A Proposal for Classification of Additive Manufacturing in Architecture

Abstract

The latest developments in computational design has caused a massive paradigm shift in contemporary architecture. While the power of the new computational tools allow the designers to design fluid and dynamic transformational forms replacing the rigid norms of current processes, it also accelerates the integration of design and making. Digital manufacturing and in particular Additive Manufacturing (AM) has shown to have a big impact on how designers think of complex mechanisms and geometries while designing. This paper is motivated by the latest developments in Additive Manufacturing (AM) in large scale structures and the opportunities arising from manufacturing components, modules and even monolith buildings. This paper is part of a larger research on Additive Manufacturing (AM) and has evolved organically out of necessity while trying to map out the latest developments about large scale AM processes. The aim of this paper is to better understand and position the latest developments therefore challenges on a number of diverse subjects through a proposed classification method.