Papers
On-Site Holographic Building Construction: A Case Study Of Aurora
Sijie Liu Soochow University
Ziru Wei Soochow University
Sining Wang Soochow University
Geometrically complex building components’ reliance on high-touch implementation often results in tedious information reprocessing, interpreting a 3D model into 2D drawings or data formats that are comprehensive to implementers. Recent use of interactive holographic instructions, also known as Mixed Reality (MR), among experimental architectural practices presents an innovative approach that significantly reduces redundant data translation, and potentially optimizes the design-to-build workflow. This paper uses Aurora, a single-story residential building for 2021 China’s Solar Decathlon Competition, as a demonstration project to highlight an augmented implementation process integrating associative modelling and head mounted display (HMD). It critically evaluates the on-situ feasibility of MR in construction regarding the clarity of holographic instructions, the precision of virtual-actual overlays, and the latent use for construction adjustment. This paper firstly describes an in-situ assembly workflow of Aurora’s non-standard facade and a laminated bamboo roof structure. Using HMD Microsoft HoloLens and smartphone, virtual information including component geometries and their identification tags were holographically presented to the field of vision of implementers, guiding the manual assembly actions. With Rhinoceros plug-in Fologram, facade panel geometries were colorized according to their flipping angles while roof structural parts were labeled according to the assembly sequence. By removing the redundant 3D-to-2D interpretation process, the in-situ construction time was effectively reduced. It then described an in-situ adjustment workflow. Aurora’s as-built geometrical information was retrieved using a FARO laser scanner. The point cloud data was converted to NURBS surfaces and then compared with the initial design model to highlight construction deviations. Corresponding instructions including components’ adjusting directions and distances were again holographically presented to implementers via HMD and smartphones. By tracking Arco makers that have been attached to the deviated components, real-time feedback of the adjustment procedure became visually available to implementers on-site. This paper concludes by emphasizing latent changes in design-to-build workflow stimulated by emerging technologies. The adoption of MR in Aurora’s construction poses a challenge to the Albertian paradigm where conventional 2D drawings used to be the sole agent connecting a design idea and its physical form. Holographic and interactive representations help to establish augmented craftsmanship that simplifies the non-standard construction process, suggests an alternative approach to handle deviations spotted, and eventually may stimulate design creativity.
Keywords: Mixed Reality, Non-Standard Facade, Bamboo Structure