UNSW Students Digitally Fabricate Structural Optimized Table Design

Think back to when you first started in University. You’re nervous. It’s a big new place and you’re keen to show that the significant investment in time and resources is worth it.

That’s why it’s important for students to get “quick wins.”

UNSW School of Built Environment recognizes this. Associate Professor M. Hank Haeusler, Director of Computational Design, has the students complete CODE1150 – Enabling Skills in Digital Fabrication.

UNSW CoDe students, together with Bollinger Grohmann Engineers and SIAL / RMIT university Melbourne... had an ambitious goal.

Using the ArchiStar Academy online learning platform, students rapidly learn Rhino and Grasshopper software. Once the training was complete, the students iterated through structural designs that were optimized in Grasshopper. These techniques are proving useful for both Architects and Engineers. Once they resolved their designs, the students were able to parametrically develop custom joints to handle all the different unique connections required. These were digitally fabricated using 3D printing into a full scale model.

“We want to see our students develop advanced digital skills from the beginning. The ArchiStar Academy online learning platform is the fastest way for our students to learn digital design. Our students are producing amazing work and this sets the foundation for the next subjects.” Associate Professor M. Hank Haeusler, Director of Computational Design, UNSW

The results can be seen below...

Amazingly, other work coming from the UNSW Computational Design students were featured in the Vivid Sydney festival, which attracts over 2 million visitors.

Posted on 20 Jan 2020