MAS 2021/22 Thesis Projects
Forming with Air: 3D printing on Inflatables
This paper proposed a novel fabrication technique, which combines inflatable membranes with robotic FDM printing. This new construction method, called PneuPrint, has a high potential for allowing free form design of membrane structure and reducing complexity in the installation process with prefabricated parts. The novel usage of the pneumatic formwork provides an alternative way of fabricating facade and full scale architecture elements. The workflow consists of four steps, which will be explained in this paper: i) design and simulation of the membrane, ii) scanning and point clouds processing, iii) print path planning , iv) robotic additive manufacturing. Finally, a design proposal is presented as a representative application example.
Students : Che Wei Lin & Gabriele Mattei
Thesis Supervisor : Ina Cheibas & Chaoyu Du
Combinatorial Architectural Design - VR/AR (Unity)
This thesis focuses on the quick generative design (Fig. 1) of a two-floor CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) house for a single family using design tilesets and the Wave Function Collapse (WFC) algorithm. This method allows to create unlimited designs. Four properties needed to be considered in this method, slot size, tile design, rule set, and layout organization.. The paper explores what properties does a tileset need to have to accommodate for a variety of residential architectural designs? The layouts are evaluated by four metrics: connectivities, room shape regularity, natural light, and minimal room area. The 3D generations are converted to 2D layouts and network graphs. The graph can be used to check the disconnectivity, and the 2D layouts are for the other three metrics.
Student: Hanbing Zhao
Thesis Supervisors: Dr. Anton Savov & Hang Zhang
Augmented Reality Based Modeling of Reconfigurable Sand and Gravel Molds for Glass Curvature and scale potentials
Robotic Sand Dropping (RSD) explores a robotic additive manufacturing This thesis investigates digitally reconfigurable sand molding for the creation of freeform features in float glass elements for architecture. Previous research has provided proof of concept for Robotic Reconfigurable Sand Molding for Doubly Curved Float Glass including investigations regarding precision at a small scale. This project investigates the geometric potentials, limitations of the material system, and the fabrication process with the AR system. Based on these findings, demonstrators that showcase the intriguing freeform properties are fabricated.
Student: Ming Yang Wang
Thesis Supervisors : Rena Giesecke, Simon Griffieon
Individual Topic - Robotic Assembly of Stability guided Structures
This research investigates the feasibility of the robotic assembly of discrete spanning structures. These structures are renowned for their material efficiency and elegance. However, they commonly require a fair amount of falsework as temporary supports during construction. As part of this research, a new design-to-manufacturing workflow is developed, which combines geometry generation, stability assessment, fabrication feasibility, and robotic motion planning. Simulation results and physical prototypes are presented to validate the process. This work contributes to the research field of assembly-aware design and multi-robotic manufacturing.
Students: Jingwen Wang & Wenjun Liu
Thesis Supervisors : Ioanna Mitropoulo, Francesco Ranaudo & Gene Ting-Chun Kao
Augmented Physical Model
This research aims to enhance the communicative role of physical models in architecture through the use of Augmented Reality (AR) technology. Through a deep understanding and application of UI/UX design and strategies, the approach is to create a new augmented interface using readily available tools such as the Microsoft Hololens to make a physical model more alive, informative and captivating. The study investigates how to overlay digital information with physical models to give users (architects, designers, clients and curators) access to narrative visualizations and design information. The current methodology aims to create, test and prototype multiple layers of a potential tool and to establish a pipeline for an optimal experience. Finally, this research seeks to demonstrate how architects can design augmented physical experiences to communicate and share knowledge for a wider audience.
Student: El Mehdi Belyasmine
Thesis Supervisor : Wenqian Yang & Angela Yoo
Ceramic Assemblies: articulation of horizontal joints as functional ornament in ceramic 3d printing
A general definition of a ventilated wall system is a non structural perforated structure that serves as a separator between spaces. The objective of this paper is to explore interlocking joint systems for bespoke ceramic elements that capitalise on the geometric freedom of 3D-printing.a dry or articulated adhesive discrete assembly. 3D Clay printing is offering a high level of geometric freedom to final objects hence this new design to production in the ceramics industry is rapidly growing. The research develops digital experiments coupled with physical prototypes, demonstrate potential strategies for the design of a porous non-load bearing wall that articulate the joints not purely as structure, but also as a form of architectural expression that challenges the concept of a traditional brick and mortar tectonic. Load studies on perforated wall systems have been done in order to show performance of differing joint typologies.
