Thesis Projects
Forming with Air: 3D printing on Inflatables
This paper introduces PneuPrint, a fabrication technique combining inflatable membranes with robotic FDM printing, enabling freeform membrane structures and simplifying installation through prefabricated parts, demonstrated through a detailed workflow and application example.
Students: Che Wei Lin & Gabriele Mattei
Thesis Supervisor: Ina Cheibas & Chaoyu Du
Combinatorial Architectural Design - VR/AR (Unity)
This thesis explores the generative design of a two-floor CLT house using design tilesets and the Wave Function Collapse algorithm, evaluating layouts based on connectivity, room shape regularity, natural light, and minimal room area to determine tileset properties for diverse residential designs.
Student: Hanbing Zhao
Thesis Supervisors: Dr. Anton Savov & Hang Zhang
Augmented Reality Based Modeling of Reconfigurable Sand and Gravel Molds for Glass Curvature and scale potentials
This thesis investigates Robotic Sand Dropping (RSD) for digitally reconfigurable sand moulding, exploring geometric potentials, material limitations, and fabrication processes for creating freeform float glass elements in architecture, culminating in demonstrative prototypes.
Student: Ming Yang Wang
Thesis Supervisors: Rena Giesecke, Simon Griffieon
Individual Topic - Robotic Assembly of Stability guided Structures
This research explores the robotic assembly of discrete spanning structures, developing a design-to-manufacturing workflow that integrates geometry generation, stability assessment, and robotic motion planning, validated through simulations and physical prototypes.
Students: Jingwen Wang & Wenjun Liu
Thesis Supervisors: Ioanna Mitropoulo, Francesco Ranaudo & Gene Ting-Chun Kao
Augmented Physical Model
This research explores enhancing the communicative potential of physical architectural models using Augmented Reality (AR), integrating tools like Microsoft Hololens with effective UI/UX strategies to overlay digital information onto physical models, enabling narrative visualizations and detailed design insights for architects, designers, clients, and curators.
Student: El Mehdi Belyasmine
Thesis Supervisors: Wenqian Yang & Angela Yoo
Ceramic Assemblies: Articulation of Horizontal Joints as Functional Ornament in Ceramic 3D Printing
This research explores interlocking joint systems for bespoke ceramic elements in ventilated wall systems, leveraging 3D clay printing's geometric freedom to design porous, non-load-bearing walls that articulate joints as architectural expression rather than purely structural components, validated through digital experiments, physical prototypes, and load studies.
Students: Muslima Rafikova & Joaquin Martinez
Thesis Supervisors: Maria Smigielska & Suzi Pain
Institute of Architecture and Design, The Royal Danish Academy, Copenhagen
Robotic Upcycled Tiling
This research explores robotic tiling on non-planar substrates using segmented recycled tiles, focusing on material and fabrication experiments such as mortar application, substrate scanning, end-effector design, and process execution to enhance architectural expressivity and control in the tiling process.
Students: Katerina Toumpetski & Nikolaos Maslarinos
Thesis Supervisors: Gonzalo Casas, Dr. Romana Rust, Chen Kasirer, Michael Lyrenmann
Novel Mycelium Composites for Architectural Elements
This research investigates the use of hemp rope as scaffolding for mycelium-based architectural elements, combining computational design and robotic fabrication to create slab elements leveraging rope catenary properties while addressing growth, time, aesthetics, and natural process unpredictability.
Students: Chris Nordcross & Vincent Woerndl
Thesis Supervisors: Tiziano Derme & Ioanna Mitropoulo
Integration of timber with discrete earthen depositions
This study presents a novel approach to embedding timber elements into freeform earth walls using additive manufacturing and a cyber-physical "active" formwork system, enabling precise construction of integrated roof-supporting structures with minimal deformation.
Students: Vasileios Aloutanidis & Ananya Kango
Thesis Supervisor: Kunaljit Chadha, Dr. Lauren Vasey
Exploring the Potential of VR and AR for Assisting Low-Skilled Workers to Build CEB Dwellings
This thesis investigates how augmented reality (AR) can assist in assembling interlocking mortarless compressed earth block (CEB) systems, enabling low-skilled workers to build optimized self-supporting earth structures using digital tools such as smartphones.
Student: Andrea Mendoza
Thesis Supervisors: Yu Zhang, Prof. Kristina Shea
3D Printed Facade Skin
This thesis explores the use of additive manufacturing (AM) to design and fabricate freeform facade elements, focusing on integrating daylight and shading strategies into a unified workflow and developing a large-scale demonstrator to validate AM's potential for enhancing building performance.
Student: Erika Marthins
Thesis Supervisors: Ina Cheibas, Valeria Piccioni, Matthias Leschok