Ceramic AM Gantry Structures Discretisation and connections between beams and columns João Carvalho 1 , Paulo J. S. Cruz 2 , Bruno Figueiredo 3 1,2,3 School of Architecture, University of Minho, Lab2PT - Landscapes, Heritage and Territory laboratory 1,2,3 {joao.carvalho|pcruz|bfigueiredo}@arquitetura.uminho.pt The manufacture of architectural components driven by digital design tools and Additive Manufacturing (AM) allows the achievement of highly evolved constructive systems, more integrated into a specific reality to which it is intended to respond, resulting in unique and adapted solutions with high geometric and material performances. Considering the application of these methods to common structural elements, namely beams and columns, for which there are already several examples demonstrating their feasibility, we find that it is necessary to provide a sound answer to an element that is fundamental for these proposals to function together as a single system - the moment of connection between beams and columns. In this sense, this paper proposes the design and test of a set of connections with adapted geometry between beams and columns, produced through ceramic Liquid Deposition Modelling (LDM), applying logics of topological optimization. This work foresees the development of a constructive system that incorporates reversible and irreversible connections, being formalised in a set of gantry structures formed by two vertical elements and a horizontal one, giving the comparative model between digital design and manufacture methods and the traditional ones. Keywords: Ceramic AM, Performative design, Computational design, Connections, Ceramic gantry structure 1. INTRODUCTION The potential that AM can bring to architecture has been highlighted during the last few decades. Tradi- tionally called 3D printing, AM consists of the produc- tion of objects by the successive addition of material layer by layer, where it is necessary, making it a sus- tainable system, in contrast to subtractive methods where, generally, there is a big waste of material dur- ing production processes. In addition to the potential benefit regarding the economy of means and sustainability, AM also allows for mass customization, without any restriction about the plurality of geometries that is possible to obtain. Since the material is only deposited where it is neces- sary, being this process controlled by a computer, the time and cost of producing different objects will not Structure optimization and material-based design - Volume 2 - eCAADe 39 | 483