PhD in 3D Printed Stone for Heritage Buildings (Male / Female)

PhD Opening in 3D Printed Stone for Heritage Buildings

100%, Zurich, fixed-term

The Chair for Digital Building Technologies invites applications for a PhD position on the 3D printing of stone for the restoration of heritage buildings. The doctorate focuses on two interrelated areas: the development of a new powder-bed printing system with spatially graded material deposition, and its application to produce replacement parts for historic stone structures. This PhD is part of the collaborative ETH Grant project "Spatially Graded 3D Printing to Elucidate Contour Scaling of Building Stones" and will be conducted in close collaboration with a second doctoral researcher at the Chair for Physical Chemistry of Building Materials in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geomatic Engineering.

Project Background

Stone is one of the oldest building materials but also among the least controllable, as its properties are inherent to the quarry rather than designed. Restoration work highlights this limitation acutely. Replacement parts must not only be compatible with the originals but must also engage in a dialogue with structures that have aged for centuries. With historic quarries largely depleted, traditional methods of selecting and carving natural blocks often fall short on multiple counts.

This project explores a different premise: that the material properties of stone can serve as a design medium. The powder-bed printing platform developed at the chair allows for the independent control of aggregates, powder binders, and liquid activators during fabrication. The next step—and the technical core of this doctoral research—is to vary these components within a single piece. A dual powder feed and a dual liquid feed will facilitate continuous grading of composition, porosity, and appearance across printed elements, transforming the fabrication process into an instrument for specifying material behavior in detail. The machine and the artifacts it generates will evolve in tandem, with each iteration informing the next.

The project collaborates with a materials science group focused on the deterioration mechanisms of specific interest to sandstones. Their research depends on printed samples with precisely engineered defects and gradients. The capabilities established at the laboratory scale aim to be transferred to the chair's architectural-scale printer, where graded deposition is expected to open new design possibilities for façade systems.

Job Description

• You will design, build, and commission a laboratory-scale powder-bed printer with dual powder and dual liquid feeds, developed as a modular research instrument capable of reconfiguration as new challenges emerge.
• You will utilize the printer to produce stone replacement parts for heritage buildings that meet the compatibility requirements of conservation while harmonizing with the historic fabric.
• You will develop tectonic strategies for connecting printed parts to existing structures, exploring how printed elements address the interfaces they meet through graded color, texture, and printed veining.
• Your printed samples will support the deterioration research conducted by the partner chair, with findings from their work also informing the development of the printing process.
• You will publish in leading venues, present at international conferences, and assist in teaching by supervising semester and master's projects.

Profile

• We seek a candidate with a strong background in digital fabrication and ambition to explore material behavior as a subject of design research.
• You hold a Master's degree in architecture or a closely related discipline, complemented by substantial design experience.
• You possess competency in building fabrication equipment, as you will construct and modify the printer. Proficiency in mechanical design and prototyping is essential, while experience in electronics, sensing, or control software is a significant advantage.
• You are well-versed in computational design and experienced in translating digital models to physical outcomes.
• An interest in the behavior of stone is welcome; its scientific characterization will be handled by the partner group.
• Fluency in both oral and written English is essential; conversational knowledge of German is an advantage.
• The project involves collaboration across research groups and field practitioners, so strong communication skills and a genuinely collaborative approach are crucial.

Workplace

The Chair for Digital Building Technologies within the Institute of Technology in Architecture conducts research at the crossroads of computational design, materials, and construction-scale fabrication. For over a decade, the group has developed and operated powder-bed and extrusion-based printing systems at architectural scale, achieving notable results including some of the tallest 3D-printed structures in the world. Our in-house expertise in mechanical design, electronics, software, alongside a complete workshop and prototyping infrastructure, allows research ideas to move swiftly from concept to printed artifact, granting doctoral researchers considerable latitude in shaping that trajectory. Our diverse and international group offers extensive networks within ETH and globally, and we are committed to diversity by providing flexible working hours, home office options, and other measures to ensure team members can thrive in their roles.

We Value Diversity and Sustainability

ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equal opportunity, value diversity, and nurture a working and learning environment where the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to learn how we ensure a fair and open atmosphere, enabling everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core principle for us as we continually work towards a climate-neutral future.

Curious? So Are We.

We look forward to receiving your online application using the form below. Please include the following documents:

• Cover letter
• CV
• Portfolio of design and fabrication work (max. 20 MB)
• Names and contact information (email address) of three references

Additionally, we would like to get to know you better; therefore, please send us a short video (no more than two minutes) introducing yourself and expressing your interest in the position. A straightforward recording from a smartphone is sufficient. Upload the video to a platform of your choice (e.g., Dropbox, YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive) and include the URL link in your cover letter.

For more information about Digital Building Technologies, visit our website. Questions regarding the position can be directed to Dr. Pietro Odaglia at odaglia@arch.ethz.ch. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

About ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich is one of the world's leading universities specializing in science and technology. Renowned for its excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research, and direct transfer of new knowledge into society, ETH fosters an environment that inspires independent thinking and excellence. With over 30,000 individuals from more than 120 countries, our university is a vibrant place to work and develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.