TEX-FAB

We are pleased to announce the winners to the TEX-FAB REPEAT Digital Fabrication Competition. We received a total of 73 entries from across the globe representing 18 countries on 5 continents. The jury consisting of Patrik Schumacher, Marc Fornes, Lisa Iwamoto, Chris Lasch and Blair Satterfield conferred and decided that the winning project that will be built for the TEX-FAB Event in Houston in February 2011. Of all the entries the Jury selected 1 Winner, 4 Runners-Up and 7 Honorable Mentions which will be exhibited along side the winner. Advance to see the Winning Projects and Entries: Repeat Competition

http://tex-fab.net/

Digital Crafting Network

The research network investigates how new digital production methods are instigating profound changes in the design and building of architecture. Developing the term digital crafting, the network examines how the maturing of interfaces between the design space of the architect and the production space of the manufacturer is leading to the shaping of a new material practice in architecture. The research network is supported by The Danish Council for Independent Research, Humanities.

http://www.digitalcrafting.dk/

Robots in Architecture

We recently presented our paper "A New Parametric Design Tool for Robot Milling" at theACADIA 2010 conference in New York. We had a great time there and thank all of our friends who got up on a Sunday morning - after the big party, no less - to follow our presentation.

In our paper we show approaches on how to integrate the robot not just in the parametric model, but in the design process itself. The example above is a screenshot (with added captions) directly out of Grasshopper, showing the initially created curves, the resulting modules and finally the stacked wall - side by side with a preview of the toolpaths, including the possibility to simulate the end-effector movements and extract KRL (KUKA Robot Language) code. It's all running very fluently, allowing you to quickly iterate alternatives, both in respect to design and production. Finally, due to the KRL code generation, you can also rapidly output KRL files for mass customization, circumventing the lengthy CAD-CAM-Postprocessor workflow.



http://robotsinarchitecture.blogspot.com/

ACADIA 2010 | A New Parametric Design Tool for Robot Milling from Johannes Braumann on Vimeo.

Fabricate

FABRICATE is an International Peer Reviewed Conference with supporting publication and exhibition to be held at The Building Centre in London from 15-16 April 2011. Discussing the progressive integration of digital design with manufacturing processes, and its impact on design and making in the 21st century, FABRICATE will bring together pioneers in design and making within architecture, construction, engineering, manufacturing, materials technology and computation. Discussion on key themes will include: how digital fabrication technologies are enabling new creative and construction opportunities, the difficult gap that exists between digital modeling and its realization, material performance and manipulation, off-site and on-site construction, interdisciplinary education, economic and sustainable contexts.


http://www.fabricate2011.org/

Francois Roche / Interviewed by Jeffrey Inaba and Benedict Clouette

http://www.new-territories.com/columbia%20interview.htm

New Territories

 

 

http://www.new-territories.com/blog/

Radiolara pavilion - the first printed building

In a small shed on an industrial park near Pisa is a machine that can print buildings. The machine itself looks like a prototype for the automotive industry. Four columns independently support a frame with a single armature on it. Driven by CAD software installed on a dust-covered computer terminal, the armature moves just millimetres above a pile of sand, expressing a magnesium-based solution from hundreds of nozzles on its lower side. It makes four passes. The layer dries and Enrico Dini recalibrates the armature frame. The system deposits the sand and then inorganic binding ink. The exercise is repeated. The millennia-long process of laying down sedimentary rock is accelerated into a day. A building emerges. This machine could be used to construct anything. Dini wants to build a cathedral with it. Or houses on the moon.

http://www.d-shape.com

http://www.blueprintmagazine.co.uk/index.php/architecture/the-worlds-first-printed-building/

CITA (Center for It og Arkitektur)

CITA is an innovative research environment exploring the emergent intersections between architecture and digital technologies. Identifying core research questions into how space and technology can be probed, CITA seeks to investigate how the current forming of a digital culture impacts on architectural thinking and practice.
CITA examines how architecture is influenced by new digital design- and production tools as well as the digital practices that are informing our societies culturally, socially and technologically. Using design and practice based research methods; the aim is to explore the conceptualisation, design and realisation of working prototypes. CITA consolidates new collaborations with interdisciplinary partners from the fields of computer graphics, human computer interaction, robotics, artificial intelligence as well as the practice based fields of furniture design, fashion and textiles, industrial design, film, dance and interactive arts.
By examining technology transfers between high-innovative industries, that stand on front edge in the development of new digitalised designs- and production tools, it's our goal to create synergy between the subject's contemporary reality and its future perspective.

http://cita.karch.dk/

Computation Group, MIT

Yuchen Liu's SMArchS thesis at MIT

The Computation discipline group of MIT's Department Architecture inquires into methods of architectural design, and challenges the limits of current technology, as well as conventional design teaching and practice. It focuses on the development of innovative computational tools, design processes and theories, and applying these in creative, socially meaningful responses to challenging design problems. Faculty, research staff, and students work in diverse and mutually supportive areas including:

• visualization, video and animation
• rapid prototyping and CAD/CAM technologies
• shape representation and shape synthesis
• building information modeling (BIM)
• generative and parametric design
• critical studies of digital and information technologies
• software/hardware development of advanced tools for spatial design
• application of design technology to real world design problems

http://descomp.scripts.mit.edu/www/index.php
http://architecture.mit.edu/masters-smarchs.html

THEVERYMANY

MARC FORNES (registered Architect DPLG) is the founder and principal of THEVERYMANY - www.theverymany.net - a design studio and collaborative research forum engaging the field of architecture via what he qualifies as “Explicit and Encoded protocols”.


http://theverymany.com/

Gramazio & Kohler

"In our research we examine the changes in architectural production requirements that result from introducing digital manufacturing techniques. Our special interest lies in combining data and material and the resulting implications this has on the architectural design. The possibility of directly fabricating building components described on the computer expands not only the spectrum of possibilities for construction, but, by the direct implementation of material and production logic into the design process, it establishes a unique architectural expression and a new aesthetic."

http://www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch/

X-Lab at SCI-Arc

X-Lab 2.0 Final Review: Lunartics Documentary from Team_A on Vimeo.

http://www.vimeo.com/11124887