MESH MOULD

Non-standard, curvilinear geometries are structurally more efficient than rectangular or planar structures. However, with current means of production, the fabrication of formwork and reinforcement for non-standard concrete geometries is highly labour-, cost- and waste-intensive. Mesh Mould addresses this problem by combining formwork and reinforcement into one robotically fabricated construction system. As such an industrial robot builds up a 3D mesh structure which acts as both formwork and structural reinforcement.

The mesh is sufficiently dense to retain the concrete and shape it. After filling is completed and the concrete is manually trowelled, the mesh structure remains inside the concrete and reinforces it structurally. Thanks to the dexterity and precision of the digitally controlled robot, complex and structurally efficient geometries can be produced at no extra cost, while construction waste is eliminated from the process.

A slender, 12-m-long undulating Mesh Mould wall is the main load-bearing element of DFAB HOUSE. Instead of adding extra material, the undulations stiffen the wall against buckling, increasing its structural performance. The Mesh Mould Wall carries approximately 100 tons of load, coming from the concrete ceiling and the two-story timber unit above.

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• In Situ Fabricator
• Smart Slab
• Smart Dynamic Casting
• Spatial Timber Assemblies
• Translucent Façade
• Digital Living