© Block Research Group, ETH Zurich | Photo by Stefan Liniger

nexFrontier: Digital Fabrication – Shaping the Future of Architecture

Join us in the first edition of nexFrontier series, where we have invited speakers from NCCR Digital Fabrication, ETH Zurich, Tongji University and Southeast University to discuss how digital fabrication with its new advancements in computational manufacturing opens a new realm for architecture.

Architecture, as an interdisciplinary field, has always been both a challenger and a utilizer of cutting-edge technologies of its era. The 3rd Industrial Revolution has moved designers and engineers away from their drawing boards to computer-aided design, the 4th Industrial Revolution is looking forward to blurring the lines between digital design and physical construction. Following 3D printing and CNC machines, digital fabrication with its new advancements in computational manufacturing opens a new realm for a high-quality, future-oriented large-scale architecture environment: designers could make bespoken artifacts directly translated from digital design, producers could program new materials that are biodegradable and environmentally friendly, computer-aided robots could automatically cut and drill holes for connections, and assembly precisely and swiftly……These changes are expected to transform our way of design, construction and building.

 

Pioneering in the field of digital fabrication, Prof. Dr. Philippe Block, Professor at the Institute of Technology in Architecture (ITA) at ETH Zurich, Director of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Digital Fabrication, will talk about his research on Computational Structural Geometry and its application in designing and constructing doubly-curved shell structures which formed the basis of projects such as unreinforced stone Armadillo Vault etc. Our second speaker, Prof. Dr. Philip Yuan, Associate Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP) at Tongji University, will introduce DigitalFUTURES, a global platform for research and education, and its role in addressing digital in architecture and design, with a focus on computational design and digitally controlled fabrication.

 

Subsequently, Prof. Dr. Benjamin Dillenburger, Professor at the Institute of Technology in Architecture (ITA) at ETH Zurich, Principal Investigator at NCCR Digital Fabrication, will present his research on additive manufacturing and its potential to challenge traditional paradigms of design and construction. To conclude, Prof. Dr. Hao Hua, Associate Professor in Architecture at Southeast University, will focus on the innovative combination of digital fabrication and Generative Art by creating an interface between mathematical formulations and computer numerical control (CNC) machines.

 

 

Event Rundown

16:00-16:03                         Introduction

by Libing Gu, Head of Academic Relations, Swissnex in China

 

16:03-16:15                          Computational Structural Geometry

by Prof. Dr. Philippe Block, Professor at the Institute of Technology in Architecture at ETH Zurich, Co-Leader of Block Research Group (BRG), Director of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Digital Fabrication

 

16:15-16:27                          DigitalFUTURES: A Global Knowledge Sharing Platform

by Prof. Dr. Philip F. Yuan, Associate Dean, Professor of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP) at Tongji University, Co-Chair of DigitalFUTURES Association

 

16:27-16:39                         Additive Construction – Future Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in Architecture

 by Prof. Dr. Benjamin Dillenburger, Professor at the Institute of Technology in Architecture at ETH Zurich, Principal Investigator NCCR Digital Fabrication

 

16:39-16:51                         Generative Art

by Prof. Dr. Hao Hua, Associate Professor in Architecture at Southeast University

 

16:51-17:15                          Q&A

Speakers

NCCR Digital Fabrication

The National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Digital Fabrication aims to revolutionise architecture through the seamless combination of digital technologies and physical building processes. Over 60 researchers from six different academic disciplines collaborate to develop ground-breaking technologies for tomorrow’s construction. Their research allows Switzerland to take a leading position within the global field of digital fabrication. To fully leverage the potential of digital fabrication, the following six disciplines collaborate intensively within the NCCR Digital Fabrication: architecture, civil engineering, mechanical and robotics engineering, materials science, computer science and control systems engineering. The National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs) are a funding scheme of the Swiss National Science Foundation.

 

nexFrontier

nexFrontier series is the latest webinar series at Swissnex in China which spotlights cutting-edge research in Switzerland and China. With a particular focus on Swiss National Centers of Competence in Research NCCRs and top-class research labs in China, this series hopes to introduce the most pioneering research advancements in Switzerland and China to an enthusiastic audience and promotes potential exchange and collaboration between the two labs or institutions.

nexFrontier

  • nexFrontier

In collaboration with

  • ETH Alumni
  • NCCR Digital Fabrication