1. Handbook
  2. Subjects
  3. R_Lab: Made by Robots

R_Lab: Made by Robots (ABPL90412)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

You’re viewing the 2025 Handbook:
Or view archived Handbooks

Overview

Availability(Quotas apply)
Semester 1
FeesLook up fees

R_Lab: Made by Robots is part of the Digital Design and Fabrication Electives, which offer students the opportunity to build and demonstrate expertise and competence in the understanding and application of contemporary design tools that inform and shape students’ design process and thinking. Digital Design and Fabrication Electives are based on a culture of experimenting and making – applying contemporary design and making tools to create advanced physical and digital artefacts and environments. For more detailed information concerning the respective tutors, design approaches and previous examples as well as other offerings in the Digital Design and Fabrication Electives suite please check on the ADD+F Research Hub website under teaching and learning: https://msd.unimelb.edu.au/addf

 

R_Lab introduces students to the use of robots in the design and construction of buildings and structures, which provides a new set of opportunities for architects, engineers, and designers. Robots and the processes developed, enable the design of architectures and constructions while controlling uncertainties of complex systems in ways that humans cannot. Allowing students to develop non-standard objects and structures of infinite variability creates novel design possibilities. 

 

R_Lab students learn robotic related skills and an understanding of the fabrication process to produce prototypes while developing an understanding of an established robotic fabrication workflow. Students demonstrate the capability to design structures for robotic fabrication, program robots to construct, and apply the workflow to an architectural application. The process will include iterative prototyping through fabrication. In their final project students will demonstrate an understanding of the robotic fabrication process and its architectural application, while creating an aesthetic object with a high level of formal complexity – generated through the use of parametric design principles.

 

NOTE : This subject has a quota of 16.  See “Additional delivery details” under “Dates and Times” for more information.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of the subject, students should be able to:

  • Develop a design agenda and concept for an architectural outcome utilising the robotic fabrication process.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the applied fabrication process.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of application of robotic fabrication to architectural design and construction.
  • Apply critical thinking to the assessment of design proposals and make changes based on the assessment.

Generic skills

  • Critical design thinking and analysis;
  • Basic Robotic Fabrication Techniques.
  • Basic Industrial Robot Programming.
  • Physical and Digital Prototyping.
  • Time and project management
  • Ability to integrate digital tools and physical prototyping in the design process.

Last updated: 12 November 2024