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Author: T—ADS

STIK Pavilion Exhibition at Todai Eng. Bldg. 11

 
If you find yourself being around Todai Hongo campus, please come and visit our exhibition!  

Few words about the exhibited project: 

At the Advanced Design Studies’ Digital Fabrication Lab, we have been exploring methods of integrating computational design with construction processes.

With the advancement of technology, data has become readily available and easy to produce, while material resources and traditional craft are disappearing from our contemporary life. With Japan’s declining population, skilled labor in the building sector is projected to be insufficient to maintain and produce the architecture of the future with quality that Japan is known for. Thus, our approach is to integrate Information distribution technologies with human tasks. We seek to utilize methods of human augmentation to create a dynamic system of distributed 3D printers capable of “printing” a large-scale, on-site, formwork-less structure.

Our proposal is a network of human-driven 3D printing devices, which we call STIK (Smart Tool Integrated Konstruction). The basic component for the system is a chopstick, ‘waribashi’ which is a recycled material collected from an industrial chopstick production process. By controlling the way that these sticks are locally distributed, we can aggregate them into a specific geometry that is inherently stable. A scanning system monitors the printing process, sending data to the network, which is compared to the overall digital target geometry. The network then feeds back to each distribution node, controlling the progress of the structure.

Process Diagrams

We are utilizing / experimenting with a hybrid method of in-situ and panelization of the STIK system in order to construct the pavilion. The diagrams below illustrate the process we are currently working through in putting together the construct. 
Placement of markers on the site.

Placement of plywood base panels 

Installation of foundation modules

Installation of the entrance and side-boards

Placement of concrete anchoring blocks
In-Situ pouring of Row A utilizing our scanning system

Placement of prefabricated Row B panels

Bracing of Row B panels

Complete placement of Row B panels

Infill around Row B panels

Placement of prefabricated Row C panels

Complete placement of Row C panels

Placement of prefabricated Row D panels

Completion of Pavilion

STIK Project – Obuchi Lab

A few photos from our daily life at Obuchi Lab~

The lab before a wild pack of students messed it up with glue and chopsticks. 

Beautiful autumn day at the university

Not only a home for us but also a space enjoyed by all; may it be the children playing around or the elderly coming to draw and paint, the university is always lively with people. 
Our 1:1 mock up of one of the walls of the pavilion. Yes it can stand by itself. Unbelievable I know. Just look at that cantilever!
Construction has recently begun outside for the pavilion. Work is being undertaken down to the millimetre to assure complete success of this project. 

Can’t wait to see it completed! 
First base layer has been set. Anyone else is getting excited?


Will it STIK? Part 1 – Curvature

A look at the aggregation programming & simulation behind STIK

Initial simulations were run to determine maximum curvature achievable with the STIK system. Alteration of the dispensing angle, velocity, friction and adhesion were calculated in order to provide maximum cantilever.
Curvature test 2b

Curvature test 7c

Curvature test 1c

Curvature test 7a

Curvature test 7b