Nonlinear Design & Fabrication for Earthen Architecture

Material Studies in Architecture, 2024-04-10

Anton Tetov

Anton Tetov

  • M.Arch from LU
  • MAS from ETH Zürich
  • Research assistant at Gramazio Kohler Research & LTH RobotLab
  • PhD student at Lund University

Clay Rotunda

![Clay Rotunda](

Teaching

  • Master in Digital Architecture and Emergent Futures
  • Applied Robotics
  • Programming for Architects

Nonlinear Design & Fabrication for Earthen Architecture

Nonlinear Design & Fabrication for Earthen Architecture

  • ( of a system ) Whose output is not directly proportional to its input.
  • Erratic and unpredictable; [...]

Nonlinear Design & Fabrication for Earthen Architecture

  • stone, clay, earth
  • local
  • non industrial / unprocessed / less processed / raw

Unpredictable materials

Feedback principle

Hypothesis

A robust and resilient process can be achieved by accepting and adapting to
unforeseen results, like those stemming from fabrication parameters or material
behaviour.

Goals

Demonstrate large scale, nonlinear fabrication processes for building elements
using local, raw materials.

Research questions

  • How can we develop non-linear fabrication processes for raw, local materials
    such as clay or earth?
  • How do we design for non-linear fabrication processes?
  • What kind of architecture can be created using non-linear fabrication
    processes?

How can we develop nonlinear fabrication processes for raw, local materials such as clay or earth?

  • What material behaviours emerge in these processes and how can they be
    described?

  • How can we create models of the built environment that accurately records
    material behaviours and that can be used in design, construction and
    operation?

  • How can we to adapt to the unforeseen

research-by-design mehodology

  • probe - explorations
  • prototype - experiments in material behaviour
  • demonstrator - showcase potential applications

Setup

  • Robot arm on mobile platform
  • Extrusion systems
  • Machine perception
  • World model

Worries/challenges

  • Specificity
  • Focus

Nonlinear Design & Fabrication for Earthen Architecture

Tacit knowledge for robots.

How define design goals in a process is driven by iterative fabrication? Bottom up, agent. Would discrete and stochastic processes help with global deformations? Could material behaviour and the process be design driver? Can we design processes that can respond to changes