Morphology and Ornamentation: Robotic fabrication of a biocomposite relief
Authors: Peter Massin, Kilian Bauer
Acknowledgements:
The design-build case study Postdigital Textrin has been conducted as part of the research project Fragmente postdigitaler Ornamentik, funded by Early-Stage Funding 2022. With support of the Department of Experimental Architecture and the Architekturwerkstatt, Universität Innsbruck. The project’s principal investigators were Peter Massin and Kilian Bauer. The affiliated student workers are Theresa Biesalski, Amy Ehinger, Simon Hildebrand, Christopher Walch, and Lukas Wolf. The project was fabricated at the Robotic Fabrication Labatory – REX|LAB led by Marjan Colletti. We are grateful to all team members for their work 👏.
The design build project Postdigital Textrin was presented in the paper presentation at the eCAADe 2024 Conference in Nicosia, Cyprus (9.-13. September) – Data Driven Intelligence.
Full paper for download at cumincad.org
abstract:
Morphology and Ornamentation investigates experimental design and fabrication studies following the theory of the Digital and the Ornament in architecture. The research identifies the traits of morphological correlations between digital design processes and features of CAM machinery. This paper presents a CAM fabricated wall relief, ‘Postdigital Textrin’, developed at the Department of Experimental Architecture in 2023 as part of the funded research project “Fragments of postdigital Ornamentation”. The project aimed to develop an economic and ecological design process for the fabrication of relief panels while simultaneously investigating the aesthetic attributes of the technological framework. The methodology utilises non-structural robotic printing, mainly with biocomposites. Significant findings could be made by understanding the print specifications, the material, and the path design during the iterative experimental phase. Based on the developed process, 12 m² or 32 individual panels of puzzle-like polygonal silhouettes had been economically and efficiently fabricated and seamlessly assembled. The project contributes to the investigation of sustainable and digital crafting strategies while identifying technology and compounding data as aesthetic drivers.
