The "Lotus" — RoboticPlus.Tech

The "Lotus"

Subtitle Kinetic Architecture — Parametric Node Optimization & DfMA Fabrication, by the Xiang River
Company RoboticPlus.Tech (大界智造) · Shanghai, China
Role Architectural Parametric Design Intern
Year Summer 2024
Contribution Node Geometry Optimization · GRC Material Reduction · Kinetic Mechanism Analysis · 3D-Printed Model Fabrication · Website Design & Build
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At RoboticPlus.Tech (大界智造), a Shanghai-based intelligent construction consultancy, the internship centered on one of China's most technically complex kinetic facades — the "Lotus," a large-scale moving structure by the Xiang River in Changsha. The work directly contributed to the project's core engineering challenges: optimizing the structural node geometry to reduce GRC mold waste by 85% (from 2,000㎡ to 300㎡), analyzing kinetic panel mechanisms, and fabricating precision 3D-printed models for client presentation.

A second major contribution was the design and build of the company website roboticplus.tech — a full editorial showcase of the firm's portfolio across five flagship projects. The site reflects 90% original work: information architecture, visual design, content, and front-end implementation.

Kinetic Architecture Node Optimization Parametric Design Grasshopper GRC Fabrication DfMA 85% Material Reduction Computational Geometry Structural Optimization Web Design & Build Virtual Design & Construction
Lotus kinetic facade — full motion simulation

Full kinetic motion simulation — Lotus facade panel deployment sequence

Lotus kinetic mechanism study

Kinetic mechanism study — parametric panel articulation analysis

Lotus — 3D-printed physical model

Precision 3D-printed model for client presentation — GRC node geometry after computational optimization

Lotus — exploded assembly diagram

湘江之花 — exploded diagram showing structural hierarchy, kinetic layers, and GRC panel assembly logic

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Newhouse III →