Introduction

This body of work led by prof. Ezio Blasetti and Danielle Willems, researches algorithmic generative methods and the use of carbon fiber in robotics for architectural design, in collaboration with Via Domani and Lemond Composites. The research focuses on the intersection of computation, form generation, simulation and robotic fabrication. The objective is to develop and document specific computational tools and material prototypes than span across design phases, from concept to fabrication.

Objectives

This research focuses on experimentation through design and making. We look in depth on the various material parameters of carbon fiber and develop the appropriate fabrication methods and algorithms. Each project documents the intricate relationship between computational geometries and material behavior of carbon fiber and will rigorously test their structural, aesthetic and architectural properties. The success is measured in the translatability of the prototypes into building methods and elements. The results fold onto the next projects both by the means of exhaustive computational and prototype catalogues and in the creation of multi-authored computational libraries. These ‘proto- languages’, as they escape the digital inscription to include other artifacts, at times notational, physical and material, are always-already multiple, collective and non-linear.

Composite Building Unit

The research projects focus on the design of an integrated functional building element. Scale, Assembly and Part-to-Whole Relationships are part of the design problem. The seminar challenged traditional typologies of detailing and construction and seeks novel architectural applications in-between scales and functions. The ‘Building Unit’ in this case operates as the synthetic atom between the definition of space and the material deposition. In this research the ‘atom’ is defined as a condensed element that has embedded within it the possibility of the ‘multiple’. Fibrous structures, complex nets and topological crochets, frozen to hold their shape and positioned in larger assemblies, were tested for their structural stability, silhouette and architectural character.

The use of composite materials and carbon fiber in building projects is becoming increasingly popular around the world. As their manufacturing price decreases, composites will soon replace many traditional materials and methods of construction. Composites present multiple benefits including durability, strength, light weight and low maintenance. Their design flexibility opens up new areas of tectonic experimentation and their low energy consumption and efficiency leads to greater sustainability. Students experimented with various molds and methods of weaving for the manufacture of their prototypes. The use of carbon fiber offers a new set of topological possibilities that would be impossible with any other material.

Thank You!

This research would not have been possible without the expert support and advise of our colleagues. With their direct support in the labs and with their expert presentations in lectures and reviews the following have been generous with their time and we thank them for their input:

Winka Dubbeldam

Weitzman School of Design - Miller Professor and Chair of Architecture

Mathieu Victor

Via Domani - Creative Producer: Art, Experience, and Technology

Tim McCarthy

Lemond Composites - Chief Commercial Officer

Stephan Henrich

Robotikdesign und Architekur

Nathan Burnell

YSoA - Assistant Shop Manager & Instructor

Tim Newton

YSoA - Director of Fabrication & Critic

Greg Sheward

Pratt Institute - Robotics, CNC, Metal Technician

Rodrigo Guajardo

Pratt Institute - Woodshop Laser, 3D Technician + Visiting Assistant Professor

Drew Busmire

Weitzman School of Design - Lecturer

Mariana Righi

Weitzman School of Design - Research & Teacher Assistant at Autonomous Manufacturing Lab

Dennis Pierattini

Weitzman School of Design - Fabrication Lab Manager

Karl Wellman

Weitzman School of Design - Director of Operations and Planning