The workshop Scalable Porosity (2014) focused on developing design to production methods for introducing porosities at different scales, ranging from micro levels, as material systems, to macro levels as spatial and architectural configurations. The aim was to develop material patterns that by additive layering will generate variable porosities. In principle, these patterns may address a range of scales, where voids may vary in ranges of, to the building scale, where voids may vary in ranges of meter, indicating inhabitable spaces. Due to production process constraints within this exercise, the focus has been on porosity ranges from millimetres to centimetres achieved by means of robotic material deposition.

In order to develop a coherent D2RP system specific to each project, the first step was to implement methods for form finding derived from the innate characteristics of the materials. This part of the design was implemented as a parametric strategy to define the porosity at architectural (macro) scale to fulfill functional and formal requirements. Furthermore, in order to achieve the material (micro) porosity level, a finite element method for material distribution optimization was implemented on fragments of the designed structures. The optimization also considered local and global load and support conditions.

The structural optimization routines enabled mapping stress lines and point cloud on the macro geometry, which allowed generation of structurally informed porous patterns. This implied that porosity at macro, meso, and micro scale were implemented by mapping light, ventilation, and structural needs onto the geometry.

Robotic prototyping established a link to building at 1:1 scale as it involved design, realization, and testing at building scale. By exposing ranges for feasibility in design, fabrication, and exploitation, a rapid-prototyping approach is important for avoiding failure and foreseeing D2P opportunities and threats. Furthermore, the actual integration between digital and material processes enables D2RP to bridge small and large scale. 

D2RP takes the inherent multifaceted nature of buildings into consideration from the early design to the latest building operation phase. The ultimate goal is to implement chained D2RP processes in which robots take specific roles while all (human and non-human) members of the setup as well as the respective design systems receive feedback at all time. 

In this context, both robotic additive and subtractive techniques are relevant and need to be integrated into D2P processes. While additive techniques may be slower, they have the advantage of enabling generation of highly customized material architectures. Subtractive techniques such as volumetric wire cutting and milling prove to be easier to control as material behavior is more predictable and less dependent on environmental conditions. A combination of both is envisioned to push D2RP to the next level, which aims at development of multi-material, -techniques, and -robots approaches. These transform building construction at the level where product-data descriptions drive NC and robotic manufacturing operations and processes. Such processes for the manufacturing of customized building components combine materialization techniques aimed at optimizing structural and climate control requirements as well as improving material and production efficiency. In this context, structural optimization is not anymore a post-optimization routine, but a design driver. 

Project results have been presented and exhibited at the V2 gallery in Rotterdam, at Écoles supérieures des beaux-arts de Tour in Angers and Le Mans, and 3 TU events in Netherlands.

Project team consisted of Henriette Bier, Sina Mostafavi, Ana Anton, Serban Bodea, Matteo Baldasari, MSc. 2 Students ( Robotic Environments, D2RP, 2015)

The workshop Performative Hybridity (2015) explored hybridity that is emerging from the combination of multiple materials and systems with various performances. Hybridity was investigated at architectural, building component and material scale in relation to multiple materials and systems that have various performances. Performances addressed functional, formal, material aspects, etc., while changes in performativity requirements addressed, for instance, inside-outside transitions and implied porosity change or some other material or immaterial transformation. Performance parameters (related to functional, structural, and/or environmental requirements) that vary in time and are drivers for the design of passive, active, and interactive building components.

Topological Assemblage has been explored in 2016 by designing and robotically producing a three-dimensional structure that consist of various components assembled into an integral whole. The structure as part of a podium/stage was designed by taking into consideration requirements with respect to function/use, form, structure, and climate as follows: 

(1) Functional requirements were addressed by mapping 24/7 activities;
(2) Formal aspects were explored by taking into consideration material, structural, climatic requirements as well as principles of customisation, continuous variation, and componential re/combination;
(3) Climatic/environmental requirements were considered from a distributed passive-active control perspective.

Main consideration was that the structure is composed of components that are together establishing hybrid systems (programmatic, climatic, structural, etc.), which are in part or completely NC or robotically processed and operated. Porosity and variation were investigated in relation to performative aspects (addressing functional, structural, and/or environmental needs).