WAAM Facade

Full description

BACKGROUND
WAAM Facade explores an innovative tectonic approach to wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), involving printing directly onto folded plate steel to create a hybrid manufacturing technique. The project consists of an architectural prototype for a facade system and an accompanying short film that illustrates the robotic fabrication process. The project is part of a larger body of research (developed by lead CI Roland Snooks) that employs robotic fabrication and algorithmic design processes, which draw from the logic of swarm intelligence to construct prototypical architectural elements.

CONTRIBUTION
This research project contributes to the fields of architecture, algorithmic design, digital fabrication and additive manufacturing. WAAM Facade posits an innovative application of WAAM through the development of a hybrid fabrication/printing approach. This strategy enables the efficient integration of highly complex geometry and standard geometry that can be fabricated through more traditional methods. This integration enables the efficient and feasible manufacture of geometrically sophisticated metal building elements. The primary contribution of this work is the exploration of the creative possibility and design implications of this technical innovation.

SIGNIFICANCE
The development of this fabrication approach represents a pioneering contribution to metal additive manufacturing in architecture, and opens up significant new design possibilities. This project resulted in the fabrication of a prototype, which will form the basis of an ongoing research trajectory and architectural exploration. More importantly, this work demonstrates the viable large-scale potential of metal 3D printing in architecture. After the initial exhibition at the NGV Melbourne Design Week, the project was subsequently exhibited as part of the Venice Architecture Biennale (2021, curated by Alessandro Melis) in the CityX Venice exhibition (curated by Tom Kovac).