WANGEN TOWER
Landesgartenschau in Wangen im Allgäu 2024, Germany

Set amidst the scenic landscape of the western Allgäu, the Wangen Tower is an architectural landmark and pioneering timber structure for the Landesgartenschau 2024. Based on research conducted at the Cluster of Excellence ‘Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture (IntCDC)’ at the University of Stuttgart, the tower is the very first multi-level, walkable building to use self-shaped, structural timber components. The distinctive expression of the tower’s unique timber structure stand as a testament to the latent design possibilities in naturally renewable, locally sourced, regionally manufactured and resource-effective timber architecture, which can be uncovered through an integrative approach to scientific research, materially-informed computational design, digital fabrication and expert craftsmanship.

For a detailed description and more images please view:

https://www.icd.uni-stuttgart.de/projects/wangen-tower/

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PROJECT PARTNERS

Cluster of Excellence IntCDC – Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture, University of Stuttgart

Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD)
Prof. Achim Menges, Martin Alvarez, Monika Göbel, Laura Kiesewetter, David Stieler, Dr. Dylan Wood, with support of: Gonzalo Muñoz Guerrero, Alina Turean, Aaron Wagner

Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE)
Prof. Dr. Jan Knippers, Gregor Neubauer

Blumer-Lehmann AG
Katharina Lehmann, David Riggenbach, Jan Gantenbein

with Biedenkapp Stahlbau GmbH
Markus Reischmann, Frank Jahr

Stadt Wangen im Allgäu

Landesgartenschau Wangen im Allgäu 2024 GmbH

PROJECT COLLABORATIONS

Scientific Collaboration:
Chair of Forest Utilization, Prof. Dr. Markus Rüggeberg, TU Dresden

Further Consulting Engineers:
wbm Beratende Ingenieure
Dipl.-Ing. Dietmar Weber, Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Daniel Boneberg

Collins+Knieps Vermessungsingenieure
Frank Collins

Schöne Neue Welt Ingenieure GbR
Florian Scheible, Andreas Otto

lohrer.hochrein Landschaftsarchitekten DBLA

Building Approval:

Checking Engineer: Prof. Hans Joachim Blaß, Karlsruhe

Approval: MPA Stuttgart, Dr. Gerhard Dill Langer, Prof. Dr. Philipp Grönquist

Construction Collaboration for Foundation
Fischbach Bauunternehmen

PROJECT SUPPORT:

DFG Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Zukunft Bau – Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Stadtentwicklung und Bauwesen/BBSR

TEXOVERSUM
New Education and Innovation Centre

Texoversum, an education, research and innovation centre for the cross-cutting technology in the field of textiles, is being established on the campus of Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences. As part of an ensemble, the new building will be developed and implemented as part of the master plan for the expansion of the Reutlingen campus. The Texoversum is a powerful and at the same time communicative element in the urban context of the academic institution. Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten, Menges Scheffler Architekten and Jan Knippers Ingenieure are responsible for the design as a team. They were awarded first prize in the related design competition and subsequently commissioned with the realisation. The Texoversum comprises almost 3,000 square metres of space for different user groups. It includes workshops, laboratories, the internationally renowned collection of historical textile and fabric samples, multifunctional areas for research and development and various classrooms.

The architectural concept is based on a multifaceted examination of the topic of textile architecture. The design theme is reflected both structurally in the internal interweaving of functions and in the building envelope that creates its own identity. The unique façade made of carbon and glass fibres, the first of its kind to be implemented in this way, represents the innovative power and future viability of fibre-based materials and textile techniques. In a robotic winding process developed at the institutes of Achim Menges (ICD) and Jan Knippers (ITKE) at the University of Stuttgart, each individual facade element can be individually tuned to its functional requirements. Starting from three basic modules, the elements transform themselves according to their orientation toward the sun and form a unique, multi-layered appearance. The elements are completely self-supporting and do not require a supporting structure. Their staggered arrangement allows free views. In addition to the functional requirements as external shading devices and guard railing, the façade meets aesthetic and representative demands and creates a distinctive building that expresses textiles as a driving force for technology.

The design theme of permeability and networking is continued in the conception of the building structure. In its inner structure, Texoversum is designed as an open, transparent building with split levels. The offset mezzanine levels, which are also visually interwoven via the atrium, connect the different areas of use with each other and form a spatial continuum that ends in a generous roof terrace. Visually, each level boasts an unmistakable industrial character with hard-wearing screed and polished concrete surfaces as well as a ceiling with exposed conduits. The tiered seating platforms, offering a contrast as soft-furnished spaces, are designed to connect the levels one with another. Separate areas can be partitioned off where needed using fabric dividers. This open-plan design creates a collaborative workspace for the respective user groups, fostering open communication and offering various forums for an animated exchange of ideas.

