The Hands-On Seminar invites you to explore the dynamic interplay between human craftsmanship and robotic precision in 3D clay printing. Moving beyond automation, you will investigate how human intuition, material behavior, and robotic motion intersect—turning fabrication into an open-ended, co-creative process. Through lectures, tutorials, hands-on experimentation, playful interventions, and critical discussions, you will explore ways to collaborate with digital tools, respond to the dynamic nature of clay, and adapt to emergent possibilities in fabrication. By bridging traditional ceramic techniques with advanced digital fabrication, you will gain practical experience in designing and producing 3D-printed ceramics, learning to anticipate and manipulate clay as a responsive material. The studio becomes a playground where co-creation replaces control, and automation meets human touch to unlock unexpected possibilities. You will also critically engage with digital fabrication, questioning the role of craftsmanship and agency in automated workflows. The seminar combines individual and group work, fostering collective experimentation while refining your own creative methods. Readings on digital fabrication, material agency, and craft theory will provide a conceptual framework. Through iterative tests and speculative prototypes, you will document your evolving approach, culminating in a final experimental artifact that embodies co-creative symbiosis between human and machine. This course is designed for students interested in art, material-driven design, and digital fabrication. No prior experience in digital design or robotic 3D printing is required, but openness to hands-on experimentation, improvisation, and critical thinking is essential. While we will use Rhino and Grasshopper, guided tutorials will support skill development. Creative self-expression drives this seminar. By the end, you will have a solid understanding of 3D ceramic printing—its capabilities, limitations, and its playful, improvisational potential for architects, designers, and artists alike.
Supervision: Prof. Norman Hack, Noor Khader
Institute: Institut für Tragwerksentwurf
Seminar Category: Methoden des Konstruierens, 4132033
Language: English
Lecture Period: 8 April – 15 July 2025
Schedule: Tuesdays, 9:00–12:30, Room 110
Note: No prior experience with Rhino, Grasshopper, or robotic control is necessary. What we’re looking for is curiosity, openness, and a willingness to explore through making.
Interested? Reach out to n.khader(at)tu-braunschweig.de to join.