INTERACTIVE PLAYSCAPES: EXPLORATIVE DESIGN AND ROBOTIC FABRICATION TECHNIQUES

This research focuses on material-based practices and explorations by utilizing the carbon fiber fabric performance characteristics as a significant driver in the design and fabrication strategies. While the integrative aspects of computational design have been extensively used for the inclusion of environmental, manufacturing, or economic considerations, material information should be similarly employed as a generative driver. The paper describes and evaluates a full-scale prototype of installation for social play actuated in the heart of Beirut city, hence integrating material research with methodologies optimizing fabrication techniques for complex, performance-driven structures. The introduction of carbon fiber composites into the construction sector defines potential challenges to the design process, knowing that these components need to be light and cost-effective in their production. At the same time, advanced technologies, such as digital fabrication, need to dwell upon their limitations regarding time optimization, material restrictions, and relations between automated and manual labor. Many applications show that carbon fiber system has proven to be a novel building material to improve structures. Regarding the fabrication techniques utilized, milling is a vital process, where the material subtraction rate is one of the essential features to be established in addition to its final weight. However, factors such as shape precision and surface quality are constraining factors in the increase of material removal regarding robotic fabrication. Hence, in this work, machining strength and surface roughness are considered restricting to the optimization of machining parameters in order to obtain a maximum material removal rate.