HYBRID FLAX PAVILION
Landesgartenschau Wangen im Allgäu, 2024, Germany

The Hybrid Flax Pavilion constitutes a central exhibition building on the grounds of the Landesgartenschau, located on the winding banks of the recently revitalised Argen River. The pavilion showcases a novel wood-natural-fibre hybrid construction system developed by the Cluster of Excellence »Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture« (IntCDC) at the University of Stuttgart, as an alternative to conventional building methods. The unique hybrid system combines thin cross-laminated timber with robotically wound flax fibre bodies to create a novel, resource-efficient building structure made from regional, bio-based materials with a distinct local connection. Flax was historically processed in the local textile industry, whose old spinning mill was renovated as part of the Landesgartenschau. The pavilion’s gently undulating roof, together with its circular floor plan and centrally located climate garden, creates an exhibition space that seamlessly integrates into the surrounding landscape. The geothermally activatable floor slab made of recycled concrete provides year-round comfortable use of the permanent building.

For a detailed description and more images please view:

https://www.icd.uni-stuttgart.de/projects/hybrid-flax-pavilion/

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PROJECT PARTNERS

Cluster of Excellence IntCDC – Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture, University of Stuttgart

ICD Institute for Computational Design and Construction

Prof. Achim Menges, Rebeca Duque Estrada, Monika Göbel, Harrison Hildebrandt, Fabian Kannenberg, Christoph Schlopschnat, Christoph Zechmeister

ITKE Institute for Building Structures and Structural Design
Prof. Dr. Jan Knippers, Tzu-Ying Chen, Gregor Neubauer, Marta Gil Pérez, Valentin Wagner

with support of: Daniel Bozo, Minghui Chen, Peter Ehvert, Alan Eskildsen, Alice Fleury, Sebastian Hügle, Niki Kentroti, Timo König, Laura Marsillo, Pascal Mindermann, Ivana Trifunovic, Weiqi Xie

Landesgartenschau Wangen im Allgäu 2024
Karl-Eugen Ebertshäuser, Hubert Meßmer

Stadt Wangen im Allgäu

HA-CO Carbon GmbH
Siegbert Pachner, Dr. Oliver Fischer, Danny Hummel

STERK abbundzentrum GmbH
Klaus Sterk, Franz Zodel, Simon Sterk

FoWaTec GmbH
Sebastian Forster

Biedenkapp Stahlbau GmbH
Stefan Weidle, Markus Reischmann, Frank Jahr

Harald Klein Erdbewegungen GmbH

PROJECT COLLABORATIONS

Scientific Collaboration:
IntCDC Large Scale Construction Laboratory
Sebastian Esser, Sven Hänzka, Hendrik Köhler, Sergej Klassen

Further Consulting Engineers:

Belzner Holmes und Partner Light-Design
Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Thomas Hollubarsch, Victoria Coval

BiB Concept
Dipl.-Ing. Mathias Langhoff

Collins+Knieps Vermessungsingenieure
Frank Collins, Edgar Knieps

Moräne GmbH – Geotechnik Bohrtechnik
Luis Ulrich M.Sc.

Spektrum Bauphysik & Bauökologie
Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Markus Götzelmann

wbm Beratende Ingenieure
Dipl.-Ing. Dietmar Weber, Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Daniel Boneberg

lohrer.hochrein Landschaftsarchitekten DBLA

Building Approval:

Landesstelle für Bautechnik
Dr. Stefan Brendler, Dipl.-Ing. Steffen Schneider

Proof Engineer
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans Joachim Blaß, Dr.-Ing. Marcus Flaig

Versuchsanstalt für Stahl, Holz und Steine, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Ummenhofer, Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Schmied

MPA Materials Testing Institute, University of Stuttgart
Melissa Lücking M.Sc., Dipl.-Ing (FH) Frank Waibel

Construction Collaboration
ARGE- Leistungsbereich Wärmeversorgungs- und Mittelspannanlagen
Franz Miller OHG
Stauber + Steib GmbH

PROJECT SUPPORT:

DFG German Research Foundation

Ministerium für Ernährung, Ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg

Bioökonomie Baden-Württemberg: Forschung- und Entwicklung (FuE) Förderprogramm »Nachhaltige Bioökonomie als Innovationsmotor für den Ländlichen Raum«

Holz Innovativ Programm (HIP), Ministerium für Ernährung, Ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg

IFB Institute of Aircraft Design, University of Stuttgart

ISW Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units, University of Stuttgart

BUGA WOOD PAVILION
Bundesgartenschau Heilbronn 2019

The BUGA Wood Pavilion celebrates a new approach to digital timber construction. Its segmented wood shell is based on biological principles found in the plate skeleton of sea urchins, which have been studied by the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) and the Institute for Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) at the University of Stuttgart for almost a decade.

