digital design and robotic workflows relevant to their project.

Previous editions

Greenfield Residency 2024

The first Greenfield Residency welcomed a team from Cairo University led by Professor Noeman.

Their project used Laplacian growth as a design strategy, translating natural branching systems into a large-scale parametric bench. During the residency, students worked directly with robotic fabrication and tackled challenges in non-planar printing, geometry optimization and structural performance.

The project showed how computational design research can move beyond simulation and become a tangible architectural prototype.

Greenfield Residency 2025

The winning proposal of the 2025 edition came from the Responsive Ground Research Lab of Gebze Technical University and Isik University, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fitnat Cimşit Koş.

Their project, Water-Ground Structures, investigates the relationship between ecological systems and digital fabrication through hybrid material assemblies and layered bioreceptive geometries.

The quality of submissions in 2025 was exceptionally high, which led to several additional collaborations beyond the winning proposal.

Greenfield Beta: Berlin

One of these collaborations was developed with students from German International University in Berlin under the guidance of Giovanni Betti.

The project explored an integrated cladding system in which aluminum shingles are inserted directly during fabrication. The resulting pavilion prototype showed how structure and enclosure can be combined in a single robotic workflow, with potential for modular and climate-responsive architecture.

Greenfield Beta: Woodbury University and HKS

Another collaboration came out of research through HKS LINE and a Biodigital Making course led by Juliette Zidek at Woodbury University.

The project explored bio-integrative architecture through a 3D printed living wall with planting pockets, water-distribution channels and bioreceptive textures. The research looked at how geometry can support plant growth, environmental performance and structural stability at the same time.

Together, these projects show the range of ideas Greenfield can support, from ecological systems and material innovation to robotic fabrication, architectural research and experimental construction.

Eligibility

The Greenfield Residency is open exclusively to academic institutions. Applications must be submitted by:

• Professors
• Associate professors
• Assistant professors
• Studio supervisors
• Research leaders

Each application should represent a group of students working together on a shared project or research topic. Individual student applications cannot be considered.

We welcome submissions from institutions around the world and from diverse disciplines, including architecture, engineering, design, robotics, fabrication, material science and computational research.

Deadlines

• Project idea submission: July 26, 2026 (statement of max 500 words)
• Selection round and online interviews: July 28 to August 7
• Winners announcement: August 2026
• Production week: November 2026 (flexible)

Submission requirements

Round 1: project proposal

Applicants submit a project description of approximately 500 words. The proposal should include:

• Project concept
• Research objectives
• Technical approach
• Relevance of robotic fabrication
• Feasibility within the residency framework
• Team experience and capabilities
• Preliminary visual material illustrating the proposed project (renders, diagrams, sketches, design drawings, material studies or previous prototypes)

Submit the proposal as a PDF. You can download the submission form on the right side of this page.

Project size requirements:

• A single printed element should generally fit within 800 × 1200 × 2500 mm (L × W × H).
• Projects may consist of multiple modules or components assembled after fabrication.
• If your project needs a larger build volume and cannot reasonably be modularized, explain this in your proposal. Larger projects may be considered for particularly strong submissions.

Round 2: online interview

Selected applicants are invited to an online interview to present their project in more detail and discuss technical requirements, production strategy and expected outcomes.

Detailed technical documentation is not required in the first application stage.

Technical information about our facility

Equipment available:

• Robot on Track (ABB 6400, 3.2 m reach, 150 kg payload, on a 4.7 m travel track)
• Print bed
• 2K printhead for 3D concrete printing (if needed)
• Silo (if needed)
• Pump (if needed)
• KUKA robot 240 R2700 prime (if needed)

• Opening hours: 9 AM to 5 PM
• WiFi is provided
• Maximum 12 students

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

Important: participants arrange their own travel and accommodation.

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.

Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn 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 that may occur during the workshop. We provide safety instruction 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 workshop organizers for promotional, educational and documentation purposes.

Participants may make their own content during the project, but its use must be approved by Vertico.

Acceptance of terms

By confirming participation in the workshop, 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.