pike loop is a robot-built installation conceived by swiss architects gramazio & kohler
which will be shown as part of the 'digital materiality' exhibition at
storefront for art and architecture in new york. situated on the central mall on pike street
between division street and east broadway, pike loop will be the first architectural project
in the US to be digitally fabricated on site, at a 1:1 scale. the installation will be constructed
by an industrial robot which is normally used to assemble automobiles and complete other
high-precision tasks.

the construction period begins on october 5th and the robot will work for up to four weeks
to build the sculptural brick wall. it is estimated that more than seven thousand bricks will
form the infinite loop which will weave in and out along the pedestrian island in which
it is located.

first exhibited at the venice architecture biennale 08 under the name R-O-B, the project was
developed through gramazio & kohler's research at the ETH zurich faculty of architecture.


a robot which will be used to construct the wall installation
image © gramazio & kohler, ETH


gramazio & kohler's installation at the venice architecture biennale 08
image courtesy of storefront for art and architecture


a drawing of the robot constructing the weaving wall
image © gramazio & kohler, ETH


image © gramazio & kohler, ETH


image © gramazio & kohler, ETH


aerial view of how the wall will weave into infinite loops
image © gramazio & kohler, ETH

client: storefront for art and architecture in conjunction with the new york city
department of transportation’s urban art program

collaborators: michael knauß (project leader), ralph bärtschi, markus giera,
michael lyrenmann, kirsten weiss, brett albert, marc pancera, tom stewart

selected experts: buro happold consulting engineers, P.C. (structural engineering)

sponsors: ETH zurich, faculty of architecture, keller AG ziegeleien,
consulate general of switzerland in new york, swiss international airlines,
general shale brick inc., USM modular furniture, pro helvetia, sika schweiz AG,
buro happold consulting engineers, P.C., graham foundation for advanced studies
in the fine arts, new york state council on the arts, new york city department of cultural affairs.