Taylor Workshop at the University of Calgary (2026)
Instructors
Yefan Zhi, Mahdiyar Esmaeilbeigi (Teaching Assistance), Alicia Nahmad (Coordination)
Students
Mayesha Alam, Frank, Chen, Colby Claggett, Julianne Cote, Leslay McDonald, Rojin Mir, Jianing Sima, Shaylene Taylor, Siyuan Zhao, Veronica Zhong
Links
Acknowledgements
The Taylor Workshop is part of the Block Week at the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. The instructors are invited by Associate Dean Jason S. Johnson to teach the week-long workshop. Special thanks to Guy Gardner for the fabrication platform.
Description
3D-printed concrete structural components for construction assemblies are known for reduced material use, enhanced construction efficiency, and design freedom. Given the limitations in material properties and extrusion systems, an integrated approach to designing the geometry and toolpath while maximizing the advantages of 3D concrete printing would require tailored software and expertise in computing and processing geometries.
Polyhedral Graphic Statics (PGS) is a geometry-based structural design method based on poly-hedral reciprocal diagrams. It provides a unique design guide for structural form finding of efficient spatial structures. The Polyhedral Structures Laboratory (PSL) at the University of Pennsylvania has developed PolyFrame 2, a versatile tool for form-finding through PGS. Continued research at PSL has shown that PGS contributes to the design automation of efficient modular spatial structures fabricated through 3D concrete printing.
To bridge the gap between geometry design and fabrication, PSL has developed Ovenbird, a comprehensive tool that automates the task of toolpath design and optimization. It assesses and optimizes a component’s buildability, provides toolpath optimization methods to enhance dimensional accuracy and surface quality, and creates as-continuous-as-possible toolpaths with minimal stop-starts to reduce seam defects. Ovenbird applies to extrusion-based 3D printing across scales and materials (clay, thermoplastic, etc.). It has powered several construction projects and benefited the 3D printing community.
The workshop will introduce the form-finding method of Polyhedral Graphic Statics through PolyFrame 2, and the toolpath design and optimization framework through Ovenbird. Participants will learn to design efficient and printable geometries, generate optimal toolpaths, and test them across scales. Finally, they will work in groups to design a monolithic structural component or a modular structural assembly (wall, vault, etc), which will be first printed as a scaled fabrication models (SFM) using PLA for verification, and then printed in full scale using concrete.
