Asterios Agkathidis

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• Senior Lecturer, (Associate Professor) and Registered Architect (ARB/TEE) in the UK and EU
• Professor (Associate) at University of Liverpool

This design-led research investigates the development of self-forming wearable composite structures by 3D printing semi-elastic embossed patterns out of semi-elastic Thermoplastic Polyurethane 95 (TPU95) filament on pre-stretched textiles and releasing the stress after the printing has been completed. In particular, the study presents and compares...

This article presents the development and validation of a design-to-fabrication framework aiming to improve the efficiency of fabricating reinforced concrete building components for housing projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by incorporating 3D concrete printing technology. In particular, the research presents an algorithmic framework to mass...

The Dougong (brackets set) is a traditional Chinese capital used to transfer the roof load to the columns. Besides its historical significance, it is also known for its anti-seismic and environmentally friendly properties. This paper investigates which existing digital design and fabrication technologies are suitable for the automated assembly and...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are currently making a dynamic appearance in the architectural realm. Social media are being bombarded by word-to-image/image-to-image generated illustrations of fictive buildings generated by tools such as “Midjourney”, “DALL-E”, “Stable Diffusion” and others. Architects appear to be fascinated by the rapidly gen...

Timber joint connections have been applied as a primary building construction, using concave and convex shapes to connect two or more elements. This research investigated the possibility of using graph-based theory knowledge to analyse timber joint connections. A topological extraction system was developed using Topologic and Karamba3D in Grasshopp...

Design for Disassembly (DfD) aims to enhance the recyclability and reusability of building materials by considering their ease of disassembly at the end of their lifecycle. This paper explores the innovative integration of holographic construction technology within the DfD context. The six DfD principles are evaluated by integrating Fologram © and...

This study addresses the issue of optimizing architectural production processes through discretisation methods. The primary aim is to develop a classification system for these methods, facilitating their application in digital design and robotic assembly. The central research questions are: What are the fundamental discretisation methods in archite...

Shekili houses are traditional Iranian timber lodges originating in Guilan, south of the Caspian Sea. This research highlights this yet forgotten knowledge by adapting to contemporary Design for Disassembly (DfD) principles, leveraging the potential of Mixed Reality (MR) in the built environment. Conversely, identified research gaps from a systemat...

This paper explores virtual shape-finding methods, merging conventional and digital techniques in early stages of architectural design. We focus on VR implementation guided by a developed design workflow to address the following research questions: (1) How can we develop a pedagogical framework for incorporating VR as a design tool in a collaborati...

While Virtual Reality (VR) is gaining popularity in the architectural design field as a visualisation tool, emerging tools like Google Blocks, SketchVR and Gravity Sketch (GS) further utilise VR's immersive capabilities. Design toolsets such as 3D sketching, modelling and interaction within the virtual space, with six degrees of freedom of movement...

Indonesian traditional houses are well known as roof-based architecture due to the names of the houses given by the type of roof shape. The roof is the distinctive dominance of the house geometry in the overall size and body proportions, which aims to respond to the tropical climate and solar radiation. The roof structure is made of timber and bamb...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are currently making a dynamic appearance in the architectural realm. Social media are being bombarded by word-to-image/image-to-image generated illustrations of fictive buildings generated by tools such as 'Midjourney', 'DALL-E', 'Stable Diffusion' and others. Architects appear to be fascinated by the rapidly gen...

The Dougong (bracket set), consisting of wooden blocks (Dou) and bow-shaped brackets (Gong), is a typical structural element in traditional Chinese timber buildings. Its primary function is to transfer roof loadings to pillars. Applying the Dougong in contemporary design offers significant advantages, including cultural continuity, sustainability,...

Human-computer interaction (HCI) has been explored in the architecture discipline since the 1960s. It stated that humans and architecture (as machines) are both designers. However, with the rapid growth of AI in recent years, misusing AI has resulted in social problems, as named the “pandemics of today's AI” by Paul Pangaro. This paper aims to find...

This paper presents experimental research about developing a contextual design and analysis workflow utilizing augmented reality (AR) technology to enrich the current design process with an immersive experience. The limitation in the current design process is that due to the lack of spatial perception of the architectural draft on-site preview, des...

