Tool to teammate: a systematic review on human–robot collaboration in architectural fabrication

Abstract

The evolving field of Human–Robot Collaboration (HRC) in the Architecture, Engineering, Fabrication, and Construction (AEFC) academia and Industry requires new approaches that reconcile human cognitive adaptability with robotic precision to address the unpredictability of construction environments. Architectural fabrication operates under site-specific conditions, material irregularities, and design uniqueness that limit the effectiveness of conventional automation, especially in comparison to the controlled manufacturing settings. This review investigates how frameworks of HRC in architecture have evolved from tool-based automation toward shared and adaptive systems, and what challenges persist in translating these developments into real-world construction practices. A systematic review was conducted on 110 peer-reviewed studies, each analyzed across various analytical dimensions: level of collaboration, materials, fabrication scale, digital and physical methods. To organize this diversity, the review introduces a six-level classification of human–robot collaboration, starting from manual control to supervised autonomy, collaborative control, adaptive collaboration, fully autonomous systems, and finally collective human–robot collaboration. Each level builds upon and evolves from the insights of the preceding ones. This framework enables a consistent comparison of technological capabilities, degrees of autonomy, and modes of human involvement across studies. The synthesis indicates gradual evolution in HRC frameworks. The more basic levels retain strong connections to craft and material intuition but remain constrained in scalability and repeatability. Intermediate levels incorporate real-time feedback and learning-based responsiveness, enabling more balanced task sharing between humans and robots. The advanced levels demonstrate emerging capacities for distributed intelligence and coordinated multi-agent behavior, yet they encounter significant technical, operational, and economic limitations that restrict their deployment beyond experimental settings. Across all levels, advances in sensing, simulation, and human–machine interface design are steadily expanding the domain of robotic construction while revealing persistent gaps between research and practice. The trajectory of HRC in architecture represents a broader socio-technical transformation that redefines the relationship between design, labor, and automation. Future progress depends on integrating collaborative robotics into construction workflows, fostering democratization of technology, and establishing robust frameworks for safety, training, and regulation that support human–robot coexistence on site. Bridging the divide between experimental success and scalable application will require sustained interdisciplinary collaboration among architects, engineers, robotic experts, and social scientists to advance a more adaptive and human-centered construction future.