As part of the project, a robotic manufacturing platform was developed for the automated assembly and milling of the pavilion’s 376 bespoke hollow wood segments. This fabrication process ensures that all segments fit together with sub-millimetre precision like a big, three-dimensional puzzle. The stunning wooden roof spans 30 meters over one of BUGA’s main event and concert venues, using a minimum amount of material while also generating a unique architectural space.

For a detailed description and more images please view:

https://www.icd.uni-stuttgart.de/projects/buga-wood-pavilion-2019/

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PROJECT PARTNERS

ICD Institute for Computational Design, University of Stuttgart
Prof. Achim Menges, Martin Alvarez, Monika Göbel, Abel Groenewolt, Oliver David Krieg, Ondrej Kyjanek, Hans Jakob Wagner

ITKE Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design, University of Stuttgart
Prof. Jan Knippers, Lotte Aldinger, Simon Bechert, Daniel Sonntag

with support of: Jorge Christie, Rebeca Duque Estrada, Robert Faulkner, Fabian Kannenberg, Guillaume Caussarieu, Bahar Al Bahar, Kyriaki Goti, Mathias Maierhofer, Valentina Soana, Babasola Thomas

Müllerblaustein Bauwerke GmbH, Blaustein
Reinhold Müller, Daniel Müller, Bernd Schmid

BEC GmbH
Matthias Buck, Zied Bhiri

Bundesgartenschau Heilbronn 2019
Hanspeter Faas, Oliver Toellner

PROJECT BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS

Landesstelle für Bautechnik
Dr. Stefan Brendler und Dipl.-Ing. Willy Weidner

Proof Engineer
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hugo Rieger

MPA Stuttgart
Dr. Simon Aicher

PLANNING PARTNERS

Belzner Holmes Light-Design, Stuttgart
Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Hollubarsch

BIB Kutz GmbH & Co.KG, Karlsruhe
Dipl.- Ing. Beatrice Gottlöber

IIGS – Institut for Engineering Geodesy, University of Stuttgart
Prof. Volker Schwieger, Laura Balange, Urs Basalla

PROJECT SUPPORT

State of Baden-Wuerttemberg
University of Stuttgart
EFRE European Union
GETTYLAB
DFG German Research Foundation

Carlisle Construction Materials GmbH
Puren GmbH
Hera Gmbh & Co. KG
Beck Fastener Group
J. Schmalz GmbH
Niemes Dosiertechnik GmbH
Jowat Adhesives SE
Raithle Präzisionswerkzeuge Service
Leuze electronic GmbH & Co. KG
Metsä Wood Deutschland GmbH

ELYTRA FILAMENT PAVILION
Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Elytra Filament Pavilion celebrates a truly integrative approach to design and engineering. As a centrepiece of the V&A’s Engineering Season it demonstrates how architectural design can unfold from a synergy of structural engineering, environmental engineering and production engineering, resulting in unique spatial and aesthetic qualities. It showcases the profound impact of emerging technologies on our conceptualisation of design, engineering and making, by intensifying the visitors architectural experience of the museum’s central garden. But instead of being merely a static display, the pavilion constitutes a dynamic space and an evolving structure. The cellular canopy grows from an onsite fabrication nucleus, and it does so in response to patterns of inhabitation of the garden over time, driven by real time sensing data. The pavilion’s capacity to be locally produced, to expand and to contract over time provides a vision of future inner city green areas with responsive semi-outdoor spaces that enable a broader spectrum of public activities, and thus extend the use of the scarce resource of public urban ground.