In traditional Indonesian architecture, bamboo and timber-frame structures are essential elements, with roofs being a prominent feature. This is due to the tropical climate conditions that demand such a design. However, the traditional Indonesian hyperbolic-paraboloid roof is at risk of extinction due to modern construction demands, and traditional...

This design-led research investigates the development of self-forming wearable composite structures by printing embossed patterns out of flexible filament on pre-stretched textiles and releasing the stress after the printing has been completed, whereby time becomes the fourth dimension of the printing process. In particular, the study presents and...

The Saudi government is taking the initiative to modernise the country and address critical challenges. One of its primary goals is to relieve the housing deficit. One of the challenges in supplying the houses is that potential inhabitants have denied and refused to accept them due to their design failing to meet their demands. Furthermore, the gov...

The Dougong (brackets set) is a traditional Chinese capital used to transfer the load of the roof to a column. It is known for its anti-seismic properties, sustainability, and cultural significance. This paper introduces a framework for parametric design and robotic fabrication of the Dougong, thus it can be utilised in contemporary architecture. T...

Given the increased accessibility and utilization of VR tools in architectural education, embracing a fully virtualised design process still remains taboo. The recent Covid-19 pandemic has forced universities to fully adopt remote learning/teaching systems that showcased a disconnection between direct interaction, communication design methods and t...

The Dougong (brackets set) is a traditional Chinese capital used to transfer the load of the roof to a column. It is known for its anti-seismic properties, sustainability, and cultural significance. This paper introduces a framework for parametric design and robotic fabrication of the Dougong, thus it can be utilised in contemporary architecture. T...

This paper presents an experimental performative design workflow for masonry structures, incorporating augmented reality (AR) technology and real-time stability simulation. We aim to resolve the lack of structural stability simulation in currently existing immersive design workflows. Our workflow consists of two phases: a) an AR design phase, in wh...

The Augmented Bricks research project aims to develop an immersive design to fabrication framework for the assembly of masonry building components by incorporating robotic fabrication and augmented reality (AR) technologies. Our method incorporates two main phases: firstly, the design phase in which users’ gestures and interactions are being identi...

This paper explores the suitability of mass customisation (MC) technologies and techniques in order to provide affordable housing solutions for Saudi Arabia. In particular, the paper analyses ten articles filtered through 1.165 publications searched by using the keywords ‘mass customisation housing or off-site construction’ in the databases Scopus,...

The Augmented Masonry Design project presents experimental research about developing and applying Augmented Reality (AR) technology for customized design algorithms, exploring a real-time, interactive, and spatial-free design method for the early architectural design stage. We aim to resolve the current 2D-based design limitations and provide archi...

With the advancement of augmented and virtual reality technologies both in scale as well as accessibility, the Metaverse (Stephenson, 1992, Hughes, 2022) has emerged as a new digital space with the potential for the application of architectural creativity and design. With blockchain integration, the concept of the Metaverse shows promise in creatin...

Hutong neighbourhoods, composed of Chinese courtyard dwellings (Siheyuan), are historically and socially significant urban spaces that embody the traditional Chinese way of life and philosophy. As part of the national heritage, there is an increasing research interest in Hutong neighbourhoods, many of which are facing oblivion. This study presents...

This design-led research investigates the development of a file-to-fabrication framework for mortar-free robotic assembly of masonry walls. In particular, we describe, test and evaluate an algorithmic method enabling the robotic assembly of custom-made, complex, interlocking brick structures which don't require the use of mortar or adhesives but th...

The Augmented Bricklayer research project proposes a new augmented human-robot collaboration method for the robotic assembly of masonry structures. It aims to resolve the conventional limitations of the robotic bricklaying process by incorporating object recognition and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies. Towards this aim, we present a human-robot...

This paper explores the suitability of mass customisation (MC) technologies and techniques in order to provide affordable housing solutions for Saudi Arabia. In particular, the paper analyses ten articles filtered through 1.165 publications searched by using the keywords ‘mass customisation housing or off-site construction’ in the databases Scopus,...

