Printed patterns help build a terracotta model of Rome
A 2026 case study explains the manufacturing behind a large museum installation.
What happened
Formlabs’ September account revisits a model made for MAXXI’s ROMA NEL MONDO exhibition, which ran from December 2025 to April 2026. Marco Galofaro’s team used three Form 4L printers in the production workflow.
The process combined printed patterns, mold-making and terracotta casting. The supplier reports 953 tiles and a 26-day project, showing how additive manufacturing can support an object made in another material.
The finished installation was not simply a giant resin print. Its importance lies in coordinating digital geometry, repeated small parts and conventional casting to produce a detailed city model.
Read the sources
Primary-source reporting; this is not a hands-on review. Sources checked Oct 24, 2026.