Surfacial Formation

Background: Surfacial Formation explores an innovative tectonic approach to the transformative manufacturing technique, incremental metal sheet forming (ISF), involving transforming thin metal sheets into non-planar surfaces with structural performances. The project is in the form of an architectural installation that comprises 14 variform copper pieces, incrementally formed by a 6-axis industrial robot. The project is part of a larger body of research that investigates the intrinsic connections between form, surface and structure to construct prototypical architectural elements through hybridised advanced robotic fabrication processes. Contribution: This research project contributes to the fields of architecture, interior design, digital fabrication and transformative manufacturing. Surfacial Formation posits a surface-structure relationship through the ‘incremental sheet forming’ technique to demonstrate the geometrical character, surficial rigidity, structural performance and ornamental qualities. The forming technique employs an innovative robotic code that produces non-planar surfaces and amplifies the tool-pathing pattern’s structural performance. This strategy challenges how ISF is utilised in the manufacturing and design fields and enables highly complex surface geometries can be fabricated more time and cost-efficiently than conventional sheet-forming methods. This work's primary contribution is exploring the creative possibility and design implications of this technical innovation. Significance: The development of this fabrication approach represents a pioneering contribution to the metal transformative manufacturing in architecture and opens up new design and research possibilities. Surfacial Formation was selected by a high-profile curation team, Sandra Githinji and Kholisile Dhliwayo as one of the significant installations, exhibited at the Perspectives Exhibition during the Melbourne Design Week 2023 at Testing Grounds Emporium.