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Human imagination has played with the idea of an alternative technological world for years. From dystopian proposals like Neuromancer or The Matrix to more positive views like the recent Upload series, the exploration of the friction between the digital world and the physical world has entertained the imagination of our society for decades. Outside the fictional environments, the omnipresence of the internet and the development of "the cloud" are showing that the virtual world is possible and that the idea of a Metaverse is no longer part of science fiction but a very real future for human relations (Winters 2021). In line with the idea of the Metaverse, the intersection of the virtual and the physical world is being explored through the idea of Extended Realities. Technology is allowing humans to enhance their capabilities more than ever, and in fact, it has been proposed that we are entering the Augmented era (King 2014). This paper explores the opportunities and possible challenges that "Extended Architecture" has by analyzing a research project based on augmented reality as the media to explore these ideas. This project will propose a speculative approach to how the fact that in the recent future, everyone will have access to an AR device will change the way we perceive and understand our architectural environment.

Reinforced concrete has been one of the essential materials for modern architecture for the last hundred years. Its use is entirely global, having been adopted by all cultures and styles since its invention in the late 19th century. Although its value is excellent due to its low cost, durability and adaptability, its environmental impact is significant, being, in fact, one of the most polluting industries in the world (Babor et al. 2009). This experimental project will research a more sustainable use of concrete, exploring a new form of reusable concrete formwork that will ideally reduce the CO2 footprint by removing wood waste in the casting process and replacing it with adaptable metal components. The modular part-based system for the concrete casting also attempts to simplify one of the current complexities for concrete construction, the Skilled-Labour shortage. (Yusoff et al. 2021). To mitigate this problem, the project also proposes using an Augmented Assembly logic for the casting parts to guide the ensemble and dismantle the formwork through an optimised algorithmic logic. The use of Augmented Reality as a replacement for traditional paper instructions will facilitate access to more workers to this construction art and potentially improve access to optimised use of concrete in developing communities with restricted building technological resources.

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This research introduces Augmented Reality (AR) for manufacturing concrete structures through an open platform for autonomous construction. The study was developed under the following scopes: computational algorithms for bending simulations, materiality tests, system implementation, and a set of Augmented Reality (AR) tools. AR devices offer a technological tool that allows for a self-built environment through holographic guidance, allowing the untrained workforce to participate in the process. This technology can help users select the system to construct through an Open-Source platform, reducing the gap between complex computational geometries and construction processes. The research aims to investigate a building system that could benefit the UN Objectives SDG 10 by increasing the access to technology in undeveloped communities, SDG 11 and SDG 12 by promoting a self-sustainable method of construction based on local resources and material efficiency. In conjunction with the development of the AR Platform and augmented manufacturing, a 1:1 prototype was built in Quito, Ecuador, with the help of seven people with no previous knowledge of digital tools or construction. Presenting a novel, fast, and affordable concrete formwork connected with AR assisted assembly methods that facilitate access to more efficient and advanced building technology.