This paper reviews existing research on the use of immersive technologies, Virtual Reality in particular, in various stages of the architectural design process. Nine research papers were systematically reviewed and analyzed. They were filtered down by using the keywords: ‘Virtual/Augmented Reality, ArchitecturalEducation, Gravity Sketch, Unity and...

The Augmented Masonry Design project presents experimental research about developing and applying Augmented Reality (AR) technology for customized design algorithms, exploring a real-time, interactive, and spatial-free design method for the early architectural design stage. We aim to resolve the current 2D-based design limitations and provide archi...

The timber frame represents a central structural system in historical Chinese buildings [1]. The Dougong (bucket arch joint) is an independent class of joints widely applied in traditional Chinese timber frame construction systems [2]. It is also a primary structural component for transferring the loads from the roof to the pillar [3]. However, the...

The paper explores the utilization of gamification and game design techniques on introductory architectural education using an educational framework to evaluate the efficacy and impact of utilizing said principles. Architecture courses aim to teach new students technical skills and comprehension of more abstract concepts such as aesthetic, perspect...

The Augmented Bricks research project aims to develop an immersive design to fabrication framework for the assembly of masonry building components by incorporating robotic fabrication and augmented reality (AR) technologies. Our method incorporates two main phases: firstly, the design phase in which users' gestures and interactions are being identi...

This design-led research investigates the development of self-forming wearable composite structures by 3D printing semi-elastic embossed patterns out of semi-elastic Thermoplastic Polyurethane 95 (TPU95) filament on pre-stretched textiles and releasing the stress after the printing has been completed. In particular, the study presents and compares...

With the advancement of augmented and virtual reality technologies both in scale as well as accessibility, the Metaverse (Stephenson, 1992, Hughes, 2022) has emerged as a new digital space with potential for the application of architectural creativity and design. With blockchain integration, the concept of the Metaverse shows promise in creating a...

In continuation of our previous research (Hussein, et al., 2017), this paper examines the kinetic transformable spatial-bar structures that can alter their forms from any free-form geometry to another, which can be named as Free-form transformable structures (FFTS). Since 1994, some precedents have been proposed FFTS for many applications such as c...

Morphological studies of historical urban texture can help understand the relationship between ancient human activities and urban spatial planning, which is an essential part of cultural heritage [1]. The Hutong (alley) neighbourhoods, composed of Siheyuans, the Chinese courtyard dwellings, are historically and socially significant urban spaces tha...

Traditionally, Chinese architecture was based on the use of timber frameworks for its structural systems. The Dougong joint is amongst the typical connection typologies, widely applied in the timber heritage buildings in China. Each component of the Dougong (bucket-arch joint) conforms to a strict structural proportion in addition to simple but eff...

This paper examines the suitability of existing robotic technologies and large-scale 3D printing techniques for the fabrication of three-dimensional printed building components to be applied in the Saudi housing construction industry. In particular, we will investigate five different additive manufacturing techniques and asses their performance in...

This paper is examining the development of a design and fabrication framework aiming to increase the efficiency of the construction of concrete building components by introducing 3D concrete printing in the context of Saudi Arabia. In particular, we will present an algorithmic process focusing on the design and fabrication of a typical, mass custom...

In continuation of our previous work on the design principles of traditional Beijing Siheyuan courtyard housing and their implementation into computational algorithms, this paper investigates the impact of the Fengshui theory on the layout. In particular, we will present the development of a Grasshopper algorithm able to examine Siheyuan houses' fo...

Many Beijing Siheyuan, a type of Chinese vernacular housing with significant cultural value, have been lost in recent years. Preserving the few remaining has become a necessity, but many contemporary architects lack an understanding of their design principles. Based on a historical analysis deriving from Fengshui theory, the Gongcheng Zuofa Zeli an...

The Design of traditional Chinese buildings was influenced by the climate and the sociogeographical conditions of the different regions in China. They were usually constructed out of wood (Liang, 2005) relying on timber-joint based construction systems. Amongst the wide variety of the structural elements, the Dougong bucket arch is one of the most...

