ABSTRACT
The architect provides the program for the CNC machines and takes responsibility for the manufacturing of the building elements …. Mockups can be used in the design office more readily to explore and refine architectural ideas in the flesh. — Fabio Gramazio and Matthias Kohler
The implications of the above development for the role of the architect are profound. To resume control over the material assemblies that are used in a design is a significant step towards re-establishing the direct involvement of the architect in the materiality of the building. For too long, that involvement has been at arms’ length, as product suppliers and various contractors have assumed responsibility for the development and detailing of building products and assemblies. The traditional “mock-up” was a step in the right direction, but it was typically a one-time simulation for the purpose of demonstrating to the client an element of the proposed facility, and not a series of “prototypes” produced in order to refine the design and production process of a building assembly. Many schools of architecture have invested in rapid prototyping capability. In my recent design/build studio at Florida A&M University, student Thomas Yohe assembled a working three-dimensional printer for rapid prototyping
of his design projects (Figure 50). Programs such as the Yale studio of John Eberhard have for nine years given students the hands-on opportunity to explore the potential of digital materiality by having CNC milling machining capability. It is a hopeful sign that eventually the design of entire building skins may benefit from the digitally supported manipulation of materials and their configurations. The architect has resumed the role of master builder with the help of his robot friends.
