Despite the opportunities presented by new technologies, the building construction process remains highly resource intensive, with considerable room for improving efficiency. This becomes acutely important in the face of climate change; while new, more sustainable materials are an important step, material optimization strategies are just as important, and these techniques rely almost exclusively on digital fabrication and robotic manufacturing and construction technologies. In this talk I will discuss the challenges and opportunities that face the use of robotics in the design and construction industry. We will discuss a range of existing and emerging design to fabrication workflows, as well as several case studies which demonstrate how the use of industrial robots as a prototyping platform opens the door to new modes of construction.

Wesley McGee is an Associate Professor of Architecture and Director of the FABLab at the University of Michigan.