10.24904/footbridge2017.10515 INTELLIGENT FABRICATION - DIGITAL BRIDGES Matthew TAM Architect Bollinger + Grohmann Vienna, Austria mtam@bollinger-grohmann.at Klaas DE RYCKE Civil engineer-Architect Professor, ENSA-Versailles Partner, Bollinger + Grohmann Managing Partner, Bollinger Grohmann Sarl Paris, France kderycke@bollinger-grohmann.fr Louis BERGIS Civil Engineer-Architect Bollinger + Grohmann Paris, France lbergis@bollinger-grohmann.fr Adam ORLINSKI Architect Bollinger + Grohmann Vienna, Austria aorlinski@bollinger-grohmann.at Dragos NAICU Structural Engineer Bollinger + Grohmann Berlin, Germany dnaicu@bollinger-grohmann.de Ewa JANKOWSKA Architect Bollinger + Grohmann Paris, France ejankowskakus@bollinger-grohmann.fr Summary Students of the Ecole nationale supérieure d’architecture de Versailles participated in the workshop ‘Intelligent Fabrication – Digital Bridges’ where they investigated bridge designs using parametric simulation tools and numerical fabrication techniques. Working in the environment of CAD software (Rhino), extended with parametric plug-ins (Grasshopper and Karamba) the workshop focused on combining complex parametric modelling techniques with FEM simulation. Students developed an intuitive design approach through the analysis of digital and physical models. This paper explains the processes and outcomes of the two week workshop where three designs were constructed at 1:1 and others at 1:5 and 1:10. The proposals displayed a broad range of design and structural concepts, with some investigating topological and geometric optimization and others, the process of fabrication using 3d printing and laser-cutting. Keywords: Karamba; optimisation; computation; timber; digital fabrication; bridge construction; physical modelling; parametric design; structural design Fig. 1. Bridge designs developed over the two week workshop