Engrained Performance: Performance-Driven Computational Design of a Robotically Assembled Shingle Facade System

Abstract

This project presents a novel fabrication-aware and performance-driven computational design method that facilitates the design and robotic fabrication of a wood shingle facade system. The research merges computational design, robotic fabrication, and building facade optimization into a seamless digital design-to-fabrication workflow.

The research encompasses the following topics: (1) a constructive system integrating the rules, constraints, and dependencies of conventional shingle facades; (2) an integrative computational design method incorporating material, robotic fabrication, and assembly constraints; (3) an optimization method for facade sun shading; and (4) a digital design-to-fabrication workflow informing the robotic fabrication procedures.

The result is an integrative computational design method for the design of a wood shingle facade. Environmental analysis and multi-objective optimization are coupled with a variable facade surface to produce several optimal design solutions that conform to the constraints of the robotic setup and constructive system. When applied to architectural design, the proposed integrative computational design method demonstrates significant improvements in facade sun-shading performance while also linking the digital design to the fabrication process.