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About

Lawson Spencer is an architectural researcher and designer working at the intersection of digital fabrication, mixed reality interfaces, and sustainable timber construction. His work is perhaps best known for the UnLog Tower project, a recurring thread through his most-cited publications that exemplifies his commitment to transforming unconventional and even compromised materials — such as emerald ash borer-infested timber — into structurally innovative architectural systems. His 2024 paper on human–machine collaboration using gesture recognition in mixed reality environments has garnered 14 citations, reflecting the timeliness and originality of integrating intuitive, hands-free interfaces into robotic fabrication workflows. Spencer's broader research agenda challenges the standardization of construction materials: his "Timber De-Standardized" framework (9 citations) demonstrates how irregular salvaged logs can be meaningfully incorporated into viable structural assemblies through MR-guided design. His UNLOG bending-active timber method further showcases his ingenuity in developing lightweight, deployable construction systems using robotic kerfing. Spencer also ventures beyond timber, exploring additive manufacturing with cementitious materials and doubly curved mass timber geometries, signaling an expansive design research practice with genuine interdisciplinary reach and real-world architectural ambition.