New Workflows for Digital Timber

Abstract

This chapter describes a research thread at CITA which explores how computation and a challenging of traditional material practice can impact the use of timber in architectural design and fabrication. Several past research projects at CITA have demonstrated the potential for streamlining the design-to-production process using computational tools, and the value of working in concert with the inherent properties of wood. Current research continues this thread through a participation in the Innochain research network (http://innochain.net/) and collaboration with industrial partners White Arkitekter AB and Blumer-Lehmann AG. Through the embedding of digital tools within established timber design a fabrication processes, new workflows are proposed which could lead to more intelligent design decisions, optimized building components, and new timber morphologies. Keywords Wood design • Complex timber structures Parametric design and fabrication strategies • Optimization of wood architectures Digital wood workflows

Digital fabrication, BIM and early contractor involvement in design in construction projects: a comparative case study

“…Interface complexity in this work refers to how complicated the coordination in the design, manufacture and assembly processes. In many complex design projects using DFAB, system and interface complexities might be unavoidable due to many reasons such as project requirements and technological constraints (Graser et al, 2020;Svilans et al, 2019;Williams et al, 2011). They require integration to help manage these complexities as challenges in the design, manufacture and assembly processes (Hall et al, 2018;Levitt & Sheffer, 2011).…”

“…This comparative case study shows that all four selected cases have adopted DfMA principles and practices to design for DFAB. However, this DfMA-based approach for DFAB requires a strong understanding of the technical and technological requirements of DFAB technologies (Ng et al, 2020;Svilans et al, 2019;Williams et al, 2011). For example in Case 2, a specific DFAB trade contractor was required to develop the design together with the design teams.…”

Integrated Material Practice in Freeform Timber Structures

“…The aim of this thesis is to approach from the other direction: to inform the virtual processes of design and modelling with material behaviour, properties, and fabrication constraints -specifically within the field of large-scale glue-laminated timber. As described in Svilans, Tamke, et al (2019), this embedding of aspects of materialization within digital design tools leads to novel timber morphologies, tailored and optimized building components, and better-informed design decisions. The main objective of this thesis is therefore to develop and elucidate a material practice -consisting of a set of tools and processes -which acts both as the boundary object between architectural designer and timber fabricator in the way suggested by Runberger and Magnusson (2015), as well as the central knowledge interface referred to by Scheurer et al (2013).…”

Design Transactions

“…Using a multi-scalar approach, we consider different forms of feedback: feedback in design through computational models and augmented modelling tools; direct feedback in production through the integration of sensors and 3D scanning in the timber production process; and organisational feedback in the timber supply chain through the exploration of iterative, integrated gluing and machining processes (Svilans et al, 2019). Previous work has explored the application of multi-scalar modelling for the design and fabrication of complex timber structures in the context of Innochain and other research collaborations (Svilans, et al, 2018).…”

“…The primary goal was to establish a better routine for registering the freeform elements on the machining bed, creating a link to the digital production model and allowing it to be aligned with the material. The experiments were initially simple, with minimal change to the production workflow, and progressed to more complex integrations of different scanning technologies with a closer relationship to the digital production model (Svilans et al, 2019). 4 Initially planned as a standard bridge in steel or concrete, eventually timber was selected as the preferred material.…”