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BUGA Pavilions Stuttgart

BUGA
Written by Roma Publications

BUGA Pavilions

The Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) and the Institute for Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) at the University of Stuttgart have developed two highly innovative, biologically inspired pavilions for the 2019 Bundesgartenschau in Heilbronn. Both are unique, light-weight structures that are fully computationally designed and robotically fabricated. They showcase the broad impact of digital technologies on future construction and architecture through two very different materials: wood and fibre composites.

The two pavilions embody and architecturally express the strength of innovation typical for the State of Baden-Wűrttemberg, which has been internationally recognised as the centre for lightweight construction, biomimetics and the development of digital technologies in architecture for several decades.

BUGA Wood Pavilion

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 ensured that all segments fit together with sub-millimetre precision like a big, three-dimensional puzzle. The stunning wooden roof spans 30 metres over one of BUGA’s main event and concert venues, using a minimum amount of material while also generating a unique architectural space.

Prof. Achim Menges from the Institute of Computational Design and Construction commented: “A biomimetic approach in architecture enables scientific, interdisciplinary lateral thinking. At the overlap with digital technologies, surprising new construction methods can emerge, such as the robot-made, segmented wooden shell of the pavilion.

“The BUGA Wood Pavilion shows how digital manufacturing enables resource saving and efficient construction methods. Instead of simple but solid wooden components, the fully automated manufacturing process developed by us allows the realisation of complex yet highly matieral-efficent and lightweight wooden cassettes. They also lend the pavilion its characteristic architectural appearance.”

BUGA Fibre Pavilion

Embedded in the wavelike landscape of the Bundesgartenschau grounds, the BUGA Fibre Pavilion offers visitors an astounding architectural experience and a glimpse of future construction. It builds on many years of biometric research in architecture at the University of Stuttgart.

The pavilion demonstrates how combining cutting-edge computational technologies with constructional principles found in nature enables the development of a truly novel and genuinely digital building system. The pavilion’s load-bearing structure is robotically produced from advanced fibre composites only. This globally unique structure is not only highly effective and exceptionally lightweight but it also provides a distinctive yet authentic architectural expression and an extraordinary spatial experience.

Prof. Jan Knippers from the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design said: “The weight of the pavilion’s structure is many times lower than that of comparable steel or wooden structures. This makes the assembly much easier, as there is no need for heavy means of transport, scaffolding or lifting equipment.

“This highly innovative construction method is far ahead of existing building regulations. Nevertheless, all the required approvals had to be obtained, which was only possibly through extensive testing, cooperatively coordinated with the supervisory authorities.”

 

BUGA Wood Pavilion Project Team

ICD – Institute for Computational Design and Construction, 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

MĂĽllerblaustein Bauwerke GmbH, Blaustein
Reinhold MĂĽller, Daniel MĂĽller, Bernd Schmid

BEC GmbH, Reutlingen
Matthias Buck, Zied Bhiri

Bundesgartenschau Heilbronn 2019 GmbH
Hanspeter Faas, Oliver Toellner

 

BUGA Fibre Pavilion Project Team

ICD – Institute for Computational Design and Construction, University of Stuttgart

Prof. Achim Menges, Serban Bodea, Niccolo Dambrosio, Monika Göbel, Christoph Zechmeister

ITKE – Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design, University of Stuttgart

Prof. Jan Knippers, Valentin Koslowski, Marta Gil PĂ©rez, Bas Rongen

FibR GmbH, Stuttgart
Moritz Dörstelmann, Ondrej Kyjanek, Philipp Essers, Philipp Gülke

Bundesgartenschau Heilbronn 2019 GmbH

Hanspeter Faas, Oliver Toellner

 

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Roma Publications