How we work - Lab Notes

The Design Fabrication Group is a center for education and research in areas of Research is exploration of constructive design languages used to guide the production of architectural artifacts with digital fabrication devices. Design production with digital fabrication is an intersection of mechanical design, machine knowledge and materials applied to both rapid prototyping and CAD/CAM manufacturing. A constructive design language is synthesis between design, generative computing, and digital fabrication techniques and is needed to translate design concepts to physical products. Application of these machines and methods historically has been in fields of engineering for prototyping or factory based manufacturing. Unfortunately, digital fabrication is too complex and expensive for architects to use in creative ways, generation of intelligent shapes beyond geometry demonstrate a challenge in the field. The problem is that most design software is focused on visual representation and image manipulation. As evidence, the systems explored in my research group have allowed us to design, synthesize and manufacture furniture, toys, bus stops and buildings.