Emily Kloostra Presents Her Work at the pH Gallery in West Fork, Arkansas

Author: Emily Kloostra  | Major: Architecture| Semester: Spring 2025|

I am Emily Kloostra, a recent Bachelor of Architecture graduate of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. I conducted my research in the Spring of 2025, under the mentorship of Associate Professor of Architecture Emily Baker.

My research focused on the intersection between traditional clay making and ceramic 3D printing. While many artistic endeavors have investigated how far digital technology can be pushed, this study was focused on bringing handcrafted objects back into the conversation. Specifically, I created handmade ceramic objects on the pottery wheel, digitized them, and then used that information to 3D print clay objects on top of the handmade ones. I ran a series of experiments, each exploring a different level of interaction between the handcrafted objects and the digitally designed prints. In the end, I ran 11 different, successful prints. I was also able to create and document a workflow that would consistently allow someone to bring an irregular, physical object into the digital workspace and then bring a digitally designed object back into the irregular, physical world.
Future large-scale creations, such as 3D printed buildings, will need to interact with irregular, handcrafted parts – printed concrete walls may need to align with wooden beams, traditionally framed walls, or irregular topography. The forms resulting from my experiments serve as a small-scale guidebook to the intersection of handcraft and digital craft in ceramic 3D printing.

My journey to choosing my topic was a winding one. I began by taking a much more theoretical look at the idea of “Craft,” but always felt as though something was missing. Professor Baker was also my academic advisor at the time, and when we were discussing my potential research topics, she encouraged me to pursue a research topic and method that truly interested me – and that was ceramics. In my second year, I took her Honors Structures course, where I was able to 3D print clay for the first time. A year and a half later, Professor Baker and I laid out a framework that would eventually become this honors capstone.
I have always enjoyed the physical processes of making something. I worked in the Fay Jones School’s woodshop for 3.5 years and took ceramics classes on my own time. This research helped me to approach the process in a new, much more methodical and exacting way. It was interesting to set up a fairly rigid experimental framework in which to test something that, in the end, is kind of subjective.

I had 3D printed minimally before this research, so getting into the existing knowledge base about 3D printing was eye-opening. I knew that digital fabrication technology allowed for a lot of control over the end result, but it was overwhelming in the beginning to discover just how much control one could have, and how many variables needed to be minded. The framework and goals I set for myself at the beginning of the semester were helpful in breaking down the monumental task into easier to manage pieces.

Another large factor in my success was the support of my committee. My faculty mentor and committee chair, Professor Baker, pushed me to step out of my comfort zone in this research, apply for multiple grants, and connected me to researchers across the university. One of those researchers, Vincent Edwards, Director of Technology at the School of Art, became another member of my committee. Vincent’s knowledge of ceramic 3D printing, guidance, and support were invaluable. I also worked with Angela Carpenter, the Fabrication Lab Manager at the Fay Jones School. Angela worked with me to get access to the machines, time, and resources I needed to run my experiments. All three were instrumental to the work, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to work with people across the school and the university.

Even before my research semester, I had the opportunity to learn from and with others conducting similar research. With the support of an Honors College Grant, I traveled to Calgary, Canada to the ACADIA Conference in November of 2024. I attended a workshop on ceramic printing run by Isabel Ochoa and James Clarke-Hicks of OCH Works. This was a fantastic opportunity to (literally) get my hands dirty and dive into the world of ceramic printing and precise manipulation of machinery. My fellow workshop participants ranged from working professionals to doctoral candidates to professors of architecture. It was a great three days of learning and connecting with related research.

The funding for the SURF grant supported the active research. It helped purchase clay, 3D printer parts, and kiln firings. Also, as part of the SURF process, I disseminated my research through a gallery show at the pH gallery in West Fork, Arkansas. Using grant funds, I was able to create a show to discuss my findings with a wider audience. This grant and the research it funded allowed me to round out my educational experience with research that was important to me and the larger design community. It helped me to be more confident in myself and my research and presentation abilities. I have greatly enjoyed my research experience and am excited to bring my knowledge and processes into the professional world as I begin work at an architecture firm in Madison, Wisconsin.