ROB|ARCH 2018 - RADICAL CROSS-DISCIPLINARITRY

From the 10th-15th September a group of 400 people gathered for the fourth Rob|Arch conference. The biennial event brings together academics and professionals to exchange knowledge on robotic fabrication in architecture, art and design. This year it was hosted by ETH University, Zurich where pioneering work in the field has been driven by Matthias Kohler and Fabio Gramazio of Gromazio Kohler Research.

Around half of the papers presented explored additive manufacturing (3D printing) of concrete in various guises. Although still in its infancy, it’s interesting to note Sika, one of the conference sponsors, now offers material products which can be printed at a rate of 200mm an hour. Academic research focussed on how to stretch additive technology to improve reliability, reduce tolerances and ensure consistency.

In its current form, additive printing feels like a technology suitable for small-scale use for actions such as replacing brickwork walls in single dwellings, as about to be demonstrated in a community in Eindhoven, Holland. As Jonas Buchli, a robotics engineer now working with Deepmind indicated, it is important to explore how these processes can be developed for large-scale deployment where structural performance needs to be much higher than is necessary on small projects. Many of the techniques presented at the conference were targeted at the production of pavilions or prototypes, with the route towards scaling up not being clear. 

Scaling up these techniques for application in construction is challenging. A few promising examples where demonstrated. Buchli presented a method of using steel additive printing to build a cage which creates permanent formwork for concrete. On a similar theme, Odico Formwork robotics are a NASDAQ listed company which are using robotic arms to cut formwork from industrial foams, which allows complex structural elements reducing concrete usage by up to 40% over conventional slabs.

Given the current concern around single-use plastic products this technique does raise some concerns around the reusability of the foam, after it has been used for a project. However all the techniques presented are in their infancy, and development needs to continue to allow alternative materials to be investigated.

Someone once said “the history of architecture is defined by the history of techniques” - and it is clear that a digital fabrication aesthetic is beginning to emerge, often involving organic forms and double curvature. There appears to be a tendency towards digital techniques to be used for complexity of form. Matthais kohler made the prescient comment that there is a need take new technologies, and focus on simplicity to make a most useful impact.

The conference concluded with a visit to the D-FAB (Digital FABrication) house by ETH, built to demonstrate their recent progress in technology including the wall by Buchli and examples of offsite timber frames built by robot.

A paper from Chiba University, Japan on the use of robotics to craft joinery for replacement components for historic buildings is worthy of mention, giving a wonderful insight of how automation can support craftsman rather than replace them.

A lasting memory for me is what can happen when a group of people from such diverse backgrounds work together. This wasn’t accidental given the conference title of Radical Cross Disciplinarity. It is exciting to see where the industry could go, if we continue to work with technologists and embrace the opportunities to use new technologies for positive change.From the 10th-15th September a group of 400 people gathered for the fourth Rob|Arch conference. The biennial event brings together academics and professionals to exchange knowledge on robotic fabrication in architecture, art and design. This year it was hosted by ETH University, Zurich where pioneering work in the field has been driven by Matthias Kohler and Fabio Gramazio of Gromazio Kohler Research.

Around half of the papers presented explored additive manufacturing (3D printing) of concrete in various guises. Although still in its infancy, it’s interesting to note Sika, one of the conference sponsors, now offers material products which can be printed at a rate of 200mm an hour. Academic research focussed on how to stretch additive technology to improve reliability, reduce tolerances and ensure consistency.

In its current form, additive printing feels like a technology suitable for small-scale use for actions such as replacing brickwork walls in single dwellings, as about to be demonstrated in a community in Eindhoven, Holland. As Jonas Buchli, a robotics engineer now working with Deepmind indicated, it is important to explore how these processes can be developed for large-scale deployment where structural performance needs to be much higher than is necessary on small projects. Many of the techniques presented at the conference were targeted at the production of pavilions or prototypes, with the route towards scaling up not being clear. 

Scaling up these techniques for application in construction is challenging. A few promising examples where demonstrated. Buchli presented a method of using steel additive printing to build a cage which creates permanent formwork for concrete. On a similar theme, Odico Formwork robotics are a NASDAQ listed company which are using robotic arms to cut formwork from industrial foams, which allows complex structural elements reducing concrete usage by up to 40% over conventional slabs.

Given the current concern around single-use plastic products this technique does raise some concerns around the reusability of the foam, after it has been used for a project. However all the techniques presented are in their infancy, and development needs to continue to allow alternative materials to be investigated.

Someone once said “the history of architecture is defined by the history of techniques” - and it is clear that a digital fabrication aesthetic is beginning to emerge, often involving organic forms and double curvature. There appears to be a tendency towards digital techniques to be used for complexity of form. Matthais kohler made the prescient comment that there is a need take new technologies, and focus on simplicity to make a most useful impact.

The conference concluded with a visit to the D-FAB (Digital FABrication) house by ETH, built to demonstrate their recent progress in technology including the wall by Buchli and examples of offsite timber frames built by robot.

A paper from Chiba University, Japan on the use of robotics to craft joinery for replacement components for historic buildings is worthy of mention, giving a wonderful insight of how automation can support craftsman rather than replace them.

A lasting memory for me is what can happen when a group of people from such diverse backgrounds work together. This wasn’t accidental given the conference title of Radical Cross Disciplinarity. It is exciting to see where the industry could go, if we continue to work with technologists and embrace the opportunities to use new technologies for positive change.

This article was originally published on the RIBA Journal Website, November 2019