Cyber Physical Macro Material

Summer Semester 2017 | ITECH M.Sc. Thesis 2017

Miguel Aflalo, Jingcheng Chen, Behrooz Tahanzadeh
Prof. A. Menges, D. Wood, M. Yablonina

Prototype displayed at the Creative Robotics 2018 exhibit, ARS Electronica Center, Linz Austria


Project Video

Source: Vimeo

Cyber Physical Macro Material as a UAV [re]configurable architectural system

The project Cyber Physical Macro Materials demonstrates a tangible vision of a new dynamic (and intelligent) architecture for public spaces. The agile and reconfigurable canopy is enabled by a combination of distributed robotic construction and programmable matter. The structure is comprised of cyber-physical building material constructed from lightweight carbon fiber filament with integrated electronics for communication and sensing, which operate alongside a collection of autonomous aerial vehicles – ‘builders’. With its ability to continuously reconstruct during use, the system challenges pre-conceived ideas of robotic digital fabrication and sophisticated pre-fabrication for architecture. One can imagine an agile versatile canopy autonomously moving through a large public space according to the position of the sun, providing the occupants with shade or actively rebuilding itself to influence the occupants while at times retreating entirely to nearby rooftops.  This physical flexibility and integrated intelligence enable, new architectural behaviors which are capable of swiftly activating public spaces in defiance of traditionally lethargic building processes and regulations.

ITECH M.Sc. Thesis Project 2017
Miguel Aflalo, Jingcheng Chen, Behrooz Tahanzadeh

Thesis Advisers: Dylan Wood, Maria Yablonina

Thesis Supervisor: Prof. Achim Menges
Second Supervisor: Prof. Jan Knippers

Contact information

 

Institute for Computational Design and Construction

University of Stuttgart, Keplerstraße 11, 70174 Stuttgart

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