In-situ Robotic Construction: A Technological Approach to Housing Affordability

Housing supply challenges are looming large, with estimates suggesting a need for 2 billion new homes over the next 80 years to accommodate a growing global population. Governments, including Canada, are striving to address this issue through ambitious housing development initiatives, but the complexity of the problem calls for more than just policy strategies. To meet such targets, radical and fundamental shifts are required across all stages of design and construction. This paper introduces a technological approach to housing through the development of a cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) as an innovative and alternative method for in-situ construction. CDPRs have the potential to transform current methods of construction, by eliminating the requirement for highly skilled labor, minimizing waste, and significantly reducing costs and construction timelines. Through a cross-disciplinary collaboration between engineering science and architecture, this paper presents the research conducted towards the development of a functional prototype, one that is highly flexible, portable and modular ensuring the provision of a physical platform for construction. As architecture continues to be bound by outdated methods and high costs of construction, bold technological explorations are required to unlock new territories in delivering affordable and accessible housing, representing a significant step toward a future where housing supply can keep pace with the ever-growing population.

https://doi.org/10.35483/ACSA.AM.112.20

Volume Editors
Germane Barnes & Blair Satterfield

ISBN
978-1-944214-45-6