Espresso Blocks
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Contents |
[edit] Vision
Architectural visionaries have been dreaming of structures that could alter their form to suit the needs and whims of occupants for decades, but their ideas have been radically ahead of building technology. Today, new advances in the field of modular robotics are establishing a technology that could finally make these dynamic structures possible. The goal of Espresso Blocks is to create a modular self-assembling building block capable of supporting our reference implementation of an architectural robotic structure, the live/work espresso stand, to show that the dream of an architectural space that responds to the desires of its occupants is now realizable.
Espresso Blocks will be delivered to a site on a pallet and then assemble themselves into one of several pre-configured structures. Using a remote control, the occupant can cycle between different structures throughout the day to accommodate different activities such as an espresso stand during the day, a dining room in the evening, and a bedroom at night. The occupant can also rearrange individual blocks with their remote control to create new configurations, save them to their remote, and even trade designs with others.
[edit] Hardware Prototype
We are currently developing a prototype hardware system, the Prismatic Cubes, in collaboration with the Claytronics Group.
[edit] Researchers
Ellen Yi-Luen Do
[edit] Papers
2009
- M P Weller, M D Gross and S C Goldstein. Hyperform Specification: Designing with Self-reconfiguring Materials. In Workshop on Programmable Reality at Human Factors in Computing (CHI 2009). (to appear). pdf
2007
- M P Weller, E Y-L Do. Architectural Robotics: A New Paradigm for the Built Environment, Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Design Sciences & Technology (EuropIA.11). pdf
2004
- M P Weller, E Y-L Do, M D Gross. EspressoCAD: A System to Support the Design of Dynamic Structure Configurations, presented at Generative CAD Systems Symposium (GCADS 2004). pdf
- M P Weller, M D Gross, E Y-L Do. Baristas Unite! Reclaim Urban Spaces with Espresso Blocks!, working paper. pdf
2003
- M P Weller. Espresso Blocks: self-configuring building blocks, M.Arch Thesis, University of Washington, Seattle. pdf
[edit] Videos
Screen capture of transition from pallet to wall in espressoCAD.
Screen capture of transition opening a window in a wall in espressoCAD.
