Towards Distributed In Situ Robotic Timber Construction

Abstract

This paper will discuss and explore the impact of creating a new architecture-specific, distributed robotic system for the in situ assembly of timber structures. The system developed is composed of multiple collaborative, single-axis robotic nodes designed to utilize standardized timber struts as a building material and for its locomotion system. The material is therefore not only used in the final built structure but forms an integral part of the robotic system, minimizing its size, weight, and complexity. By codesigning custom robotic builders together with their material assembly system, the tectonic logics and spatial expression of the possible structures are a direct expression of the robotic configuration and building behaviors of the system. The spatial expressions of the proposed robotic system expose new possibilities for timber-based architecture in both design and construction.