Robotic fabrication and earthen shells

This project explores the implementation of additive manufacturing for monolithic shells based on the deposition of different clay mixes through robotic spraying over a temporary fabric formwork.

The framework sits at the intersection of ancient construction traditions, digital modelling techniques, and robotic control protocols.

Raw mud can be found in ancient construction traditions, from mud huts to wattle and daub techniques, to the recent appearance of 3d printed extrusions in several academic research projects.

Thin shell vaulting has relevant precedents throughout the 20th century, incorporating a variety of formwork methods for spray concrete ranging from pneumatics to fabrics to the recent fabric removable formwork and metal mesh reinforcement for robotic spray concrete (Veenendaal and Block, 2014).

This highly sustainable project is actively implementing the principle of “resistance through form” (Eladio Dieste, 1996) at the design stage, by using geometries with curvatures that result in active surfaces that are optimized and tested in 3d modelling softwares (Rhino, Grasshopper and Karamba).