The community of Nordkirchen is currently building Europe's first public building using 3D printing. The new two-storey clubhouse, with a usable area of around 330 square metres for the local sports club, is being realised together with PERI 3D Construction, a pioneer in the field of 3D construction printing. The building was designed by the innovative architects office Steinhoff Architekten, and the printed material was produced by Heidelberg Materials, one of the world's largest building materials companies.

The 3D printed concrete used by Heidelberg Materials is a high-tech building material that is 100% recyclable as a mineral material. In addition, this 3D printed concrete contains a binder with about 55% CO2 reduction compared to a pure Portland cement. Due to its pumpability and extrusion properties, the building material is suitable for 3D printing. At the same time, the hardening properties of the material are adjusted in such a way that a very good print image is created. 3D printed concrete is used to create components with a high degree of dimensional stability. In addition, targeted design planning results in a high potential for high material use efficiency.

"In order to produce 3D printed concrete sustainably locally and to be able to deliver even more flexibly, we have built up a production site in North Rhine-Westphalia over the past two years,"

emphasizes Dr. Jörg Dietrich, Head of Engineering & Innovation and Head of Product Management at Heidelberg Materials Germany.

PERI 3D Construction provides the expertise for the 3D printing process as well as the necessary technology: The modular 3D printer COBOD BOD2 creates the vertical elements of the clubhouse layer by layer. For this, the company expects a pure printing time of about 140 hours.

Dr. Fabian Meyer-Brötz, Managing Director of PERI 3D Construction GmbH:

"For this project, we have built the largest printer configuration for us to date: 25 meters long, 15 meters wide and 10 meters high. We are very pleased that politicians are helping to pave the way for new construction methods with this funding. In the face of major challenges such as a shortage of skilled workers, housing shortages and stagnating productivity in construction, 3D construction printing offers an urgently needed solution to build faster, cheaper and more material-friendly."

This is the company's fifth project in Germany. At the same time, PERI 3D Construction is printing Europe's largest building using the 3D printing process in Heidelberg using material from Heidelberg Materials.

For architect Lothar Steinhoff, the new clubhouse of SC Capelle is not only an outstanding project for the club and the municipality:

"Together, all the project partners involved are also making an important contribution to the further development of future technologies in the construction industry. In this way, more young people can be inspired to take up the skilled trades and new skilled workers can be retained. That's why we are also in close contact with medium-sized companies, craft businesses, schools and vocational colleges in the area."

The project is supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Municipal Affairs, Building and Digitalisation with funding of 333,000 euros. For this reason, the responsible minister, Ina Scharrenbach, was also on site to see the status of the construction site. Back in 2021, the first 3D-printed residential building in Beckum in North Rhine-Westphalia was built using specially developed concrete for 3D printing from Heidelberg Materials.

"North Rhine-Westphalia continues to lead the way as a pioneer in innovative construction in Germany. Digital, dynamic, ready to print - these are our 3D's for the future of construction. With the printing of the clubhouse of the Sport-Club Capelle in Nordkirchen, the first public building in Europe is now being built using 3D printing, and the municipality itself is becoming a pioneer. A pioneering project by the community for the community. First the 3D-printed residential building in Beckum, now the clubhouse in Nordkirchen: North Rhine-Westphalia is setting standards in construction. Since it is a public building, research and public participation can be put on a broader footing. We continue to exert pressure: because pressure creates diamonds from low-CO2 recyclable concrete, as here in Nordkirchen,"

says Ina Scharrenbach, Minister for Home Affairs, Municipal Affairs, Building and Digitalisation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Mayor Dietmar Bergmann:

"On the one hand, it is of course important for the municipality of Nordkirchen to strengthen volunteer work and to provide clubs such as SC Capelle with a modern infrastructure. On the other hand, this project in particular is also a clear signal that small towns in rural regions can also drive innovation and future technologies. Thanks to the great financial support from the ministry and the know-how of our project partners from Steinhoff Architekten, PERI and Heidelberg Materials, we are able to realize a construction project in Nordkirchen that is attracting attention not only in the surrounding area, but nationwide."

read the original press release (German) here:

image credit: Steinhoff Architekten;