3D Printing is an emerging manufacturing technology that is in a research and prototyping stage in the construction industry. This research presents a governance framework for construction projects in which large scale freeform 3D printing is applied, based on empirical data of 7 case studies. The observed governance in the case studies is a combination of existing governance models for construction projects, product design and innovation. Traditional project governance was found to be invalid for 3D printed objects. For these objects a product design approach is required. Based on the best practices and challenges observed in the case studies, governance structures were designed for two types of projects: construction projects in which 3D printed components are applied, and a building in which the majority is 3D printed. Both scenario's will be competitive with traditional practice for specific projects and/or components, and are expected to be introduced in the construction industry in the medium term future (2-5 years).

The way the western society currently treats waste is hazardous and can threaten not only the public health but also (very delicate) eco systems. Annually over 87 million tonnes of plastic are being produced. Only 2 % is reintroduced into the original purpose. The rest of this plastic is downcycled, landfilled, burned or leaked into the environment. Because plastic hardly deteriorates and the production of plastic with will not decrease anytime soon these problems will increase over time. The building industry is the biggest consumer of raw materials and has one of the biggest carbon dioxide emissions of the world, therefore the building industry should act in a responsible and responsive way. We have to change our linear economy into a circular economy and thereby change our way of working, living and designing. Redesigning waste focuses on the implementation of the plastic waste stream into the built environment. One of the main focus points understanding plastic as a material and where the negative connotation latched on to this material is coming from and then shifting (the public’s) perception towards a more positive outlook on this alien material. By consulting relevant literature, companies who have experience in the working field and potential customers a (new) roadmap towards the topic of creating value in this undervalued materials has been created.

In recent years, architecture has shifted towards more sustainable and circular design. The scarcity of building materials and environmental awareness of the building industry generated a need for new techniques and developments, pushing architects and designers to increasingly turn towards biological and natural processes. Nonetheless, the related insight is still scattered, whereas the growth and development of new technologies are constantly accelerating. The urgent need for new, sustainable solutions is clearly visible in the Dutch housing market. At the start of 2018, the Netherlands had a shortage of around 205 thousand homes. By 2020, that shortage is expected to reach 235 thousand homes. Not enough dwellings are being provided to fill this gap. Furthermore, the majority of homes constructed now are designed for so-called ‘starters’ - providing studio or one-bedroom apartments for people entering the housing market, creating an unsustainable unbalance in the variety of dwellings. The primary aim of the project was to indicate a new approach towards modern, sustainable and circular architecture, by designing not only a building but primarily a circular housing typology with building elements and materials prepared on site by the living organism, providing food and energy for inhabitants. Hence the final product, despite being designed on a specific location (Binckhorst, the Hague), is transferable to other positions, and flexibility embedded in the very idea of the project allows for further modifications.

In this industrialized world, technology has invaded our life in such a level where behind every product a complex manufacturing process with high transportation costs being hidden. Designing a product itself is not enough anymore; the whole manufacturing procedure needs to be included in the design. Especially when product design meets acoustic engineering, the design should not only fulfil the acoustic and aesthetic qualities but also take into consideration the cost factor. This is translated into the wise use of material, transportation, easy assembly and maintenance. At the same time, the target group is every single person that is called to participate in the assembly procedure, with no expertise knowledge, which adds extra challenge in the design procedure. Less is more, as Mies van der Rohe stated. This research taking a step back and revaluates the product design principle for acoustic panels. Having as starting point the HELIX panel designed by Panayiotis Hadjisergis and Ioanna Christia, during Bucky Lab course of 2015 fall, the target is to keep the advantages of this panel while improving the acoustic performance and keeping the manufacturing process as simple as possible. The target of Helix panel was to provide a flexible solution regarding acoustics and assembly. The advantages of this project were further developed into the STRAWS project. The acoustic principle used is quarter wavelength tubes and combined to a cheap ordinary product, as straws, a broadband sound absorbing unitized panel is designed. Until now there are lots of products that are made for acoustic but none of them fullfil so many different design needs. This research proposes an already existing product which by implementing acoustic principles, can be applied in open-plan officess. In this way the acoustic panel will not only be suitable for a wide range of frequencies but also designed in a way that uses little amount of material, without taking up a big space and being able to be re-used in a different environment.