This paper presents a practice-based research approach that examines design-led applications and digital fabrication methods within the context of existing computational design theories. The paper explores the approach of WOOD-SKIN, a digital fabrication system that integrates nature-inspired geometries with standardized architectural production workflows. WOOD-SKIN facilitates the creation of flexible, three-dimensional panels from flat materials through a patented process and developability-driven computational workflow. These panels, fabricated via 3-axis CNC milling, incorporate a textile core that functions as a hinge, enabling spatial transformations from flat sheets to three-dimensional forms. Focusing on the 4300 Wilson project as a case study, developed by the authors and the team at WOOD-SKIN, the paper investigates how nature-inspired, algorithmically generated forms can be translated into buildable and sustainable solutions. The research positions WOOD-SKIN within the broader discourse of digital-material ecologies, drawing on theories of fractal geometry. (Mandelbrot, 1982), chaos theory (Gleick, 1987) and digital ontology (Bridle, 2022). By embedding fabrication intelligence directly into geometries and maintaining a feedback-oriented design-to-production process, WOOD-SKIN challenges conventional and linear workflows and proposes a recursive, adaptive methodology. The study demonstrates how this approach reduces material waste, enhances transportation efficiency, and supports sustainable construction practices. Ultimately, WOOD-SKIN is presented as both a technical innovation and a conceptual framework for rethinking the relationship between tools, materials, and form-making in architecture, offering a model for future workflows where digital precision and natural complexity converge.
Napier et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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