Leeuwesteyn
Leeuwesteyn is a new residential area in the city of Utrecht. Because of the name of the neighborhood, Product Reflex was approached with the following question: "Could you design a lion made of concrete that we can make a number of times?" It should be the size of 2x1 meters so that children can have fun taking pictures with it.
An object of this size weighs more than 1000 kg, a huge challenge.
After making a number of scale models in Solidworks and 3D printing, a beautiful final design was created. This design was scaled in the computer and divided into twelve puzzle pieces. This is important because you can then print the lion with twelve 3D printers simultaneously. In fact, you are then twelve times faster with your model, something that is not a luxury with 3D printing.
From this 1:1 model, a cast rubber mold was made. This cast rubber mold, which resembles a condom, is then supported with plaster plates. The plaster plates remain in place due to a steel cage that is welded around the plaster. That was the only way the lion would not deform under its own weight during the pouring of concrete.
The type of concrete is cementless but based on polymers. This means you need less cement (lime) which is very energy intensive to make due to the blast furnaces. The gravel, grit and sand that is in the mixture is made from old office buildings that stood on the site of the new development. This rubble has thus been given a new life as a concrete lion.
To release the mold, two steel wheels were welded onto the mold. These tilt the lion 180 degrees and effortlessly place it on an industrial plate. The only thing that needs to be done then is to place it and that's it.
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