Sutton Barcelona has become the first nightclub in the world to undergo a full renovation using concrete 3D printing. The project was completed in seven weeks, a timeline that would typically span around five months under conventional construction methods. The refurbishment was carried out by construction firm Construnext in partnership with Aridditive, combining off-site digital fabrication with a restructured build process.
The approach centered on removing complex forming and finishing work from the job site entirely. Aridditive manufactured 340 components, including steps, sofas, bar counters, a DJ booth, and wall sections, directly from the project’s digital model at an off-site facility.
Before full production began, a pilot area within the venue was used to test and validate the system, allowing the team to confirm fit, finish, and process before committing to full-scale output. On-site work was then limited to installation and integration of the prefabricated elements.
Sutton Barcelona used 3D concrete printing. Photo via Sutton Barcelona.
Design Integrity, Material Efficiency
The printed elements didn’t arrive as raw concrete blocks. Each piece was finished and integrated with wood cladding, Porcelanosa ceramics, and upholstery, maintaining the venue’s signature atmosphere. Beyond aesthetics, precast concrete brought a practical edge for a high-traffic nightlife environment: inherent fire resistance with no added treatment required.
The numbers behind the material story are significant. The renovation used approximately 60 tons of concrete, compared to the roughly 110 tons a conventional build would have consumed. That near -45% reduction translates to around 50 tons of avoided CO₂ emissions across production and transport.
“Sustainability is a core part of the value we bring to the sector, not only through the low-carbon footprint of the materials we use, but through the construction process itself: reducing resource consumption, emissions, and waste. Digital fabrication allows us to be more efficient from the outset and align construction with today’s environmental requirements,” stated Roger Uceda, Corporate Director at Aridditive.
Solving the Labour Problem Through Precision Manufacturing
The project didn’t unfold under ideal conditions. The renovation ran through summer, a period when skilled labour is notoriously hard to source. Rather than treating that as an obstacle, the team engineered around it.
“Many projects don’t fall behind because of the design itself, but because of how difficult it is to execute on site. Concrete 3D printing closes that gap, making it possible to realise geometries that were previously hard to build,” said Arnau Cumelles, CEO of Aridditive.
Sutton Barcelona used 3D concrete printing. Photo via Sutton Barcelona.
Where This Fits in the Broader Push to Digitise Construction
Aridditive’s approach at Sutton Barcelona reflects a wider industry strategy: shift fabrication off-site, reduce dependence on on-site labour, and use digital fabrication to drive precision and predictability. Thus, the company is positioning concrete 3D printing as a practical tool for commercial renovations where downtime and execution risk are the primary constraints.
The commercial interior space is not the only arena where this reasoning is being tested. Vancouver-based retailer lululemon partnered with Dutch architectural firm Aectual to produce 3D printed ceiling and storefront components for selected stores worldwide, developing a standardised panel system produced digitally and adaptable to site-specific requirements.
Elsewhere, at the entrance of Dubai’s Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab hotel, Studio RAP has created Blue Voyage, a large-scale 3D printed ceramic installation. The two walls, each six meters high and nine meters long, act as a sculptural threshold between exterior and interior, drawing inspiration from the nearby Gulf by translating the movement of water into fluid, wave-like forms. The installation is composed of approximately 900 ceramic tiles, all parametrically designed and 3D printed at Studio RAP’s Rotterdam facility. The production process ensured speed, precise fit and consistent surface quality, while corner tiles were crafted to maintain pattern continuity.
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Featured image shows Sutton Barcelona used 3D concrete printing. Photo via Sutton Barcelona.