If you want curves like this, you’ll need a robot. Designed by architects Archi-Union, the undulating exterior of the Chi She Gallery in Shanghai was made using an adapted car-manufacturing robot. “We used digital tools to transform geometry data to digital-fabrication data,” says Li Han, chief architectural designer at Archi-Union, who spent five years making the cyborg helper.
Continue reading… “This bricklaying bot could be the architect of the future”
Advancements in the robotics field are helping to transform a number of industries, construction being one of them. Companies that build things can expect to see a host of new machines that perform a variety of tasks — adding efficiency to construction projects as well as reducing injuries to human workers.
Continue reading… “Robots and drones: Coming soon to a construction site near you”
For construction workers at the site of the new downtown stadium for the Sacramento Kings in California there won’t be any thoughts of slacking off. The construction site is being monitored by drones and software that can automatically flag slow progress.
Continue reading… “Construction sites use drones to monitor progress”
Izzy Swan, a retired furniture maker has built a drill-powered walking machine in his garage. He shows off the machine in action around his neighborhood and breaks down the construction process in this video he posted online.
Continue reading… “Izzy Swan builds a walking machine powered by a hand drill”
Almost as old as human civilization itself, building houses of brick has been perfected over the millennia. Placing over 700 bricks an hour, the fastest human bricklayers are pretty fast. Continue reading… “Man Vs Machine: Bricklaying robot can place 1,000 bricks an hour”
China has used more concrete from 2011 to 2013 than the United States in the entire 20th century, 6.6 gigatons vs. 4.5 giatons, according to the USGS cement statistics. Continue reading… “China has used more concrete in 3 years than the US did in 100 years”
Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall
As part of the ‘Robotics in Timber Construction’ research project at the University of Stuttgart, the peanut-shaped pavilion, Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall, was created. Constructed entirely by a robotic prefab building system, it showcases the current developments and innovations in computational design and robotic fabrication for lightweight timber construction. (Video)
Continue reading… “The Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall was built entirely by robots”
Contour crafting
3D printing has incredible potential to overhauling manufacturing. The same principles could upend building construction too.
Continue reading… “How contour crafting will change construction”
Tiny Homes – Redefining the simple life
Futurist Thomas Frey: Most of us hate feeling cramped. We hate being stuck on a crowded plane, stuck in congested traffic, and wading through packed concert halls. We like to be able to stretch out, get casual, and relax, but we can’t do that when people are invading our space.
Continue reading… “Why the Tiny Home Movement May Not be So Tiny”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZAR7hbcBsA[/youtube]
When a bridge falls in America, like this one near Seattle last week, infrastructure spending has a way of transforming into a national obsession. Fortunately, falling bridges in America are still a rarity. But, infrastructure spending is being squeezed at the very moment that infrastructure spending is a historic bargain for the federal government.
Continue reading… “Falling bridges and the decline of U.S. infrastructure spending”
Serbia has a spatial plan to build the Danube-Morava-Vardar shipping canal.
The Serbian ministry of natural resources, mining and spacial planing has started preparing paperwork for producing the spatial plan for ship canal Danube-Morava-Vardar.
Continue reading… “Could this be the next Panama Canal or just a crazy idea?”
Bacterial spores are added to the concrete mix and they are activated by water.
A concrete that patches up cracks by itself is to undergo outdoor testing. The experimental concrete contains limestone-producing bacteria, which are activated by corrosive rainwater working its way into the structure. This new material could potentially increase the service life of the concrete – with considerable cost savings as a result.
Continue reading… “Re-healable concrete to undergo key outdoor testing”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.
