By Sam Hayes and Nick Hart-Woods
Timeline of Prefabrication
1913- Ford greatly advances assembly line
1929 - First introduction of the Dymaxion House by Buckminster Fuller
1968- Richard Rogers Proposes Zip-Up Enclosures, multi iteration adaptive-design
1949- Designers Charles and Ray Eames finish their one-off home using industrially-produced components
1972- Kisho Kurokawa’s Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, Living units that can be changed out and adapted over time
1949-Fuller Introduces Wichita House, a lightweight, round, standardized aluminium structure
1996-Mass-market retailer IKEA introduces its Bo Klok house in Sweden
2003 -LOT-EK ‘s Standardised shipping container, converted into a modular home
Sky City
Sky City Changsha
11,819km2
7,044,118
Sky City
8039m2
30,000
Sky City is a project located in Changsha a city of population 7,044,118 of size 11,819 kilometres, Sky city will have a Footprint of 8039 meters squared. Meaning the average population density for the city is 0.005 people per meter compared with the Sky City density of 3.73 people per meter, equating to a 7463 times denser population. Sky City is realised through large scale prefabrication of concrete elements that allow for rapid construction. Meaning that when completed it will become the worlds tallest building after only 90 days of on-site construction, compared with the 5 year construction time of the current highest the Burj Khalifa. This is of course discounting any offsite construction time, and the accuracy for such unprecedented rapid construction is yet to be determined.
Parasitic Architecture
Parasitic Architecture
A parasitic structure that grows from the inside of an existing building. The “host� is an old factory at an abandoned harbour in Vienna that was constructed during World War Two. The parasite subversively infiltrates this piece of history, deconstructs it and adds a new component or function to it.
This prefab parasite by Lara Calder Architects is to populate the unused space found within urban landscapes, the dwelling attaches itself to a blank building facade found in the city. It grows on empty façades, rock faces and bridges. It finds value by converting unused public space into habitable space.
Organic Construction
Organic Construction
The Silk Pavilion researches at MIT explores the relationship between digital and biological fabrication on product and architectural scales. The primary structure was constructed of 26 polygonal panels made of silk threads laid down by a CNC machine. The worms were then controlled using heat and light sources to create controlled voids in the structure. This project demonstrates the possibilities for organic construction systems in controlled ways within fabrication.
Residential 3D Printing
Residential 3D Printing
London studio Softkill published a proposal for a home made of interlocking fibrous plastic modules
DUS Architects from Amsterdam announced that they were constructing a canal house in the city, using an on-site printer.
Dutch firm Universe Architecture unveiled designs for a dwelling resembling a Mรถbius strip.
Organic self progressing structures is something that can be realised in anthropogenic means via 3D printing integration. The use of 3D printing techniques allows for rapid bespoke construction and in the case of the Softkill project shown above left strand like structures can be printed on site to allow customisation and adaptation within a structural system.
Building Bytes
Building Bytes
Architect Brian Peters has adapted a desktop 3D printer to produce ceramic bricks for building architectural structures.
Developing two approaches to construction using the bricks: firstly a uniform structure using multiples of the same brick.
Secondly each brick is uniquely shaped to create a form.
Consumer 3D Printing
Asda is to become the first UK supermarket to offer an in-store 3D scanning and 3D printing service, allowing customers to capture and print scale models of their possessions or even themselves, demonstrating the increasing availability of digital fabrication methods that can be encompassed into all avenues of life.
Consumer 3D Printing
Public Access
Public Access
As part of group discussions based on our research the topic was raised regarding the future of domestic 3D printing. The availability of the products and a shift from the purchase of an item, to instead retailing the pattern needed to print the item. The Kiosk project by designers Unfold is a public access “food-cart” style 3D printing service in which people can get any object fabricated, shifting towards the idea of what they call a 3D printing “Corner Shop” in which any and all things may be obtained in one place.
Private 3D Printing
“Celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your own will� Make encourage people to integrate modern technologies into their everyday lives through projects such as the Blind Minder. With some light software and a few simple home hacks the Mini Blind Minder will automatically open and close your window shade and regulate the desired interior temperature. Bringing forward the idea that people can adapt their own interactive environments.
Private 3D Printing
Retail Shift
As brought up in group discussions regarding the subject of 3D fabrication, the availability of models to fabricate is likely to become increasingly relevant the more widespread the method becomes. This examples is the Makerbot “Thingyverse� used as open an source exchange of models to print. This is the construct we believe will most likely be undertaken by other retailers in the near future to allow for the retail of 3D printable models and items in a variety of fields. Component fabrication can integrate into real world uses, and could very easily find itself at the centre of an industry wide shift in fixture and furniture production.
Amaze Project
The Amaze project brings together 28 institutions to develop new metal components which are lighter, stronger and cheaper than conventional parts. Integrating additive manufacturing and optimal structure.
