The University of Westminster has opened the new cutting-edge Fabrication Laboratory Westminster located on its Marylebone campus in central London, putting the University at the leading edge of digital fabrication.
Providing a major extension of the University of Westminster’s existing architecture workshops, Fabrication Laboratory Westminster includes two new purpose-built spaces offering advanced digital making facilities. It is equipped with flexible computer controlled tools covering a wide range of scales, materials and processes.
The laboratory will provide an innovative learning environment inspiring and preparing students for the challenges and versatility of digital fabrication in the 21st century. Fabrication Laboratory Westminster will also offer specialist training short courses as well as new areas of support for research and PhD students.
The new state-of-the-art facilities will complement the suite of 3D printers and laser cutters in the University’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, adding a wide selection of digital equipment that will enable a range of design and fabrication processes including ABS and plaster 3D printing, CNC knife cutting, large scale CNC routing, CNC metal milling and robot fabrication. The collection of robots uniquely includes an industrial robot arm running on a five-metre rail across a window visible from Marylebone Road.
Dr David Scott, Senior Lecturer and academic leader for the Fabrication Laboratory Westminster, said: “The new Fabrication Laboratory will allow students to immerse themselves in and explore the exciting and rapidly expanding field of digital fabrication. It gives them a fantastic opportunity to produce work of the highest quality, offering new design possibilities and creative outcomes.”
Images courtesy of the University of Westminster.