Flight Assembled Architecture is the first architectural installation assembled by flying robots, free from the touch of human hands. The installation is an expression of a rigorous architectural design by Gramazio & Kohler and a visionary robotic system by Raffaello D’Andrea. Flight Assembled Architecture consists of over 1.500 modules which are placed by a multitude of quadrotor helicopters, collaborating according to mathematical algorithms that translate digital design data to the behavior of the flying machines.
Photography by © François Lauginie
In this way, the flying vehicles, together, extend themselves as “living” architectural machines and complete the composition from their dynamic formation of movement and building performance. Within the build, an architectural vision of a 600m high “vertical village” for 30’000 inhabitants unfolds as model in 1:100 scale. This newly founded village is located in the rural area of Meuse, taking advantage of an existing TGV connection that brings its inhabitants to Paris in less than one hour. It is from this quest of an “ideal” self-sustaining habitat that the authors pursue a radical new way of thinking and materializing verticality in architecture, Flight Assembled Architecture.
Photography by © François Lauginie
Credits:
Gramazio & Kohler and Raffaello D`Andrea in cooperation with ETH Zurich
In cooperation with:
Professorship Raffaello D’Andrea, Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control, ETH Zurich
Client:
FRAC Centre (Co-Producer)
Collaborators:
Andrea Kondziela (project lead), Sarah Bridges, Tim Burton, Thomas Cadalbert, Dr. Ralph Bärtschi, Peter Heckeroth, Marion Ott, Tanja Pereira, Dominik Weber, Dr. Jan Willmann
Selected experts:
Wind Tunnel Testing: Chair of Building Physics, Prof. Jan Carmeliet, ETH Zurich and Empa
Structural Engineering: Dr. Lüchinger + Meyer Bauingenieure AG
Façade Engineering: Dr. Lüchinger + Meyer Bauingenieure AG
Energy Consulting: Amstein + Walthert AG
Sponsors:
Pro Helvetia Swiss Arts Council, Centre Culturel Suisse Paris, Platform, Regroupement des Fonds régionaux d’art contemporain, Vicon Motion Systems, ERCO Leuchten GmbH, JET Schaumstoff – Formteile GmbH
Ibrahim Abdelhady is an architect, academic, and media entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in architecture and digital publishing. He is the Founder and CEO of Arch2O.com, a leading platform in architectural media, renowned for showcasing innovative projects, student work, and critical discourse in design. Holding dual PhDs in Architecture, Dr. Abdelhady combines academic rigor with industry insight, shaping both future architects and architectural thought. He actively teaches, conducts research, and contributes to the global architecture community through his writing, lectures, and media ventures. His work bridges the gap between practice and academia, pushing the boundaries of how architecture is communicated in the digital age.