Andrea Morgante, founder of Shiro Studio, has collaborated with D-Shape to produce the Radiolaria pavilion, a complex, free-form structure produced using the world’s largest 3D printer.

Measuring 3 x 3 x 3 metres, the structure is a scale model of a final 10-metre tall pavilion to be built in Pontedera, Italy, in 2010.

D-Shape developed the first large-scale stereolithic printer in 2008 aiming to offer architects the design freedom that rapid prototyping allows them but has so far been confined to scale models.

The structure is made of an artificial sandstone material and does not feature any internal, steel reinforcement.

Held together by an inorganic binder, the resultant material has excellent strength properties - with some performance characteristics superior to portland cement - and will not damage the environment.

The structure was designed using CAD-CAE modeling technologies and CAD-CAM software controls the plotter during printing. The process starts from the bottom and proceeds in 5-10mm layers at a time.

The solidification process takes 24 hours to complete and any surplus material supports the structure during manufacture and can be reused.