SGER: Visual-Physical Design Grammars: Computational Synthesis And Production Of Mass Customizable Building Assembly Systems

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

The research objective of this award is the development of new formal grammars for the design and manufacture of building assembly systems that provide visually rich design variations for housing. The new grammars will specify the full scale visual, physical and material details of structural assembly components with sufficient rules to generate complete CAD/CAM data for fabrication. The structural systems will be tailored for particular cultures and communities by incorporating local, vernacular, decorative design into the assembly design through the use of grammars. A prototype assembly system will be developed for a representative section of a 3D assembly a corner wall section. The material and structural aspects of the assembly system will build on current research on mono-material, interlocking, component-based assemblies that can be fabricated with CNC machines and assembled by hand on-site. If successful, the results of this research will lead to new solutions for low-cost, easily manufactured housing which is especially critical in developing countries and for post-disaster environments. These new housing solutions will not only provide shelter but will also support important cultural values through the integration of familiar visual design features. The use of digital design and fabrication technologies will allow local communities to be engaged in the design and construction of their homes. Collaborations with the MIT Fab Lab will provide opportunities for students to build full-scale mock ups of housing assemblies resulting from this research. Beyond the specific context of housing, visual-physical grammars have the potential to positively impact design and manufacture of designed artifacts at many scales, and in domains from product design to building design, particularly for artifacts where visual aesthetics need to be considered jointly with physical or material requirements and design customization or variation is important.