Cyber-Physical Robotic Process for Re-Configurable Wood Architecture - Closing the circular loop in wood architecture

Abstract

The concept of circularity implies that materials, components, systems can be re-utilized to reduce their environmental impact by extending their life-cycle. This paper discusses an approach to circular construction that revolves around transformable wood architecture. What if we can make buildings that can be assembled, disassembled, and re-assembled by robots in infinite circular loops of reconfigurations? To explore this concept, a robotic process is developed to automate the reconfiguration of timber structures, considering the material, geometric and processual challenges involved in the operations. This method entangles establishing a cyber-physical process based on visual and force feedback, the development of wood construction elements suitable for the process, the deployment of design algorithms for semi-autonomous online construction. The paper describes this setup and demonstrates its functionality through a set of experimental prototypes conceived and evaluated in a three-phase collaborative process of assembly-disassembly-reassembly.