Commissioned by the Palazzo dei Pio Museums, the model is the representation of the renaissance building that hosts the museum located in Carpi (Modena, Italy). It is part of an exhibition which offers to the visitors the opportunity to learn about the city’s history and architectural heritage. 

The process started with the digital modeling of the inside and outside of the “Palazzo” to be then digitally processed by Paolo Borin, an architectural engineer who collaborates with the University in Padua.

The model was build using 3 different techniques.

The ancient tower, from the 14th century is 3D printed with chalk, at the University of Padua. It is characterized by a very smooth surface. 

The vaults and the walls, which represent the newer part of the building, built during the 16th century, were created at the ICTP SciFabLab. The laser cut walls are transparent so that the viewer can appreciate the inside structure and complexity of the architecture. The windows and doors are slightly engraved in order to create a delicate contrast with the background. 

The vaults are 3D printed with a Pet-G filament, as it is more resistant and brighter.

The roof has a peculiarity: it stands up without the use of glue. We decided to follow the original medieval design, so the weight of the pieces is enough to keep it up.

Special thanks to Pallino company and Francesco, who sponsored the materials.