Parametric design of an additively manufactured building facade for bespoke response to solar radiation

Abstract

Abstract The building construction industry is adapting Additive Manufacturing (AM) and robotic fabrication techniques to, among other efficiency and cost benefits, reduce the lifecycle Green House Gas (GHG) emissions of new buildings. This research aims to fabricate a low- GHG emission façade by encoding environmental performance using a combination of material selection, AM techniques, and bespoke geometry. This paper presents the design methodology, specifically the response to solar radiation (i.e. shading and daylight transmission). The key contribution of this publication is establishing the digital fabrication process of AM facades: beginning with performative parametric design, using empirical Bi-directional Scattering Distribution Function (BSDF) data of AM thermoplastic elements for daylight simulation to assess performance, and finally optimising the topology for a specific context (location and orientation).