When considering what we wanted to build for our first 3d printed house, we knew we needed to take into consideration the community’s needs. We didn’t want to design the most cutting edge 3d printed house out there, we wanted to show the people of Detroit that a 3d printed house is for anyone. This home was designed by Bryan Cook of Develop Architecture, also the president of the Detroit chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects. This 1000 sq ft, two bedroom home will showcase how 3d printing can offer both customization (with no added cost) and excellent design. Made possible by a grant from MSHDA, we plan to build this home fall 2022.

Cadillac Square Gardens provided us with our second opportunity to design and print permeable pavers.

In collaboration with AGI Construction, Citizen Robotics designed 3d printed permeable pavers for their 18th Street Design Build Green Hub. AGI Construction is focused on community and workforce development. Our alignment in mission is what brought us together for this project. We knew we wanted to work together, and when the opportunity to print permeable pavers arose, we knew it was the right fit. This was our first foray into green stormwater infrastructure, and we believe it’s a great application for this tech. When testing these pavers in our own parking lot, they’ve held up through two seasons so far, as well as being driven over. We now know they can function as a patio or driveway.

Professor James Leach at University of Detroit Mercy led a course for undergraduate architecture students focused on educating them about the realities of building and development projects. The students gained in depth knowledge of a variety of construction methods used in light residential construction, including 3d printing. We taught students about the difficulties we face in the home building process, and encouraged them to envision the future of the industry. In a visit to our facility, we showed students the 3d printing process through a live demonstration. By the end of the course in April 2022, the students will be able to provide a preliminary design narrative for a home in the Bagley Fitzgerald neighborhood of Detroit.

Sara Codarin leads a research project at Lawrence Technological University that aims to investigate robotics and additive manufacturing processes in architecture. Using an algorithm to generate concrete wall prototypes, the wall segments will be analyzed for their thermal and structural performance. Citizen Robotics will support this research by 3d printing 5 wall segments with varying geometry, reinforcement, layer height, and overall layout.