TEK Faculty - University of Southern Denmark. © SDU
sdu CREATE
SDU CREATE – Centre for Computational Research in Emergent Architectural Technology & Engineering is a research and innovation centre operating at the intersection of architecture, computational design, and construction robotics. It investigates the digital, material, and technological dimensions of the built environment through an integrated model of research, teaching, and prototyping.
Founded in 2018 by Associate Professor Roberto Naboni as a research group within the Section for Civil and Architectural Engineering, SDU CREATE was formally established as a centre in 2024. It is part of the Department of Technology and Innovation (ITI), Faculty of Engineering (TEK), at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU).
The Centre addresses contemporary challenges in architecture and construction by leveraging emerging technologies to develop sustainable, adaptive, and intelligent design solutions. Research activities are grounded in full-scale experimentation and computational processes that translate directly into advanced manufacturing workflows.
RESEARCH AREAS
SDU CREATE focuses on a defined set of research domains that reflect the convergence of computational design, robotics, and material innovation:
+ 3D Concrete Printing
+ Robotic Timber Construction
+ Behavioural Additive Manufacturing
+ Bioreceptive Design and Fabrication
+ Bio-Composite Design
+ Machine Learning and Simulation for Architectural Systems
These areas are united by an ambition to develop novel design ecologies and fabrication strategies that respond to pressing environmental and technological conditions.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES
The Centre contributes actively to education at BSc, MSc, and PhD levels. It leads the MSc specialisation Computational Design and Robotics for Engineering, Architecture and Construction Technology, which equips students with skills in generative design, robotic and digital fabrication, and performance-based construction systems. Teaching is research-led and practice-based, with a strong emphasis on prototyping, material experimentation, and direct engagement with advanced technologies.
Since 2018, SDU CREATE has hosted the CREATE Summer School on Experimental Architecture, an internationally recognised academic programme that brings together participants from across disciplines and geographies for intensive, project-driven workshops on future modes of architectural design and production.
COLLABORATION AND DISSEMINATION
SDU CREATE operates within a broad network of academic, industrial, and cultural partners. The Centre contributes to funded research projects, peer-reviewed publications, curated exhibitions, and collaborative demonstrators, with the objective of aligning scientific inquiry with practical application. Through this ecosystem, SDU CREATE advances both architectural knowledge and technological innovation in the built environment.
ODENSE ROBOTICS ECOSYSTEM
Know more about collaborative robots, cobots, the history and the development of the robotics industry at the danish city of Odense as the World's Leading Robotics City.
Uploaded by Invest in Odense Odense Kommune on May 9th, 2019.