Island Steps by Steuart Padwick

Versarien have teamed up with British Artist and Designer Steuart Padwick to create a 3d printed installation using 100% cement free concrete reinforced with Graphene. Not only does 3D printing significantly reduce the volume of concrete needed, the special mortar being cement free also reduces the carbon footprint by over 70%. The team wanted to highlight not only the beauty of this advanced material but also its green credentials both in composition as well as its 3D manufacturing. The volume of concrete needed is reduced significantly as the printed structure is hollow, and together with the fact it is cement free means it has an overall reduction of circa 85% compared to a conventional build with standard concrete. There is less waste and there has been no need for formers. Steuart Padwick’s Island Steps has been designed as a playful oasis and can be located both internally or in an outdoor environment. It will incorporate lighting within the 3Dprinted material. For this project Padwick is collaborating with Ben Harries at Versarien, an architect and designer who is also passionate about sustainable design and believes that 3D printing technologies, aided by developments in material science, will transform the future of construction. Versarien, who develop and manufacture advanced material technologies, with the purpose of improving the environment, have developed Cementene, a graphene enhanced concrete admixture which significantly increases the strength and durability of concrete thereby allowing less material to be used in construction. Steuart Padwick is an artist and designer, best known for his furniture and lighting designs, who has in more recent years created a number of large-scale public sculptures often in support of Mental wellbeing and the environment. Most notable pieces include Head Above Water on London’s South Bank, and last year’s official COP26 legacy artwork - The Hope Sculpture Project, which was a series of 3 permanent public sculptures across Glasgow.