From Digital Design to Automated Production

This project paper presents an overview of ongoing research from within a larger European project into the development of CAD tools for the design and realization of “nonstandard” concrete structures. The European research project combines the knowledge and resources of architects, designers, concrete technologists, civil and structural engineers and robot experts with the practical experiences of key players in the construction sector in a 4-year collaborative venture. Fourteen academic and industrial partners will develop a set of new technologies including digital design and fabrication tools, new formwork and reinforcement systems to radically change the way concrete is currently produced and used. With a construction process spanning a broad range of expertise, collaboration through an effective digital workflow is vital to the successful execution of free-form concrete structures.