Enrico in an engineer/inventor who has contributed to the revolution in 3D architecture with his pioneering research into large scale 3D printing. After years developing industrial automation, in 2004 Enrico envisioned the scaling up 3D printing for architectural construction. He filed the first D-Shape patents in 2005 and founded industry-pioneering Monolite UK in 2006. The following year, Enrico printed the iconic Radiolaria Pavilion – the world’s first 3D printed architectural structure. This marked a new era in construction technology. D-Shape’s immense potential led him to the beginning of producing 3D printed coral reefs, lunar base segments, pedestrian bridges, architectural facades and more.
For his pioneering work, Enrico received the Industry Icon award at the 2014 3D Print show in London. In 2018, the RILEM honored him with the Pioneering Achievement Award in Zurich. Enrico has also been awarded the Design for Asia Award and Hong Kong Global Design Award for his innovations. Enrico continues breaking new ground across sectors – from maritime restoration to space exploration. He collaborates with top architectural firms like Zaha Hadid and research institutes such as ESA and Scuola Superiore S. Anna.