The Master in Robotics and Advanced Construction (MRAC) seeks to train a new generation of interdisciplinary professionals who are capable of facing our growing need for a more sustainable and optimised construction ecosystem. The Master is focused on the emerging design and market opportunities arising from novel robotic and advanced manufacturing systems.
Through a mixture of seminars, workshops, and studio projects, the master programme challenges the traditional processes in the Construction Sector. It investigates how advances in robotics and digital fabrication tools change the way we build and develop processes and design tools for such new production methods.
Exploring the Intersection of Subtractive and Additive Manufacturing In the pursuit of challenging manufacturing norms and pushing the boundaries of creativity, our team delved into the intricate world of stack lamination during the recent workshop. Focused on creating functional and visually stunning furniture pieces for a potential cafeteria in Barcelona, our journey unfolded through three … Read more
A City’s Revolution has come!Uplifting its community by changing the perception and usage of modern cities through Hygiene Barcelona’s lack of public toilets can lead to unhygienic situations such as relieving oneself on the streets of the city but also having to find another solution without the guarantee of knowing if the facilities will be … Read more
During this one week workshop we explored the combination of stack lamination and 5 axis robotic milling for the speculative production of furniture for the new IAAC cafe. As a group we conceptualized and developed 3 items of furniture that could be produced using stack lamination. Each design was rationalized to make use of a … Read more
Brief Our curiosity brought us to an intriguing investigation at the nexus of technology, craftsmanship, and acoustics in the quest to elevate spatial design. This blog shares the story of our journey, where we used a cutting-edge multi-material 3D printing technique to produce personalized sound-diffusing walls—a first for the industry. Our concept began with a … Read more
The emergence of additive manufacturing has expanded the horizon for developing designs that are not only more environmentally sustainable but also commercially viable, addressing critical issues in our surroundings. In the field of architecture, multi-material 3D printing opens up a compelling opportunity to imbue intelligence into the surfaces of our built environment by thoughtfully selecting … Read more
State of the Art In the quest for sustainable and energy-efficient cooling solutions, the TerraCool project endeavors to harness the natural properties of clay through the innovative application of multi-material 3D printing technology. This research project aims to develop an advanced evaporative cooling system utilizing seashell ceramic. “TerraCool” is not only a testament to the … Read more
State Of The Art Utilization of robotics within the additive manufacturing world is becoming more and more standardized as the needs of people and the environment are changing. The construction industry itself has to produce more efficient structures with very little to no waste, and the capabilities of robots to do this are very apparent. … Read more
Faculty // Ricardo Mayor, Faculty Assistant // Nestor Beguin , Faculty Assistant // Sheikh Rizvi Riaz
Additive manufacturing has opened up a vast array of possibilities to the creation of more sustainable but also salable designs that can address critical issues in our environment. In the context of architecture, multi-material 3D printing opens the door for an opportunity to embed intelligence into the surfaces in our built environment through material selection … Read more
This project explores the computational logic and thinking to design an iterative growth algorithm that enforces specific filters and rules of selection to inform the assemblage of simple building blocks.In Grasshopper the Anemone plug-in is used as the tool to iterate over the computational logic, informing how the geometry will behave within the digital environment … Read more
The introductory software course emphasizes computational logic, focusing on the assembly and growth processes in design, navigated meticulously by grasshopper algorithms. Voxels are introduced as fundamental units, which, when combined and altered, form a complex system of geometric structures. Using plugins like Anemone which allow loops to occur we are easily able to create permutations … Read more
In Software I, we explored computational logic with a focus on iterative processes. Using voxels (short for volume elements), we created collections of geometric elements using the Grasshopper and Anemone plugins. The goal of the seminar was to gain a deeper understanding of iterative processes and computational logic. Specifically, we focused on creating voxel-based shapes … Read more
Abstract The main objective of the Software I seminar was to engage in computational logics and growth assemblages using voxels as its main geometrical component. The logic utilizes algorithms and visual programming in Grasshopper and Loops using Anemone Plugin. By definition, an assemblage is the process of combining individual components or parts to generate a … Read more
This project revolved around utilising computational thinking and logical principles for crafting assembly and growth processes. This exploration involved using iterative algorithmic approaches, commencing with essential spatial building components. We have designed a few essential components in the form of voxels that served as fundamental computational units, having the capability to both store and process … Read more
The project focuses on generative assemblies comprised of multiple identical modules. It is crucial to design the shape of the components and the connection points between each of them, as well as not to add occlusions. Components will grow randomly depending on the shape as well as the location of the connection points. The design … Read more
During this course, we delved into the methodologies of modular building using wood modules designed by Gilles Retsin. By employing techniques like stacking and post-tensioning, we investigated both the potential and constraints of these modules. Our journey started with the assembly of the module, during which we constructed elements such as beam, column, opening and … Read more
Robotic Wood Craft is looking to minimize the raw material foodprint through an efficient repurposing project. The project develops a Data workflow from the scanning of the logs to the Robotic Fabrication and assembly of the pavilion. The final prototype is a post tension structure, with different robot milling joints that maintain the connection in … Read more
The industry of construction creates most of the waste in the world. By 2025 we expect to reach 2.2 billion tons globally. As a solution of this problem, industry 4.0 proposed the Additive manufacturing process, which is looking for the optimization of fabrication and construction adding layer by layer different materials; this process started being … Read more
The reference marking system for Additive Manufacturing Context Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have established and grown significantly over the past few decades, solidifying themselves as a mature and competitive alternative across various sectors of fabrication and construction. This development has been observed across multiple levels and applications of production, primarily due to its remarkable properties … Read more
Preliminary steps towards a hybrid workflow for smooth 3D printed surfaces. Aim To develop a hybrid workflow to obtain smooth surfaces on 3D printed clay for improved alignment and surface finish. State of the Art Additive manufacturing enables the precise and cost-effective creation of complex designs while minimizing waste. One of the shortcomings common to … Read more
Introduction Our use of forestry resources has seen an increase in efficiency aimed at standardizing wood, a material that is inherently non-standard and heterogeneous by nature. However, the byproducts generated from this process are predominantly used for energy through combustion rather than being transformed into useful products. As more wood products are expected in construction, … Read more
The construction industry has shown an increasing interest in adapting to more environmentally friendly materials, with wood gaining popularity as a natural and sustainable option for buildings. However, the wood industry contributes a significant percentage of energy consumption during the entire wood lifecycle, encompassing tree cutting, transportation to sawmills, and delivery to construction sites. Additionally, … Read more
In this workshop, we collaborated all together to investigate the neuro-evolution (artificial evolution defining neural networks) as a strategy to develop autonomous behaviours of mobile robots (in this workshop we used Turtlebots) to perform given tasks. We used N.E.A.T. (NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies) as a method framework for artificial evolution of these robot controllers and increased … Read more
