Digital Futures 2025 Workshop
CAUP, Tongji University
Institute of Structural Design, TU Braunschweig
June 2025
Robotic Ramming – Digital Futures 2025 was held in June 2025 at CAUP, Tongji University, and led by the Institute of Structural Design at TU Braunschweig. The workshop was directed by Dr. Samim Mehdizadeh, Joschua Gosslar, and Noor Khader under the academic leadership of Prof. Dr. Norman Hack and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Kloft.
The workshop investigated the integration of robotic fabrication with rammed earth construction. Moving beyond traditional in-situ methods that rely on rigid formwork and horizontal layering, the project employed a robotic arm equipped with a pneumatic ramming end-effector. This system enabled digitally controlled compaction and expanded the geometric possibilities of earthen construction.
Participants developed a complete design-to-fabrication workflow. Using Rhino and Grasshopper, they generated toolpaths through boundary definition, sectional slicing, voxel allocation, infill pattern development, and sequential ramming strategies. Digital modeling was directly linked to material performance and robotic execution.
The workshop culminated in a large-scale demonstrator composed of three rammed earth components, each approximately the size of a Euro pallet and varying in height. The installation demonstrated scalability, structural articulation, and the potential of robotic ramming as a sustainable construction method.
A video documenting the fabrication process accompanies this article.