Researchers at ETH Zurich university have pioneered a method of robotic construction, which is being used to create a computer-designed modular house in the city.

The process known as Spatial Timber Assemblies uses computers to model the optimum design for individual units, which are then built by a series of robots.
Dezeen recently featured the digital fabrication technique in a one-minute video.
The first robot takes the timber beams and saws them to the correct size. Following an automatic tool change, a second robot drills the holes required for bolting the beams together.

Two robots then work in tandem to position the beams in place, controlled by an algorithm that continually recalculates their path of movement to prevent collisions. Human workers are still needed to manually bolt the beams once in position. The computer-produced geometric structure means the modules do not require reinforcement plates, keeping required building materials to a minimum.

"If any change is made to the project overall, the computer model can be constantly adjusted to meet the new requirements," said Matthias Kohler, professor of architecture and digital fabrication at ETH Zurich.
"This kind of integrated digital architecture is closing the gap between design, planning and execution."

The multi-robot construction process is part of a collaboration between architectural research unit Gramazio Kohler Research, ETH Zurich and timber-construction firm ERNE AG Holzba...