Additive Manufacturing Aiming Towards Zero Waste & Efficient Production of High-tech Metal Products
Amaze Project
Flight Assembled Architecture
Flight Assembled Architecture
Flight Assembled Architecture is a project involving a group of robot helicopters programmed to lift and stack 1500 polystyrene bricks into a six metre-high tower at the FRAC Centre in OrlĂŠans, France, by Gramazio & Kohler. Acting as a model for a larger scale construction method that could see the use of digital coordination of helicopters to build residential towers from prefabricated modular elements
Kinetic Assembly
Kinetic Assembly
The Self-Assembly Lab is a crossdisciplinary research lab at MIT composed of designers, scientists and engineers inventing self-assembly technologies aimed at re-imagining the processes of construction, manufacturing and infrastructure in the built environment. Self-Assembly is a process by which disordered parts build an ordered structure through only local interaction, allowing for not only prefabricated structures but pre-designed self constructing systems.
Electronic Assembly
Electronic Assembly
The DeciBot and MacroBot are examples of Self Assembly Lab’s efforts to create electronic self assembling systems, containing electromechanical actuation at each node allowing 360 degree rotation and three positions of discrete alignment
4D Printing
4D Printing
4D printing is the next stage in Self Assembly Lab’s research utilising polymers that can be 3D printed and react in different ways to an exterior stimulant. These examples expand and contract when exposed to water in a pre-designed manor to form a structure or shape. This method could be extrapolated to allow self assembled buildings that respond to a variety of site stimulants.
Composite Materials
The 4D concept printing is advanced by work at The University of Colorado integrating hybrid materials to the constructs. One stop closer to enclosure and shelter being realised from this construction method "We advanced this concept by creating composite materials that can morph into several different, complicated shapes based on a different physical mechanism," Prof H. Jerry Qi.
Composite Materials
3D Printing Habitats
3D Printing Habitats
The Reef Arabia team, made up of experts from Riffa, Bahrain and members of Australiabased Sustainable Oceans International sunk two of these 3D printed reefs off the coast of Bahrain last fall. The 1,100 pound reefs are made out of a non-toxic patented sandstone material and highlight how digital fabrication can be used to create habitats
Analog Experimentation
Analogue Experimentation
As Part of the research into prefabrication we chose to undertake an analogue experiment. Demonstrating the use of prefabricated elements, laser cut from MDF and constructed into interchangeable pieces allowed for rapid and effective construction of the desired form “PREFAB�
Project Feedback
Project Feedback Nick Hart-Woods
Sam Hayes
The project aimed to demonstrate the research, we as a pair had undertaken into the given topic. Highlighting areas in which pre-fabrication systems are advancing and what their future is likely to hold.
Our group was given the topic of prefabrication. We had been in the same Architecture group before and therefore were able to cooperate and understand each of our roles within the group with ease. We quickly communicated and set up a work plan that suited both of us. This enabled to complete the required work and critique over and over to produce the highest quality possible.
I believe we were successful at bringing to the attention of the group numerous projects that may influence their futures within the industry, most importantly an increased integration of digital fabrication methods into everyday life. This was a concept agreed by the group in discussions with comment on how the changing paradigm may lead to a revolution of product purchasing and retail systems. It was discussed that in a society in which additive fabrication is available to all, people will be able to download a digital model of a product and fabricate it themselves, in place of going to a shop to purchase an item. In terms of the collaborative work process I felt the pairing worked well, allowing for individual research into chosen interests and incorporating strengths from both parties into a joint style and output. A shared interest in the processes involved with fabrication and digital fabrication techniques has made the research into these topics particularly engaging and interesting to undertake. This joint interest has allowed us to challenge one another to further our understanding of these topics, reaching a point that would not have been achieved alone.
We instantly challenged each other and using our collective knowledge began to formulate a comprehensive piece of work. We both had a keen interest into future technologies which encouraged a broader understanding of the subject than either of us would have produced individually. After the group presentation which I thought we both presented extremely confidently we each assertively responded to a series of questions during a group question and answer session. The ability to subcategorise and respond based on the research was a particular strength we demonstrated as we concentrated on the subject in a detailed fashion. I feel our partnership challenged me to produce my highest quality of work and delve into understanding the technological advances of prefabrication over time. The brief to concentrate on the future added an interesting twist and we used this information as a controlling factor in the final content. I suggested the usage of analogue modelling to aid the presentation so we digitally scripted and then laser cut components. These components were constructed together during the presentation to add a dynamic quality. These Prefabricated parts spelt ‘PREFAB’ and brought an interactive element to the presentation. The audience then deconstructed and reconstructed the model and I felt the idea of how prefabricated parts can be applied to the future of the built environment was successfully delivered.
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