Francois Leblanc Awarded SSHRC Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship

Ph.D. student Francois Leblanc has been awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Doctoral) for a duration of three years and a total amount of $105,000. The title of the doctoral research project is “Robots in architecture: merging design optimization with additive manufacturing technology.” An abstract of the project follows.

Advances in computation and robotic technology now enable the programming of construction tasks, such as the manufacturing of precise and complex forms. Additive manufacturing or “3D printing” technology provides new capabilities to reform and enhance the design of optimized forms and material variations for architectural performance and artistic expression. How can 3D printing facilitate the design and production of complex and optimized structures that were previously inconceivable? How can this technology effectively optimize the amount of material used in construction with a precise distribution of material?