'Prvok' s the first original 3D-printed floating liveable sculpture from concrete.
Unveiled in Vltava River in August 2020, Prvok can be made within 48 hours. Additionally, it is also considerably ecofriendly by reducing CO2 emissions and waste. The home is fabricated with eco-technologies meaning it is partially self-sufficient.
Designed by a Czech-based sculptural architectural studio – that specialises in 3D concrete print – Scoolpt, Prvoke has 43 sq m of floor space that accommodates three rooms: a bathroom with a toilet, a living room with a kitchen, and a bedroom.
In Prvok, it used a Scoolpt robotic arm and is constructed seven times faster than conventional houses – in fact, at a speed of 15cm per second.
Its concrete mixture consists of nano-polypropylene fibres, plasticisers, and a setting accelerator. The entire project finished in two months after being produced in June 2020.
As Scoolpt highlights, this type of concrete hardens after 24 hours to the standard firmness of the foundations of a classic family house (ie 25 MPa). After total hardening in 28 days, the concrete acquires the values (65 MPa) – the same as in bridges.
"In the future, the owners can crush the building once it has run its useful life, and print it again with the same material directly on the location," says Michal Trpak, the sculptor.
The other projects are also remarkable
In addition to architecture, Scoolpt is a studio that attaches great importance to design and art. Scoolpt designs furniture, jewellery, light, and signs with 3D printing technology.
"The goal of sculptural design is to transfer an aesthetic beauty to utility things, for example to street furniture. The works presented want to capture the viewer’s attention, not only by their artistic quality but also by bearing a utility value and thus becoming a part of their everyday life," says Scoolpt.
More about Michal Trpak
Michal Trpák created dozens of sculptures out of various materials that have been displayed in Czechia and internationally. His sculptures frequently deal with contemporary societal themes as well as the specific space in which they are displayed.
In addition to sculpture, he is involved in architecture and the organisation and curation of various sculptural presentations. He has been organising the Art in the City exhibition in eské Budjovice since 2007, and he founded the Sculpture Line Festival in Prague in 2015.