Professor Larry Sass: The Process of Digital Fabrication

Professor Larry Sass from MIT is a fomenter for a new type of building process which consists of digital design and pre-fabrication. Last year, Professor Sass was part of an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City called Home Delivery. For the exhibition, he constructed a shotgun house made out of pieces that resemble a jigsaw puzzle. The pieces were all designed using a CAD program and were later cut on a laser cutter. They were assembled using little or no glue as they mostly stayed together due to friction between them. The house built on site was easy and extremely fast to assemble.

“The Printed House,” as Professor Sass calls it, is an example for a new way of executing buildings. This new construction method is more efficient in time and in material use. No factories are used in the process. The assemblies are self guided and can easily be done by a small group of people. There is no hand cutting as it is all done by a robotic hand. This helps in the reduction of material waste because the cuts are more precise and the material is used more efficiently. The whole building process also becomes a type of construction that uses less energy. Since the building information is transmitted digitally, there is no need for the use of trucks or large machinery.

Professor Sass is a visionary with this process. The future of architecture has to go hand in hand with a better future for communities, cities and the world at large. Not only does this method aid in making the world “greener,” but it also helps at a social level. He believes that this form of construction can help bring communities together because it allows for people to get involved in the process. Since assembly becomes simple and fast, more people can participate. Professor Sass is not the first person, however, to foment this type of construction. In 1895, Sears Roebuck sold parts for house construction as a set of pre-fabricated, standard elements. They were all listed in a catalogue from which people made their selection. Many other companies have also tried to embark in this process, but many have been unsuccessful. According to Professor Sass there are several reasons why this is the case. First of all the designs are usually not flexible which discourages people from acquiring them because of their lack of originality. Errors can also occur in measurements and execution which can lead to a waste in material as well as unnecessary costs. Another reason why they tend to fail is that the relationship between the architect and the builder is not common which can also lead to construction errors or miscommunication.

Despite these disadvantages, the process seems to have a bright future. Responsible construction should address not only environmental issues but also social issues. With these pre-fabricated houses, not only is a community able to come together, but families are also able to have an affordable and sustainable home. These houses are a possible solution for the lack of descent housing in poor communities. The fabrication of the pieces can be done in large quantities allowing for the costs of this step to go down. The shipping of the parts would be the only extra cost, unless they are fabricated close by to these communities. Assembly can be executed with simple visual instructions and can be completed by the same owners of the house, or even their neighbors. Even though this process may still be in the stages of development and perfection, its logic is sure to make it one of the most popular and effective methods of construction in a near future.