Digital Building Fabrication – The Path Towards the Unity of Material, Process and Form (2025-12)¶

Based on personal experience, this article reflects on the development of digital construction manufacturing with a view to the interaction of material, process, and form. Their unity has always formed the basis of construction and must be constantly adapted to new technological developments. While in earlier eras the unity of material, process, and form was shaped by craft and industrial manufacturing techniques, digital construction marks the next decisive technological step: digitally controlled and continuously networked—from planning to production. The free-form architectures of the 2000s mark the beginning of digital construction manufacturing. They were guided by architectural form, and integrated digital workflows were developed for the first time for their realization. However, it is only the further research and developments of recent years, particularly in additive manufacturing, that reveal the transformative potential for the construction industry. Digital construction manufacturing is the key to transferring the architectural principle of unity of material, process, and form into the digital age. At the same time, it opens the door to Construction Industry 5.0, which digitally connects people, machines, and materials. The unity of material, process, and form is the basis for harmonizing economic, ecological, and social requirements.