Dr. Russell Loveridge, Managing Director of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research in Digital Fabrication (NCCR DFAB) at ETH Zurich, and Professor Kazuki Hayashi from Kyoto University provided cutting-edge insights into the evolving landscape of construction. Their presentations highlighted how robotics, AI, and advanced materials are transforming traditional building processes into more efficient and sustainable practices.

Dr. Loveridge shared groundbreaking research from Switzerland, where NCCR DFAB integrates computational design, robotics, and material science to develop next-generation construction techniques. Key focus areas include:

• Timber Construction: Harnessing digital tools to innovate in wood-based building.
• Digital Concrete: Exploring sustainable alternatives for liquid-to-solid material applications.
• On-Site Automation: Advancing human-machine collaboration at construction sites.
• Interdisciplinary Digital Collaboration: Enhancing communication between architects, engineers, and industry stakeholders.

Showcasing projects like the DFAB House, a pioneering residential building demonstrating six digital fabrication technologies, and the Future Tree, a robotically assembled wooden pergola supported by 3D-printed concrete columns, Dr. Loveridge illustrated how automation and AI-driven processes can significantly reduce material waste while improving structural performance.

Professor Hayashi expanded on these ideas by highlighting AI’s role in industrialized construction. His research emphasizes computational structural design as a key driver for resilience and resource efficiency in urban environments. AI-powered models are optimizing structural designs, enhancing human-machine collaboration, and enabling a shift toward customized yet scalable architectural solutions.

A key challenge discussed was the balance between customization and standardization in construction. While AI allows for highly individualized designs, ensuring long-term scalability and maintenance remains a crucial consideration. Research in Japan also explores the use of recyclable materials like thermoplastics in formwork, addressing sustainability concerns while pushing the boundaries of material innovation.

The event reinforced the importance of international and interdisciplinary cooperation in tackling global challenges such as urbanization and climate change. As Switzerland and Japan continue to lead advancements in digital fabrication, AI, and sustainable construction, cross-border dialogues like this event play a vital role in fostering innovation and forging new partnerships.

From AI-guided robotics on construction sites to the development of novel sustainability metrics, the discussions underscored how technology is not replacing human expertise, but augmenting it. As research progresses, the next frontier of construction will be defined by smarter, greener, and more adaptive building techniques—shaped by a fusion of human creativity and machine intelligence.