rocker-lange blog

“I am very proud that we finally finished the installation of our upgrade for the Robotic Fabrication Lab at HKU. It took a while but the result has been rewarding.

“Here the official text:
The Robotic Fabrication Lab at the Faculty of Architecture of The University of Hong Kong has undergone a transformative expansion, showcasing cutting-edge advancements in the latest robotic fabrication technology.

“The Lab now proudly houses two large-scale robots mounted on tracks, representing a significant leap forward for the Faculty’s research activities in robotic fabrication. These state-of-the-art robots are equipped with diverse end-effectors that can be changed seamlessly and instantaneously, demonstrating remarkable application versatility.

“The introduction of these advanced robotic systems marks a pivotal moment for the Faculty’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological innovation within the architectural field. Incorporating robots on tracks with quick-change mechanisms amplifies the scale of fabrication and enhances accessibility for our researchers and students.

“The Lab’s emphasis on adaptability is particularly significant, as the robots’ ability to swiftly switch between different functions – concrete printing, clay printing, pick & place solutions, welding, and many more – enables a broad spectrum of fabrication techniques for our various research activities. This versatility opens up new possibilities for architectural experimentation and pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved in terms of design complexity and material construction.

“The upgrade of the Lab has been initiated and planned by Christian J. Lange, Leader of the Robotic Fabrication Lab, together with team members Jacky Chu and Mono Tung.

Christian J. Lange will deliver an invited talk at the upcoming 2nd International Conference on Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation of Marine Ecosystems (BECoME-2022). The conference will be held during 3-7 January 2022 at the City University of Hong Kong.

For more information on the conference, please use the following link:
www.become2022.com

I am very happy to be able to join one of the panels in the upcoming conference by the STRELKA INSTITUTE. Please join in if you have time. The talks will take place September 7th, 2021 at 1:15pm Moscow time.

To follow the Conference live, please use the following link:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PELhVnvsdgY/

Finally this collaborative project between the Robotic Fabrication Lab and SWIMS at HKU moved out of the lab. The team in the Robotic Fabrication Lab was responsible for the design and the fabrication of the tiles, working hard to ensure an even quality of the tiles. Here you see loosely assembled 72 of the final 100 tiles which were delivered yesterday. Let’s hope they will perform well on Hong Kong’s seabed.

Finally I can show some pictures of the latest outcomes of the Fall 2019 studio. This MArch studio is the third studio that focused on 3d clay printing and brick specials. This time we looked into spatial arrangements of this peculiar material system. Below you can find an excerpt of the brief:

Agenda:

Over the past three years, the agenda within the research and teaching of the robotic fabrication lab in the Faculty of Architecture at HKU has focused on the development of novel approaches for 3d printing ceramic brick specials. The key question within this specific research trajectory was on how we, as designers, can rethink one of the most traditional material systems in Architecture with innovative fabrication methods of today.

While in previous studios the focus was primarily on the development and making of the individual brick and its performance beyond physical strength, this semester, we will re-direct our attention to structural capacity and techniques of assembly. Traditionally Bricks are put together via a level and a plumb line. That method is suitable for walls, but more complex systems such as arches and vaults need temporary scaffolding or a specific false-work to achieve accurate assembly and structural strength.

The studio, therefore, will investigate how robotic 3d printing and novel fabrication processes for false-work can rethink and transform structural brick systems that rely on pure compression. The ultimate goal of the studio is to develop, make, and test experimental prototypes, and to understand their fitness for inventive programs, types, and spaces.

At last, I would like to show some photos of the outcomes of the latest studio that I taught at The University of Hong Kong. The M.Arch I studio entitled “AUTOBRICKFORMATION” focused on one of architecture’s oldest building materials, the brick.

Below is an excerpt of the brief:

The history of architecture is primarily based on a model of parts-to-whole. One of the oldest building material that is the ultimate embodiment of this concept is the brick. The brick was until modern times the standard component to build mundane buildings around the world. It represents a building material that can be flexibly assembled, is good in compression, and, although it’s based on a standardized logic, has an extensive range of architectural expression. Originally bricks were made through a slop moulding method. Today, most industrially produced bricks are made through a die extrusion process. It’s a fast and economical method but has its limitations in complexity achievable.

In the past decade, 3d printing technology has become more advanced and has made its way into architecture. Many of the industry experts who are driving this development dream of large-scale production with large printers that print entire houses in every shape and form. Though there are quite a few promising developments on the horizon, it is certain that this trend will be only one trajectory of how we think about new technologies to drive contemporary architectural production. The studio therefore will focus on the brick and try to understand how recent technologies can rethink this 7000-year-old building material.

Students: Fan Taiwen, Fan Xinkai, Hong Chen, Hu Chi Hing, Lai Chu Tung Jetson, Lin Xuancheng, Liu Pui Hang Desmond, Wang Youlin, Yam Ka Kit

Christian J. Lange will be giving a public research seminar at the Centre for Urban Studies and Urban Planning at HKU. The talk will be centered around the recent research on brick specials in the Robotic Fabrication Lab at HKU. All are welcome.

DATE:
14 November 2018 (Wednesday)
TIME:
13:00-14:00
VENUE:
Room 829,
Knowles Building
The University
of Hong Kong

We are happy that our Ceramic Constellation Pavilion is included in this year’s ACADIA conference. Christian J. Lange will present the project at the event in Mexico in October.

For more info on the event please visit also:
http://www.2018.acadia.org/

We are happy that our paper “Ceramic Constellation | Robotically Printed Brick Specials” is included in this year’s Rob Arch conference. Donn Holohan and Christian J. Lange will present the paper at the event at the ETH Zurich in September.

For more info on the event please visit also:
http://www.robarch2018.org/

Finally, I can share some photos of our latest research project coming out of the Robotics Lab at HKU entitled “Digital Terracotta”. The project is part of the current Hong Kong pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Curated by Weijen Wang with co-curators Thomas Chung and Thomas Tsang, the exhibition addresses the theme of “free space” set by Venice Biennale curators Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara of Grafton Architects through 100 experimental towers by 100 different architects. Our tower suggests a model for Hong Kong’s vertical fabric that innovates through a new 1:1 material system.

Robotically controlled terracotta extrusions that are tailored to specific conditions offer an alternative to today’s material practice. Terracotta has a long history within the Chinese context, yet nowadays the material has been diminished to dull façade tiles. The project, therefore, suggests revitalizing principles of the past with the technology of today to alter our built environment in Hong Kong in a sustainable way.

The show will be on view until November 25th 2018 at Campo della Tana, opposite of the main entrance to the Arsenale.