To build a structure, where all participants manufacture a few parts which are then assembled into a larger whole – our workshop „Collaborative Structure“ at this years‘ Future of Construction Symposium at USI Mendrisio.

With the help of a new iteration of our ShapeDiver configurator and three Shaper Origins, we were able to manufacture, assemble and test the structure within five hours.

Thanks to a good preparation based on the experience of the MAK project it all went well and the participants had a creative and productive experience. I am quite fond of the constructive system we employed, as it combines a free arrangement of parts, a bit of craft and clever, precise joints thanks to manual CNC. We thus created a site-specific, aesthetically interesting and „communicative“ structure which was readily adopted by visitors and students at USI. The structure will now stay for a while, we are eager to see how it will develop over time.

Many thanks to all collaborators, participants and project supporters, especially SBB Immobilien for sponsoring disused material, ShapeDiver Ezequiel Lopez for supporting our configurator, Andy Rhyner Shaper Tools GmbH for expert advice, our fantastic group at Institute of Technology and Process at ZHAW and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Silke Langenberg, Orkun Kasap ETH and Prof. Dr. Ena Lloret of USI for making us feel welcome and hosting a memorable event!

https://futureofconstruction.net/src/pdfs/WS8_ColaborativeStructure.pdf