For a detailed description and more images please view:

https://www.icd.uni-stuttgart.de/projects/elytra-filament-pavilion/

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DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND FABRICATION TEAM

Achim Menges with Moritz Dörstelmann
ICD–Institute for Computational Design, University of Stuttgart
Achim Menges Architect, Frankfurt
Team also includes: Marshall Prado (fabrication development), Aikaterini Papadimitriou, Niccolo Dambrosio, Roberto Naboni, with support by Dylan Wood, Daniel Reist

Jan Knippers
ITKE–Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design, University of Stuttgart
Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering, Stuttgart, New York
Team also includes: Valentin Koslowski & James Solly (structure development), Thiemo Fildhuth (structural sensors)

Thomas Auer
Transsolar Climate Engineering, Stuttgart
Building Technology and Climate Responsive Design, TU München
Team also includes: Elmira Reisi, Boris Plotnikov

With the support of:
Michael Preisack, Christian Arias, Pedro Giachini, Andre Kauffman, Thu Nguyen, Nikolaos Xenos, Giulio Brugnaro, Alberto Lago, Yuliya Baranovskaya, Belen Torres, IFB University of Stuttgart (Prof. P. Middendorf)

Commission:
Victoria & Albert Museum, London 2016

FUNDING

Victoria & Albert Museum, London
University of Stuttgart

Getty Lab

Kuka Roboter GmbH + Kuka Robotics UK Ltd
SGL Carbon SE
Hexion
Covestro AG
FBGS International NV
Arnold AG
PFEIFER Seil- und Hebetechnik GmbH
Stahlbau Wendeler GmbH + Co. KG
Lange+Ritter GmbH
STILL GmbH

LANDESGARTENSCHAU EXHIBITION HALL
Landesgartenschau Schwäbisch Gmünd, 2014

The Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall is an architectural demonstrator building and a showcase for the current developments in computational design and robotic fabrication for lightweight timber construction. Funded by the European Union and the state of Baden-Württemberg, the building is the first to have its primary structure entirely made of robotically prefabricated beech plywood plates. The newly developed timber construction offers not only innovative architectural possibilities; it is also highly resource efficient, with the load bearing plate structure being just 50mm thin. This is made possible through integrative computational design, simulation, fabrication and surveying methods.

The Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall was conceived at the University of Stuttgart as part of the »Robotics in Timber Construction« research project and realized in collaboration with Müllerblaustein Holzbau GmbH, Landesgartenschau Schwäbisch Gmünd 2014 GmbH, the forest administration of Baden-Württemberg (ForstBW) and KUKA Robotics GmbH. The project demonstrates the new opportunities that arise from the integration of computational design, simulation and fabrication methods for performative and resource efficient constructions made from the locally available and renewable resource wood. The building introduces an innovative, robotically fabricated lightweight timber plate construction system made of beech plywood. It was developed at the Institute for Computational Design (ICD, Prof. Achim Menges), the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE, Prof. Jan Knippers), and the Institute of Engineering Geodesy (IIGS, Prof. Volker Schwieger) and realized in collaboration with Müllerblaustein Holzbau GmbH. The building is part of the biannual Landesgartenschau, where it hosts an exhibition by ForstBW. The project was partly funded by the European Fund for Regional Development (ERDF) and »Forst und Holz« Baden-Württemberg as well as by the project partners.

Wood is one of the oldest building materials known to mankind. But the advent of novel robotic fabrication processes in conjunction with computational design, simulation, and surveying methods, offers entirely new design possibilities and fields of application. These form the basis for particularly performative and efficient constructions made from the locally available and renewable resource wood.

For a detailed description and more images please view:

https://www.icd.uni-stuttgart.de/projects/landesgartenschau-exhibition-hall/

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PROJECT TEAM

ICD Institute for Computational Design
Prof. A. Menges (PI), Tobias Schwinn, Oliver David Krieg

ITKE Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design
Prof. J. Knippers, Jian-Min Li

IIGS Institute of Engineering Geodesy
Prof. Volker Schwieger, Annette Schmitt

Müllerblaustein Holzbau GmbH>
Reinhold Müller, Benjamin Eisele

KUKA Roboter GmbH
Alois Buchstab, Frank Zimmermann

Landesbetrieb Forst Baden-Württemberg
Sebastian Schreiber, Frauke Brieger

Landesgartenschau Schwäbisch Gmünd 2014 GmbH
Karl-Eugen Ebertshäuser, Sabine Rieger

PROJECT FUNDING

EFRE European Union
Clusterinitiative Forst und Holz Baden Württemberg
Landesgartenschau Schwäbisch Gmünd 2014 GmbH
müllerblaustein Bauwerke GmbH
KUKA Roboter GmbH
Landesbetrieb Forst Baden-Württemberg

PROJECT SUPPORT

Adler Deutschland GmbH
Autodesk GmbH
Carlisle Construction Materials GmbH
Fagus Stiftung
Gutex H. Henselmann GmbH & Co. KG
Hess & Co. AG
MPA–Materials Testing Institute, University of Stuttgart
Leitz GmbH & Co. KG
Spax International GmbH & Co. KG

