Course No.: 848158
Teaching: Amy Ehinger & Georg Grasser & Marjan Colletti
This course explores the implementation of ongoing research in robotic fiber-based 3D printing, focusing on the architectural potential of wood-fiber composite materials at large scale. The goal is to design and fabricate a temporary, singular structure using continuous robotic printing, testing both material behavior and fabrication limits through full scale construction.
A central goal of the course is to examine sustainable building alternatives and emerging construction technologies. Wood is a renewable and widely available resource, and its use in this course, through a mixture of fibers and starch, allows for direct recycling and reuse. This material system supports rapid prototyping within a circular workflow, enabling material to be reclaimed after fabrication rather than discarded. To date, most experiments with this material have been limited to indoor environments; this course extends testing to outdoor printing conditions, addressing challenges related to continuity, environmental exposure, and material stability.
Students will also explore the application of natural coatings, such as oils and waxes, to create a semi water-resistant surface while maintaining recyclability. These tests will evaluate how natural treatments influence durability and performance when the structure is exposed to outdoor conditions.
The resulting structure will be temporary by design, acknowledging the limited lifespan of natural materials in exterior environments. This limitation reflects a broader architectural challenge: balancing sustainable materials with durability expectations. The course positions temporary architecture as a meaningful alternative, focusing on structures that can be directly recycled and reused once their function has been fulfilled.
