The inaugural Holcim Innovation 1st prize was presented to Fabio Gramazio and Matthias Kohler, Professors of Architecture and Digital Fabrication at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) for their High-efficiency concrete formwork technology. In a team with Silvan Oesterle, Amar Mirjan and Axel Vansteenkiste, they have developed a technique for the production of unique free-form concrete components. The research focuses on new strategies for the production of contemporary architectural components and also the interplay between architectural design and new digital fabrication techniques.

The approach uses re-usable and digitally-fabricated wax formwork. The re-usable wax formwork is recyclable and saves material and energy compared to milling expanded polystyrene blocks for single-use applications, or using flexed sheets of material such as plywood which are limited to low curvatures. The Holcim Innovation prize is a special accolade within the framework of the Holcim Awards competition, which attracted some 6,000 project submissions from 126 countries, recognizes innovative building materials and construction technologies in the context of sustainable construction.

Chairman of the Holcim Innovation prize jury, renowned architect and Professor of Architecture at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Harry Gugger considers the High-efficiency concrete formwork technology approach to be a quantum leap. “To date, the production of complex concrete molds has been difficult to manufacture and has also produced a large volume of waste, but this approach solves both problems,” he said. Emeritus Professor of Planning and Management in Construction at the ETH Zurich, and member of the Holcim Innovation prize jury, Hans-Rudolf Schalcher identifies significant market potential for the processes due to its obvious contribution to sustainability.

The prize of USD 75,000 was presented at the 18th Holcim Concrete Conference by Member of the Executive Committee of Holcim for Europe, Roland Köhler. The conference hosted at ETH Zurich on the theme of “Concrete: the building material for demanding buildings” was led by Prof. Thomas Vogel, Chair of Structural Engineering – Structural Design and Existing Structures at the Institute for Structural Engineering, ETH Zurich. Some 200 experts discussed the latest technology and systems including textile-reinforced shotcrete and technology transfer in construction. Case studies included the Swiss Prime Tower in Zurich, the Centro Commerciale in Chiasso, and the NEST research building in Dübendorf near Zurich.