HYGROSKIN – METEOROSENSITIVE PAVILION
Permanent Collection, FRAC Centre Orleans, France

The project HygroSkin – Meteorosensitive Pavilion explores a novel mode of climate-responsive architecture. While most attempts towards environmental responsiveness heavily rely on elaborate technical equipment superimposed on otherwise inert material constructs, this project uses the responsive capacity of the material itself. The dimensional instability of wood in relation to moisture content is employed to construct a metereosensitive architectural skin that autonomously opens and closes in response to weather changes but neither requires the supply of operational energy nor any kind of mechanical or electronic control. Here, the material structure itself is the machine.

The travelling pavilion’s modular wooden skin is designed and produced utilizing the self-forming capacity of initially planar plywood sheets to form conical surfaces based on the material’s elastic behavior. Within the deep, concave surface of each robotically fabricated module a weather-responsive aperture is placed. Materially programming the humidity-responisve behaviour of these apertures opens up the possibility for a strikingly simple yet truly ecologically embedded architecture in constant feedback and interaction with its surrounding environment. The responsive wood-composite skin adjusts the porosity of the pavilion in direct response to changes in ambient relative humidity. These climatic changes – which form part of our everyday live but usually escape our conscious perception – trigger the silent, material-innate movement of the wooden skin. This subtle yet constant modulation of the relationship between the pavilion’s exterior and interior provides for a unique convergence of environmental and spatial experiences.

The project was commissioned by the FRAC Centre Orleans for its renowned permanent collection and was first shown in the exhibition »ArchiLab 2013 – Naturalizing Architecture« that opened on 14th of September 2013.

For a detailed description and more images please view:

https://www.icd.uni-stuttgart.de/projects/hygroskin-meteorosensitive-pavilion/

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PROJECT TEAM

Achim Menges Architect, Frankfurt
Achim Menges, Steffen Reichert, Boyan Mihaylov
(Project Development, Design Development)

Institute for Computational Design, University of Stuttgart
Prof. Achim Menges, Oliver David Krieg, Steffen Reichert, David Correa, Katja Rinderspacher, Tobias Schwinn, Nicola Burggraf, Zachary Christian with Yordan Domuzov, Tobias Finkh, Gergana Hadzhimladenova, Michael Herrick, Vanessa Mayer, Henning Otte, Ivaylo Perianov, Sara Petrova, Philipp Siedler, Xenia Tiefensee, Sascha Vallon, Leyla Yunis
(Scientific Development, Detail Development, Robotic Fabrication, Assembly)

PROJECT FUNDING

FRAC Fonds Régional d’Art Contemporain du Centre
Robert Bosch Stiftung
Kiess GmbH
Cirp GmbH
Holzhandlung Wider GmbH

HYGROSCOPE – METEOROSENSITIVE MORPHOLOGY
Permanent Collection, Centre Pompidou, Paris

The project explores a novel mode of responsive architecture based on the combination of material inherent behaviour and computational morphogenesis. The dimensional instability of wood in relation to moisture content is employed to construct a climate responsive architectural morphology. Suspended within a humidity controlled glass case the model opens and closes in response to climate changes with no need for any technical equipment or energy. Mere fluctuations in relative humidity trigger the silent changes of material-innate movement. The material structure itself is the machine.

The project was commissioned by the Centre Pompidou Paris for its permanent collection and will be first shown in the exhibition »Multiversités Créatives« starting on 2nd of May 2012.

For a detailed description and more images please view:

https://www.icd.uni-stuttgart.de/projects/hygroscope-meteorosensitive-morphology/

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PROJECT TEAM

Achim Menges Architect, Frankfurt
Prof. Achim Menges, Steffen Reichert, Boyan Mihaylov
(Project Development, Design Development)

Institute for Computational Design, University of Stuttgart
Prof. Achim Menges, Steffen Reichert, Nicola Burggraf, Tobias Schwinn with Claudio Calandri, Nicola Haberbosch, Oliver Krieg, Marielle Neuser, Viktoriya Nikolova, Paul Schmidt
(Design Development, Scientific Development, Robotic Fabrication, Assembly)

Transsolar Climate Engineering, Stuttgart
Thomas Auer, Daniel Pianka
(Climate Engineering)

PROJECT SUPPORT

Centre Pompidou Paris
Rubner Holding AG
Glasbau Hahn GmbH
Competence Network Biomimetics
Steelcase Werndl AG