Duality of Skin & Core

‍Time, Space, Existence – Venice Architecture Biennale 2025
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European Cultural Centre, Venice

Vertico is proud to have contributed to the fabrication of Duality, an innovative architectural proto-structure developed as part of the Computational Concrete Columns-Series. The project was presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 within the Time, Space, Existence exhibition organized by the European Cultural Centre.

This research-driven collaboration brought together Assist. Prof. Cristina Nan and architect Mattia Zucco from the Eindhoven University of Technology, with Vertico providing large-format 3D concrete printing expertise and Lanxess, a German specialty chemicals company, contributing pigment technology and material know-how.

A New Approach to Concrete and Columns

Unlike traditional approaches to additive manufacturing that treat concrete structures as monolithic, Duality challenges this logic by adopting a modular strategy. Inspired by the ancient Greek and Roman tradition of constructing columns from stackable drums, the project reimagines the column as a reconfigurable, transportable, and system-based element.

This innovation allows for:

• Ease of relocation and assembly
• Enhanced design flexibility
• Reduced construction waste
• Increased expressive potential

The Concept of Skin and Core

The design emphasizes a dual system—core and skin—to explore new tectonic expressions. In most additive manufacturing, internal infill structures remain hidden and purely functional. Duality turns this convention on its head by revealing parts of the internal geometry through selective "peeling" of the skin, exposing the infill as a rhythmic visual element.

This transforms the infill from a purely structural component to a visible and ornamental feature, enriching the aesthetic depth of the column and showcasing the architectural potential of computational design strategies.

Material, Colour, and Robotic Craft

Using Vertico’s 3D printing technology and Lanxess’s pigmentation systems, colour becomes an integral part of the fabrication process. The contrasting colour palette reinforces the distinction between the core and the outer shell, visually enhancing the conceptual duality.

This project highlights:

• Advanced robotic fabrication techniques
• Computational design logic
• Tectonic expressiveness through ornamentation
• Material experimentation with concrete and colour

A Research-Led Future

Duality is more than a column—it is a testbed for future architecture, examining how additive manufacturing can evolve beyond efficiency toward meaningful architectural expression. It demonstrates how computation, craft, and materiality can come together to question and redefine architectural archetypes.

Design & Research: Assist. Prof. Cristina Nan & Architect Mattia Zucco (TU/e)
3D Printing: Vertico
Material & Pigment Partner: Lanxess
Support: Nikias Vanyi ASI

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