The Beijing Siheyuan is a traditional vernacular housing type in China with significant cultural value. During the last decades of rapid economic development, many Siheyuan houses have been destroyed. Preserving the few remaining ones became a necessity. This paper is investigating a parametric design technique which would enable a better understan...

This paper explores the potential for new hybrid composite material applications in Architecture by re-thinking the role of fabrication in the process of form-generation. Our work presents the development of composite materials system consisting of two flexible materials, which, when acting together, allow for variable states of stiffness and gain...

This paper is focusing on the application of algorithmic modelling techniques in order to represent, design and fabricate gravitational lens effects (as described by the astrophysical theory of the ‘Dark Matter’) in form of a garden pavilion for the Royal Horticultural Society’s, Chelsea Flower Show. In addition, this research-led project is explor...

There has been a steady growth, over several decades, in the deployment of fabrics in architectural applications; both in terms of quantity and variety of application. More recently, three-dimensional printing and additive manufacturing have added to the palette of technologies that designers in architecture and related disciplines can call upon. H...

Presenting the state-of-the-art in sustainable retrofits in post-war residential towers, Sustainable Retrofits captures and re-informs the current intense refurbishing process that is taking place in Britain, which is part of a global phenomenon happening all over the world, as cities upgrade their building stock in an attempt to comply with govern...

This paper presents a design framework for free-form transformation of kinetic, spatial bar structures using computational design techniques. Spatial bar structures considered as deployable, transformable kinetic structures composed of straight, linear members, assembled in a three-dimensional configuration. They are often utilised in portable, mob...

From leaves to liquids, caves to crystal formations, nature has always been a major source of inspiration for architects. This book examines how nature can act as a precedent for design solutions through twelve case studies. Packed with computer drawings, sketches, models and photographs, this will be an ideal resource for ideas for students in the...

This paper is a critical review on advantages and disadvantages of contemporary digital architecture, in retrospect to Vladimir Shukhov's design techniques, applied in the early 20th century. After investigating Shukhov's structural systems, this paper explores the relationship between performance and form, questioning the necessity of high-complex...

In continuation to Generative Design Methods (Agkathidis 2015), this paper investigates the implementation of Biomorphic Design, supported by computational techniques in undergraduate, architectural studio education. After reviewing the main definitions of biomorphism, organicism and biomimicry synoptically, we will assess the application of a modi...

This paper investigates the possibilities which arise by incorporating digital tools into the design and fabrication of ceramic building components. In particular, we present how traditional ceramic crafting fabrication methods could be enriched by using parametric, performative and generative design techniques alongside digital fabrication technol...

In continuation to the Deceptive Landscape Installation research project (Agkathidis, Kocatürk 2014), this paper investigates the implementation of generative design techniques in undergraduate architectural design education. After reviewing the main definitions of generative design synoptically, we have assessed the application of a modified gener...

This paper is a critical review of advantages and disadvantages of contemporary digital architecture, in retrospect to Vladimir Shukhov's design techniques, applied in the early 20th century. After investigating Shukhov's structural systems, this paper explores the relationship between performance and form, questioning the necessity of high-complex...

In continuation to the Deceptive Landscape Installation research project (Agkathidis, Kocatürk 2014), this paper investigates the implementation of generative design techniques in undergraduate architectural design education. After reviewing the main definitions of generative design synoptically, we have assessed the application of a modified gener...

This paper reflects a collaborative, research led design project, aiming to explore the potentials offered by incorporating parametric / generative tools and performative lighting simulation software in order to design and fabricate a small pavilion for the School of Architecture. The Deceptive Landscape pavilion was designed in the framework of a...

This paper describes and reflects on the design and manufacturing process of the Tree-Structure canopy for the WestendGate Tower in Frankfurt upon Main, completed early 2011. The project investigated fabrication and assembly principles of complex steel structures as well as the integration of contemporary computational design, engineering, optimiza...

This book examines the possibilities emerging for design and architecture by the introduction of novel computer-aided design (CAD) and digital manufacturing techniques. The form studies show the translation of digitally conceived structures into 1:1 physical prototypes. The constructs shown here do not pretend to be perfect finalized objects; they...