On July 6, 2024, following nine days of intense and engaging deliberations, the exhibition of the 2024 DigitalFUTURES workshop officially unveiled. Themed CO-AGENCY, CO-PILOT, CO-EXISTENCE, this year's DigitalFUTURES workshop delved deeper into emerging technologies within the architectural sciences, examining the intersection of digital technologies with the built environment and the empowering potential of AI in architecture.

Gathering 72 elite mentors from 27 institutions spanning 11 countries and regions, including renowned scholars such as Professor Yi-Min Xie, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Engineering; Patrik Schumacher, Principal Architect at Zaha Hadid Architects; Professor Yasushi Ikeda from the University of Tokyo; and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Engineering, Mark Burry, among others, the 2024 DigitalFUTURES workshop formed 20 teams. It attracted 2,418 participants from 357 institutions worldwide, with 432 students converging at Tongji University in person.

Throughout the workshop, students actively engaged in profound discussions on emerging research areas like AI, robotic construction, and human-computer interaction. Experts from diverse fields converged, fostering interdisciplinary exchanges that sparked innovative ideas, with all 20 teams successfully completing their research and construction endeavors.

At 5:00 PM, the exhibition opening was presided over by Professor Philip Feng Yuan, Vice Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University. Professor Yuan summarized the event and congratulated mentors and students on their successful completion of research projects and construction achievements during the workshop. The opening ceremony featured addresses from Academician Wu Zhiqiang of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor Lou Yongqi, Vice President of Tongji University, and Professor Wang Zhendong, Chairman of the college council of CAUP.

Exhibition

Reinventing Timber Joinery: Coupling Graphic Statics and Robotic Fabrication in Timber-to-Timber Joint Design

Tectonism via AI

Form from Nature

Navigating Artificial Intelligence: from Image Generators to 3D Models, From Theory to Practice

“Under the same roof”. Sino-Italian Pavilion.

Robotic Bamboo Weaving

Robotic Natural Tectonics: Bamboo Structure

Transformative Bamboo Structure

Humanizing Mixed Reality —Spatial Behavior Computation based on AR Media

On the afternoon of July 7, 2024, the closing ceremony and award presentation of the 2024 DigitalFUTURES event took place at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University. The closing event, which also marked the opening of the workcamp exhibition, was presided over by Professor Philip Feng Yuan, Vice Dean of the College, who presented awards and summarized the achievements of the event.

Over the nine-day period from June 29 to July 7, DigitalFUTURES 2024 facilitated a convergence of experts and scholars from around the globe through a series of workcamps, lectures, international conferences, and exhibitions. These activities, centered on the exchange of theories, methodologies, and technologies, aimed to explore the intersection of digital technology and architecture, inspiring a new generation of architects and designers to embrace a vision of a smarter, more harmonious, and sustainable future.

Following the summary, Professor Mark Burry, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Engineering and a DigitalFUTURES 2024 Fellow from Swinburne University of Technology, delivered a keynote speech at the closing ceremony. Drawing on his expertise, Professor Burry offered insightful perspectives on cutting-edge technologies such as digital technology and artificial intelligence. He also showcased innovative applications of digital technology in architectural research, bridging theory with practice and providing a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to attendees.

The closing ceremony marked not only the end of an engaging and insightful series of events but also a significant milestone in advancing the dialogue between digital technology and architectural innovation.

Mark Burry

2024 DigitalFUTURES Fellow

Prof. Mark Burry

Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering
Professor, Swinburne University of Technology

2024 DigitalFUTURES 

Project Awards

Teixit

Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia

Hybrid Flax Pavilion

Institute for Computational Design and Construction,University of Stuttgart
Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design,University of Stuttgart

Crafting Material 

Irregularity Timber Pavilion

Tongji University 

The Castle of Snow

RMIT University & Ameba

2024 DigitalFUTURES

 Young Awards

Daniel Bolojan

School of Architecture, Florida Atlantic University

Xin Yan

Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture

Hans Jakob Wagner

Institute for Computational Design and Construction, 

University of Stuttgart

2024 DigitalFUTURES 

Coding Award

FURobot

Tongji University & Fab-Union Technology