How Architecture Firm Studio One Eleven Uses 3D Printing for Creating Detailed Models

Studio One Eleven, a Long Beach and Los Angeles-based architecture firm, has been using 3D printing to communicate their designs since 2016. Not only has the addition of 3D printing in their workflow allowed for better design conceptualization, but the technology has also helped the studio save time and reduce costs.

Compared to the previous methods of digital renderings, Studio One Eleven can now provide tactile, 3-dimensional architectural models with their project demonstrations - all made on their desktop Ultimaker 3D printer. This technology helps the architects more easily visualize their ideas at various stages of the design process and improve their design by examining a physical representation. It also helps clients to more easily understand the structure as a whole, to envision it in its completed form, and to be more invested in the project due to the growth of their understanding. The connection has been obvious - for one project, they presented the Mayor of Long Beach with a 3D printed design, and “left him a model as a souvenir which he still displays on his desk” to this day. 

At the core of Studio One Eleven’s practice are equity and sustainability, focusing on the repair of existing cities and revitalization of communities. Whether it’s increasing pedestrian safety, providing shelter and dignity for the homeless, or renovating and rehabilitating dilapidated shelters, Studio One Eleven has made incredible strides towards positively impacting their community. Much in the way that accessibility to technology allows an individual architect to thrive, an enriched environment revitalized by vibrant urban design can invigorate an entire neighborhood.

One such example is Watts Works, a four-story and over 6,000 square foot affordable housing community constructed from 58 upcycled shipping containers. This 24-unit complex will provide a refuge for those experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles, a region whose population struggles with the socio-economic issues related to soaring housing prices, stagnant wages, and now - a pandemic. The benefits of these innovative construction methods are two-fold: the re-use of existing shipping containers reduces material and labor costs while also expediting construction time.

This preference towards affordability and practicality is equally applicable when discussing the usefulness of digital manufacturing in the field of architecture. Since many of the prints are used to communicate design and act as visual tools, they are not hampered by strength or heat resistance requirements. A low-cost and easy-to-print filament such as PLA provides a fitting solution for this intended function. However, Studio One Eleven keeps an eye on the horizon for more efficient, cutting edge methods as the technology advances. Designer William Ellsworth notes, “I would love to see the continued development of SLA and Sintering 3D Printing to influence architecture at every level of design and construction. If we could prototype cost-effective, construction-ready details in-house, I think the design process in architecture would change significantly.”

Studio One Eleven has also tapped into that access to technology for philanthropic causes outside the field of architecture. In the wake of Covid-19 PPE shortages, they joined the effort to provide 3D-printed solutions for those in need. “We are proud to print masks for some of our non-profit clients. This includes New Hope, a homeless shelter we designed in the City of Bellflower that opened recently,” recounts Michael Bohn, AIA, Design Director/Senior Principal, Studio One Eleven. In addition to supporting non-profits, printed and assembled masks are also being provided to Studio One Eleven employees’ family members who are at-risk as essential workers.

To learn more about how Studio One Eleven is transforming communities through urban intervention, visit https://www.studio-111.com/. 

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