Papers
Augmented Active-Bending Formwork For Concrete, A Manufacturing Technique For Accessible Local Construction Of Structural Systems
Alvaro Lopez Rodriguez The Bartlett School of Architecture
Pablo Isaac Jaramillo Pazmino
Igor Pantic The Bartlett School of Architecture
This research introduces Augmented Reality (AR) for manufacturing concrete structures through an open platform for autonomous construction. The study was developed under the following scopes: computational algorithms for bending simulations, materiality tests, system implementation, and a set of Augmented Reality (AR) tools. AR devices offer a technological tool that allows for a self-built environment through holographic guidance, allowing the untrained workforce to participate in the process. This technology can help users select the system to construct through an Open-Source platform, reducing the gap between complex computational geometries and construction processes. The research aims to investigate a building system that could benefit the UN Objectives SDG10 by increasing the access to technology in undeveloped communities, SDG11 and SDG12 by promoting a self-sustainable method of construction based on local resources and material efficiency. In conjunction with the development of the AR Platform and augmented manufacturing, a 1:1 prototype was built in Quito, Ecuador, with the help of seven people with no previous knowledge of digital tools or construction. Presenting a novel, fast, and affordable concrete formwork connected with AR assisted assembly methods that facilitate access to more efficient and advanced building technology.
Keywords: Mixed Reality, Distributed Manufacturing, Online Platforms, Affordability, Local Communities, Sdg10 Reduced Inequality, Sdg11 Sustainable Cities And Communities, Sdg12 Responsible Consumption And Production