ROBOTIC CRAFTSMANSHIP Philip Yuan will present his work and research in the fields of performance-based tectonics, robotic fabrication, and digital craftsmanship. The work of Archi-Union exposes the building’s structure through its materiality and the relationship of architecture to process, whereby the process of construction can be elevated to the level of art performance.

PHILIP YUAN is the founder of Archi-Union Architects based in Shanghai. Archi-Union focuses on applying experimental research to practical projects, combining traditional Chinese culture and digital construction technology, and exploring the symbiotic relationship of nature, urbanism, and architecture. They have coined the term “Digital Tectonics” to describe their low-tech digital fabrication method which merges the concepts of tectonic construction and ecology that are catalyzed through a parametric design process, in essence combining digital technology and craftsmanship. Archi-Union Architects were invited to represent China in the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, as well as the Chicago Architecture Biennale, Hong Kong Biennale, Milan Triennial, and many more international exhibitions in recent years. Yuan is Professor of Architecture at Tongji University, Director of the Digital Design Research Center, and author/editor of numerous books, including Computational Design and Digital Fabrication (both with Neil Leach), and Collaborative Laboratory: Works of Archi-Union and Fab-Union.