Hyundai Engineering & Construction presents a new class of concrete with its H Wave Bench that employs 3D printing and boasts exceptional strength and durability

Seoul, South Korea

Designed by KH Kim of Korea National University of Arts with Hyundai Engineering & Construction, H Wave Bench is a combination of two cutting-edge technologies: 3D Printing and cast UHPC (Ultra High Performance Concrete).

H Wave Bench, for its innovative and environmentally friendly design, has been recently awarded a Green Good Design Award 2023 by the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

H Wave Bench is an idealized combination between advanced technologies such as UHPC (Ultra High Performance Concrete), and 3D Printing Technology.

UHPC concrete is a class of concrete that has exceptional strength and durability.

Its discontinuous pore structures reduce liquid ingress and increase durability when compared with conventional and high performance concretes. 

The 3D printing technology can create detailed shapes with the right materials.

This technology is produced in a continuous output, and is laminated directly from the 3D printing nozzle. It requires minimal materials and time.

It is possible to use recycled plastics in construction, such as in this project. 

The combination of 2 technologies was used to design the wave-shaped moulds using a 3D printer with cast UHPC in the mold.

The mold is then removed after curing and ready for use.

Designers expect to use a printed mold more than 30 times.

The shape is designed to mimic an ocean wave, which symbolizes the project’s regionality, and the colors as well.

Plastic waste from Hyundai Motor Group’s car prototyping manufacturing is used to make the printing materials.

Project: H Wave Bench
Designers: KH Kim, Korea National University of Arts and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.
Manufacturer: Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.