A Robotic Timber Pavilion Inspired by Sea Urchin Anatomy
Developed by researchers and students from the @icdstuttgart (Institute for Computational Design) and @itke_stuttgart (Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design) at the @unistuttgart , this experimental pavilion draws inspiration from the fibrous shell anatomy of sea urchins. The biomimetic approach reinterprets principles of lightweight construction and structural efficiency through a laminated plywood system.
The project is composed of thin timber panels shaped using computational design and robotic fabrication techniques. Industrial robots precisely bend the elements to form a double-layered structural system, while the components are assembled through stitch-like connections referencing the natural fiber networks found in sea urchins. This method enables maximum structural performance with minimal material use.
With a diameter of approximately 9 meters, the pavilion is situated at the intersection of digital simulation, biological research, and advanced manufacturing technologies. It stands as a full-scale research prototype, demonstrating the potential of nature-informed design and robotic construction to generate sustainable and innovative architectural systems.
#biomimicry #roboticfabrication #computationaldesign #timberarchitecture #experimentalarchitecture
Frank O Gehry, Richard Serra and Schlaich Bergermann: Competition entry for Millenium Bridge, London, 1996. Out of over 200 entries we made it to the six finalists!
The upper sketch shows Gehry‘s layout with our engineering comments and the two lower sketches my attempts to explain the concept from an engineering perspective for the submission. I was young and shy and the phone rang shortly before deadline: „Hi, Frank, here…“ and he discussed design development with me as if he does so every day…
At the end Arup/Foster won....
#gehry #frankogehry #frankogehryarchitecture #bridge #pedestriancrossing #milleniumbridge #london #schlaichbergermannpartner #sbp #frankogehrydesign
From all the Felix Candela buildings, I have visited in Mexico City, I found the Los Manantiales of Xochimilco most impressive, probably also because it is a free standing and unobstructed structure. Pic2 shows Carlos Lazaro, President of IASS, next to me.
#felixcandela #xochimilico #shellstructure #shellstructures #concreteshell #concreteshelters
Visiting Casa Gilardi by Luis Barragan in Mexico City. The space and the colours under the Mexican sun are an amazing experience. Only one of the plenty of marvels of architecture that this city has to offer.
#luisbarragan #mexicocity #coloursinarchitecture
Happy to be back at ETH Zurich for the PhD defense of Lotte Scheder-Bieschin on Bending Active (note the Stuttgart influence!!) Formwork for Vaulted Slabs (true BRG Legacy!!). On the left Philippe Block and on the right Tom van Mele both guided and supported Lotte during the last years.
Pic2: a wonderful occasion to catch up with some Uni Stuttgart ITECH alumni in Zürich, from left: Karen Antorveza, Francesco Milano, Lotte, Bruno Knychalla, Behrooz Tahanzadeh, the Professor and Keerthana Udaykumar, some are missing on the pic. Great to see that they are all doing well and on a good track.
@blockresearchgroup@itechstuttgart@kaphend@francesco_with_the_telephone@o_knyc
Today marks the 100th birthday of Frei Otto. He was searching for a new architecture that reconciles nature and human, a challenge that is more relevant than ever.
The pics were taken on Feb 2nd 2001 in Warmbronn, when I visited him as a freshly appointed professor at Uni Stuttgart with my first group of students. We were overwhelmed by how generously he shared his time and thoughts with us. A memory that will not be forgotten and is an ongoing motivation.
I am looking forward to my short talk at the Frei Otto 100 symposium on June 5th at ILEK. Thanks to Lucio Blandini and Christiane Weber for organizing this.
#freiotto #freiotto100 #unistuttgart #ilek #lucioblandini #christianeweber #lightweight #lightweightstructures #lightweightstructure #itkestuttgart #itke #itke_stuttgart
The pics show our interlocking Abeille stone vault with spherical soffit at UCL‘s structural engineering laboratory. It was developed jointly by Professor Wendel Sebastian and myself, with Francesca Lecci as research assistant, and fabricated by the Stone Masonry Company led by Alexandre Bertrand (on pic 3). The vault is made of natural limestone from Luget, France. Only stone, no concrete, no metal except steel prestressing tendons internal to the edge beams. We are grateful to the Leverhulme Trust for an award which enabled my sabbatical to collaborate with Professor Sebastian at UCL, leading to this among other outcomes.
@stonemasonry_comp_stonestair #naturalstone #naturalstones #usenaturalstone #stoneconstruction #hereeast #uclhereeast #leverhulmetrust #leverhulme @cege_ucl@uclengineering #cegeucl #cege_ucl
Revisiting the LivMatS flax fibre pavilion in Freiburg after three years with Thomas Speck, director of the botanical garden. Turned a little grey, but is standing as strong and beautiful as ever.
#flax #flaxfibre #flaxfiber #fibrestructure #fiberstructure #shellstructure #shellstructures #itech #exc_intcdc #intcdc #itke #icd #biofibre #biomaterials
Exploring the structures of Heinz Isler with fantastic guide Giulia Boller at IASS 2024.
Pic 1,2: Kilcher AG, Recherswil, 1965 (almost impossible to take proper photos because this iconic structure is covered with scrap on all four sides)
Pic 3: Isler‘s structural checks for this shell
Pic 4: exploring FRP mockups in the garden of Isler‘s former office
Pic 5,6: the famous petrol station Dettingen Süd, 1967
#heinzisler #iass2024 #concreteshell #ethz #shellstructure #shellstructures #giuliaboller
The beautiful fan vaults of British gothic, so light and delicate, very different from the German cathedrals of that time. And each one has it's one individual expression, as it's typical for the Brits. In the sequence I visited them in the last weeks:
1. Lady Chapel Westminster Abbey
2. Bath Abbey
3. King‘s College Chapel, Cambridge (with Bill Addis)
#fanvault #fanvaulting #billaddis #gothic #stonemasonry #britishgothic #stonestructure #bathabbey #kingscollegechapel #ladychapel #stonevault #stonevaulting
I spent a wonderful day at AA Hooke Park. The pics show the workshop and the refectory designed by Frei Otto, Ted Happold and ABK Architects in the 1980‘s. Such an inspiring place! Thanks to James Solly and Emmanuel Vercruysse for inviting me and showing me around.
#aahookepark #architecturalassociation #aaschool #timberarchitecture #timberstructure #hookepark #freiotto #tedhappold @abkdublin
