Digital capturing technologies such as photogrammetry and LiDAR (light detection and ranging) scanning are increasingly present in construction, yet their use is oftentimes limited to documenting the existing site conditions or recording construction progress.

Bespoke Realities shifts the focus from ‘data of’, to ‘data for’, aiming to develop a streamlined manufacturing process utilising digital capturing methodologies to enable bespoke design solutions. Such development will help reduce the inherent complexity of handling non-standardised forms in the design for manufacture workflow, which could prove particularly useful for building in conservation areas.

Additionally, digital archiving offers a potential to increase the re-use rates of building components across multiple scales. This project develops an approach to re-manufacturing components that facilitates inventive adaptive reuse and reduction of carbon-intensive materials.

The case study features a staircase handle in House of Annetta, a Grade II Listed Building. The exposed, fire damaged beams were digitally captured, and their geometry was subtracted from the bracket body to ensure a fit perfect to a mm. The wood used in the project was collected from site and documented to ensure compatibility with proposed design.

The design consists of aluminium cast bracket components and a steam bent, laminated wood handrail. The site’s 3D model was used for CNC milling of the bracket components. This allowed the brackets to clamp around the irregular, fire-damaged beams, providing a non-invasive design solution for the Grade II listed building.