Plate Forming

Prototyping: Multifamily Housing

Pilot Study

Ines Ariza, SMarchS MIT

Elisabeth Boles, June Kim, Calvin Zhong

2016

Laser Cutter, Masonite Rockite

 

Skilled and unskilled labor on construction sites has always limited creative opportunities for architects and designers. This problem is exacerbated when labor is used to build formwork on-site. Human activities on-site include measuring, cutting and assembly of forms as well as hours of adjustment and leveling. We believe these major functions can be controlled or eliminated through computing and robotics. Our Planar Modeling system is automated generation or data used to cut panels for formwork. Planar modeling is a system that removes human cutting and measuring from building delivery regardless of the building's shape or size. In this case interlocking panels are fabricated to produce formwork directly from a 3D computer model. The process is demonstrated by creation of a desktop model.