Elliot Smithberger

Elliot Smithberger serves as a Lecturer in Architecture at the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan, where he teaches digital fabrication courses and researches prototyping tools, open-source machine control software, and low-cost fabrication devices. His work has been exhibited at U-M’s Liberty Research Annex, Banvard Gallery, and Matthaei Botanical Gardens, and featured in Dimensions, Dezeen, DesignBoom, and Archdaily.

Education:

• B.S. in Architecture, The Ohio State University
• M.Arch and MS.DMT (Digital & Material Technology), University of Michigan (both with distinction)

Smithberger’s research pioneers accessible fabrication methods, including Robotic Exhalation (2023)—using compressed air as dynamic formwork for concrete casting—and Open Framework, an open-source tool for consumer-grade 3D-printed spaceframe structures. His projects emphasize democratizing fabrication through low-cost technologies and reinterpreting material conventions in architecture.

Scientific awards and honors:

• No personal scientific awards documented in source material

Project grants and support:

• Architecture Student Research Grant (Robotic Exhalation)
• Arts Engine AiiR Grant (Robotic Exhalation)
• Rackham Graduate Research Grant (Open Framework)

Collaborations and labs: Smithberger partners with researchers like Collin Garnett (Robotic Exhalation) and Dishant Patel (Open Framework). His work operates through U-M’s Liberty Research Annex and Taubman College’s digital fabrication facilities, focusing on interdisciplinary teams and public exhibitions at venues including Knowlton School of Architecture and Matthaei Botanical Gardens.