Ruxin Xie

Ruxin (pronounced as Ru-shin) is a researcher, designer, and lifelong maker. Her work lies at the intersection of art, architecture, mechanics, and robotics.  
She lives with a tabby cat named TT — Tiny Tiger. ᓚᘏᗢ

Curriculum vitae
Publications
Contact

2025
XXXBuildfest 2024Bethel, NY, USAXXIXRobotic SetupsPrinceton, NJ, USA
2023
XXVIIIThe ObservatoryCupertino, CA, USA XXVIITree House[Concept]XXVIGoogle StoreSanta Monica, CA, USAXXVCat LampCupertino, CA, USA
2022
XXIVSystems EngagementAnn Arbor, MI, USA
2021
XXIIICocoonAnn Arbor, MI, USAXXIISocial EquilibriaVenice, ItalyXXITopology Optimized Building Envelope Ann Arbor, MI, USAXXPoly-Fractal PackingAnn Arbor, MI, USAXIXPneumatic Origami Self FoldingAnn Arbor, MI, USA
2020
XVIIIDesign Ecologies of Glass[Concept]XVIIArchitecture {AI}[Concept]XVIVolumetric KnittingAnn Arbor, MI, USAXVShelf - Generative DeisignAnn Arbor, MI, USAXIVLight LeakAnn Arbor, MI, USAXIIITriByteAnn Arbor, MI, USAXIIMantaAnn Arbor, MI, USAXIHoursteelAnn Arbor, MI, USA
2019
XContext. Community. Co-op. Core[Concept]IXPlayscapeAnn Arbor, MI, USAVIIIExquisite LampAnn Arbor, MI, USAVIIKnitted InflatablesAnn Arbor, MI, USA
2018
VIEngageAnn Arbor, MI, USAVFantastic Beasts And Here They Are[Concept]IVAnimation and Architecture[Concept]
2017 and Earlier
IIISponge at Crossroad[Concept]IIBridge Church[Concept]IBirdwatching Pavilion[Concept]
Life

Drawings
Photography
Cooking




© 2017–2025 Ruxin Xie
BuildFest 2024
Year
2024
Location
Bethel, NY USA
Principal Investigator and Project Lead
Arash Adel
Research, Design, and Fabrication Assistants
Daniel Ruan, Ruxin Xie, Zhengyi Chen
Student Assistants
Zoe Cheung, Zhuofan Ma
On-site Assembly Assistants
Rimervi Mendez Vasquez, Carlos Lantigua, Autumn Siedlik
Status
Built
Material
Reclaimed & New Douglas Fir 2x4 Timber
Affiliation
ARG at Princeton University
Exhibition
Bethel Woods Art and Architecture Festival 2024
Program
Community Stage
Role
Authored winning proposal, securing one of three permanent festival structures.
Led computational design and project management
Managed robotic fabrication, on-site assembly, documentation, and purchasing logistics.
Designed custom robotic end effectors: timber grippers, automated nail guns, tool-change system, and CNC saw cutting stations.
Tool Box
Rhino, Grasshopper,  in-house programming,  ABB IRB 4600




Located at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts—the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival—Timbrelyn’s design responds directly to the site's landscape, views, and vegetation. Its form integrates layered patterns of timber that blend old and new materials, producing dynamic shadows and optical textures. The structure includes built-in seating and a raised platform, creating a space for small public gatherings during art and music festivals.



This installation was developed with the intention of maximizing the carbon storage potential of wood through efficient use, long-term reusability, and a circular design strategy.

To reduce the need for new timber harvesting, we prioritized the use of reclaimed wood. More than half of the installation’s 2x4 lumber is salvaged SPF, preserved from a previous project in Ann Arbor, Michigan. These pieces were carefully inspected and cleaned of fasteners before reuse. The remaining timber was sourced locally in New Jersey, helping reduce transportation emissions.

We developed a computational design and robotic fabrication workflow specifically to adapt to the variable lengths and angles of the reclaimed pieces. This process allowed us to minimize off-cuts and material waste while preserving as much of each timber element as possible.

A site-specific computational design process was developed to generate the project’s geometry. The workflow parametrically transformed design curves into a network of timber elements through contouring, segmentation, and modularization steps. By embedding fabrication, transport, and assembly constraints directly into the algorithm, the system ensured that each module was both geometrically precise and robotically feasible.
The structure functions as a durable, open-air built with standard framing components and dry connections. While the timber was left untreated to maintain recoverability, a clear water-based wood sealer was applied to protect against moisture and UV exposure, helping extend the lifespan of the material during its current use. Through circular design, adaptive reuse, and efficient sourcing, This installation demonstrates how wood can be used responsibly to store carbon over time and across multiple lifecycles


The installation was built from timber subassemblies prefabricated at Princeton University. After prefabrication, these modules were transported and manually assembled onsite. A key innovation of the project is its closed-loop adaptive robotic workflow for fabrication with irregular reclaimed wood. Using computer vision, a robot scans the available inventory, selects and processes suitable pieces, and assembles them into modules that meet design constraints. This method enables the reuse of materials from deconstructed buildings, supporting a more sustainable model of circular construction.


Timbrelyn was designed with material efficiency in mind from the start. The project combines both reclaimed and newly sourced 2x4 lumber. The reclaimed wood came from a previous project our team completed in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After that structure was disassembled, we reclaimed its lumber, removed all nails, and inspected each piece to make sure it was safe for reuse. The reclaimed lumber played a central role in the design and construction process. In particular, we developed a closed-loop adaptive robotic workflow to facilitate material reuse. An industrial robot scanned the provided material inventory, including irregular and angled timber pieces, and selected the best-fit element for each position based on length and cut angles. This approach helped us reduce cutting waste and extend the lifespan of each piece. If a piece did not meet the design requirements on the current cycle, it was re-scanned and used elsewhere in the structure. Newly sourced timber was only supplemented if there were no suitable reclaimed pieces to fit the design constraints.


To integrate this irregular inventory, we developed a custom computational design and robotic fabrication workflow. The computational design process used a parametric model to split the overall structure into 18 distinct, prefabricated modules. This digital model established the required shape and assembly sequence for every timber element in advance, with each element’s fabrication parameters being generated and passed along for the robotic fabrication process. 

In our custom robotic fabrication process, for each specific element required by the design, the robot scanned the available raw timber and selected the piece that could produce the part while minimizing cutting waste. If a piece was not suitable for that specific location, it was returned to the inventory for consideration later. This adaptive process was essential for efficiently incorporating the salvaged wood, which ultimately forms the majority of the 1,859 total timber elements in the structure.



In an industry still heavily reliant on raw materials, This installation serves as a case study for integrating reclaimed wood into design and construction. By leveraging robotic perception and adaptive fabrication, the project demonstrates how salvaged material can take on new life in architectural production. This approach not only reduces waste and carbon impact but also opens new design possibilities through the expressive potential of reclaimed materials.