Students : Muslima Rafikova & Joaquin Martinez
Thesis Supervisors : Maria Smigielska, Suzi Pain Institute of Architecture and Design, The Royal Danish Academy, Copenhagen
Robotic Upcycled Tiling
With this project, we experiment with robotic tiling on non-planar substrates, using segmented recycled tiles in rectilinear shapes as our packing material. The research was led by two design proposals including the study of 2 substrate surfaces with different planarity properties, based on which we conduct a series of material and fabrication experiments, namely: mortar application techniques, substrate scanning studies, the design and production of two end-effectors, and the design and execution of the fabrication process to tile these substrates. Our aim is to identify and address the various intolerance challenges that are inherent in the tiling process itself, in order to have the maximum control over the tiling process and explore higher architectural expressivity, while maintaining fabricability awareness.
Students: Katerina Toumpetski & Nikolaos Maslarinos
Thesis Supervisors : Gonzalo Casas, Dr. Romana Rust, Chen Kasirer, Michael Lyrenmann
Novel Mycelium composites for architectural elements
Environmental pollution and scarcity of resources are motivating investigations into sustainable construction materials. Mycelium-based composites are a promising material being fully circular in terms of end-of-life as well as economically competitive. However, the manufacturing methods for mycelium-based elements for architecture have been mainly limited to cast molds. This thesis investigates the potential of using hemp rope as a substrate scaffolding for mycelium based elements. A custom computational design workflow coupled with robotically guided fabrication, forms the basis for this research on the variables of growth, time, aesthetics, and unpredictability inherent to natural processes. The developed computational tool generates slab elements that utilize the catenary properties of ropes.
Students: Chris Nordcross & Vincent Woerndl
Thesis Supervisor : Tiziano Derme, Ioanna Mitropoulo
Integration of timber with discrete earthen depositions
Work cannot be published for research reasons
Students: Vasileios Aloutanidis & Ananya Kango
Thesis Supervisor : Kunaljit Chadha, Dr. Lauren Vasey
Exploring the Potential of VR and AR for Assisting Low-Skilled Workers to Build CEB Dwellings
This thesis aims to investigate how augmented reality (AR) can help in the assembly of an interlocking mortarless compressed earth block (CEB) system and allow anyone to become a builder. Although earth building has such a long tradition and knowledge behind it, there is little research on the use of digital tools to aid in the assembly of an optimized self-supporting earth structure. Now with almost half the world's population owning a smartphone, there is potential for the group of smartphone users to tap into the powerful computers in their pockets as a digital tool for building. The work documented in this paper is based on a larger body of work exploring the optimization of an earth structure built with a bespoke CEB assembly.
Student: Andrea Mendoza
Thesis Supervisors :Yu Zhang
Supervision Prof. Kristina Shea
In collaboration with Ion
3D Printed Facade Skin
This thesis is about designing a better building facade using a new technology called Additive Manufacturing (AM). This study explores the potential of using AM technology to fabricate freeform customized façades elements. The proposed method combines design, simulation, and fabrication in a single workflow, allowing for a more comprehensive design process. The methodology of this project focuses on the development of a large-scale demonstrator panel. The main aim of this study is to identify daylight and shading strategies for integrating environmental parameters into the design and fabrication process of a large-scale facade panel. As AM holds the potential to customize façade elements adaptively, the authors strongly believe that AM façades can positively impact the performance of buildings. With this work, we contribute validation prototypes to investigating AM's design and fabrication possibilities.
Student: Erika Marthins
Thesis Supervisors :Ina Cheibas, Valeria Piccioni, Matthias Leschok