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RAD
Project details
Programme
Research Cluster
RC3
Reconfigurable Autonomous Demiurge (RAD) proposes a living architecture with the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, revolutionising the design process and life cycle of the built environment.
RAD is a modular architecture consisting of flexible components with reversible joints allowing their assembly, disassembly, and reconfiguration by distributed robotic agents. To organise the phases of design at multiple scales, an architectural language was conceived where components and materials are organised following the logic of real language structure.
Robotic agents were designed to assemble components while using them for navigation, saving on human labour and reducing waste. The robotic system was evolved through a series of prototypes while incorporating AI through deep reinforcement learning to train robotic agents in a simulator to learn adaptive and collaborative policies for reconfiguring spatial assemblies.
The platform in formats of App and Web allows users to interact directly with the RAD system. It allows people to participate in the process of design, customise their space, and create their own furniture. This enables anyone to be the designer of their living environment.
RAD proposes a new way of perceiving, creating, and occupying buildings, where computational tools, robots, and humans coexist and co-evolve enabling the built environment to be an adaptive ecosystem.
01
Life Cycle
RAD Project Overview
RAD Project Overview
Reconfigurable autonomous demiurge.
RAD Life Cycle
RAD project lays on the idea of living architecture, where the life cycle of a building is continuous and not determined.
Fabrication of RAD Main Constructive Elements
Fabrication of RAD Main Constructive Elements
Robotic Agents Reconfiguring the Space
Robotic Agents Reconfiguring the Space
With the employment of robots in RAD system, an adaptive architecture emerges.
Exterior View of RAD Building in the Urban Environment
02
Architectural Language
Structure of RAD Architectural Language
According to the scale and the stage of the process of the design, materials and parts used in it are organised following the logic of the real language structure.
Alphabets of Architectural Language
Alphabets of Architectural Language
A cubic node and a linear timber component constitute the base of the language.
Prototype of the Cubic Node and the Locking Mechanism
Prototype of the Cubic Node and the Locking Mechanism
The cubic node functions as a joint to assemble components. The components slide inside the cubic node and through a locking mechanism they are locked in their final position.
Materiality Applied on Components
Materiality Applied on Components
Materials can be applied on the rails existing on the components to customise and give different qualities in the space.
Formation of Sentences and Paragraphs
Formation of Sentences and Paragraphs
Combination of several components to form bigger aggregations - the words. Several of these aggregations are combined to form a sentence.
03
Robotic Research
Development of Robotic Research
Development of Robotic Research
A series of robot agents are developed to assemble and disassemble. The latest robots are in modular units and collaborate in each locomotion movement.
Prototypes of Robots
Prototypes of Robots
Robotic Construction Process
Robotic Construction Process
Robotic agents in charge of carrying, placing, and assembling the alphabets.
Machine Learning
Machine Learning
Through machine learning, agents were trained to navigate around the structure and reach their target.
Robotic Collaboration
Robotic Collaboration
Robots cooperate to achieve their actions.
04
Platform
Spatial Editor
Spatial Editor
Suburban mode in the platform where users can edit the space and the spatial algorithm solves accordingly. Different environments can be selected to build the space in.
Layout Generator with Graph
Layout Generator with Graph
The user can defines the spaces they require; a force based graph generates a relation-graph layout within set boundaries. The user can then drag and move these nodes to their desired position and hit 'generate'.
Site Generation
Site Generation
Our space making algorithm can process voids, solve and create cores for different zones and connect them by generating corridor spaces. The program also analyses the structure and places support structures where necessary.
Block Build
Block Build
A builder engine is developed where different parts with varying connecting rules can be introduced into the engine and the user can build or generate unique and self made aggregations based on how they connect with each other.
Generative Building Process
Our complex space generation algorithm uses Bit masking values to dynamically solve the structure in real time to make a thorough and valid space.
The Bartlett
B-Pro Show 2021
30 October – November 13
B-Pro Show 2021
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