14 June is Feminist Strike Day in Switzerland. All the more reason to take a closer look at the NCCR DFAB’s Equal Opportunities programme.

In this opening column of DFAB Insights, Russell Loveridge, Managing Director of the NCCR Digital Fabrication, shares personal reflections from international engagements and what they signal for the global future of building.

Former researchers of the NCCR Digital Fabrication hold key positions in science and industry worldwide. Through our alumni video portraits, we showcase their journeys and explore how their experiences at NCCR DFAB continue to influence their work today.

At ETH Zurich, researchers are developing biochar concrete—a material that stores carbon instead of emitting it. This project brings together academia and industry to reduce construction’s environmental impact and support automated building processes.

This year’s Biennale is titled Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective. One notable thread running through many exhibits is the growing role of robots, computation, and digital fabrication in contemporary architectural production.

Tor Alva was officially opened in the village of Mulengns, Switzerland. Designed as a temporary performance space, the tower is the world's tallest building to date made using digital concrete fabrication. The project marks a significant outcome of ongoing research within the NCCR DFAB.

The AdvanceAEC Postdoc Network Meeting brought together over 15 early-career researchers from partner institutions across Europe with the goal of strengthening professional development, collaboration, and community-building among Postdoc in the AEC field.

Alumn Simon Griffioen is teaching at the Robot Lab of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences where students, researchers and practice partners work together on challenges such as accelerating the circular transition and enhancing sustainability in the built environment.

NCCR DFAB alumnus Dr. Matthias Leschok recently spoke to Grauzone, the Swiss online magazine for sustainable construction with precast concrete products, about SAEKI’s mission and how it was shaped by his experience within the NCCR Digital Fabrication.

MAS ETH DFAB alumnus Shaun Wu is now working in Singapore’s dynamic construction and engineering sector, applying his expertise in digital fabrication and computational design. He reflects on how exploring and discovering his passions has shaped his career.