How Could the Construction 3D Printing (C3DP) Technology Affect the Future of Material Use in Architectural Design?

Paradigm shifts in architectural design often see their beginnings in the emergence of a new building material or technology. The development of reinforced concrete, for example, along with the possibilities offered by efficiently mass-produced materials and products, inspired Le Corbusier’s early work. Among the ongoing developments of new building technology, the advancement of Construction 3D Printing (C3DP) employing additive manufacturing (AM) has most recently attracted architectural researchers and practitioners. Despite the expectation that this new technology will innovate architectural design and building construction, most studies on C3DP focus on construction or structural issues rather than architectural expression. In response to this literature gap, the present study seeks to identify the influence of C3DP technology on architectural material use and to discuss how this could reshape the future of architectural design. Through a systematic literature review, the paper identifies the mechanisms and characteristics of the technology and places them within a larger historical context. The study results indicated that the emergence of the C3DP technology brings the opportunity for a new set of architectural expressions and a reinterpretation of traditional materials encompassing the past, present, and future.