Gramazio Kohler Research

In view of a worldwide shortage of energy resources and an increasing concern about climate change, this research project aims at a radically advanced application of timber as a structural material in particular consideration of economic and ecologic criteria. In this respect, the project researches a highly integrated digital design and fabrication process for timber. It examines the next logical step in timber prefabrication by introducing robotic assembly instead of traditional manual joining or automation of parts. Key to this approach is the underlying notion that complex timber-derived structures can be built up from very simple parts of softwood – most commonly perceived as low-grade or even waste material. The precise and efficient robotic assembly permits the folding of small parts into complex, robust and lightweight structures using material very economically.

The project is part of the SNSF National Research Programme “Resource Wood“ (NRP 66) and is conducted in collaboration with the Bern University of Applied Sciences Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering.

Complex Timber Structures from Simple Elements (PhD Thesis)
Design and structural analysis of complex timber structures (Paper)
Robotic timber construction (Paper)
Additive robotic fabrication of complex timber structures (Paper)

Credits:

Gramazio Kohler Research, ETH Zurich

In cooperation with: Prof. Eduard Bachmann (BFH-AHB), Prof. Dr. Christophe Sigrist (BFH-AHB)
Research programme: National Research Programme 66 of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
Collaborators: Anna Aleksandra Apolinarska (project lead phase 2), Michael Knauss (project lead phase 1), Dr. Volker Helm, Dr. Thomas Kohlhammer
Industry partner: Nolax AG


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