Gregor Neubauer

Abstract

Der Hybrid-Flachs Pavillon der Landesgartenschau 2024 in Wangen im Allgäu dient als Demonstrator für die Entwicklung, Herstellung und Verwendung neuartiger, robotisch gefertigter Naturfaserelemente auf Basis von Flachsfasern in einer Gebäudestruktur. Ziel war es, ein leichtes, ressourceneffizientes und zugleich leistungsfähiges Konstruktionssystem auf Basis von Naturfasern für lastabtragende Bauteile zu demonstrieren. Die verwendeten Naturfasern wurden lokal bezogen und im Wickelverfahren mit Epoxidharz zu komplexen Tragstrukturen verarbeitet. Durch die Kombination aus experimentellen Untersuchungen im Maßstab 1:1 und numerischer Modellierung wurde ein Verfahren zum Nachweis der Tragfähigkeit entwickelt, das die Geometrie, die Materialeigenschaften sowie die Bedingungen der Herstellung berücksichtigt. Großversuche lieferten wesentliche Erkenntnisse zu Steifigkeit, Bruchlast und Versagensmechanismen, insbesondere zum Faserabriss an den Bolzenverankerungen. Auf dieser Grundlage wurden detaillierte FE-Modelle erstellt und zu vereinfachten Hybridmodellen weiterentwickelt, um eine realitätsnahe Abbildung der Tragwirkung in einem statischen Gesamtmodell des Pavillons zu ermöglichen.

Abstract

The construction industry significantly contributes to global carbon emissions and resource depletion, necessitating a transition toward more sustainable materials. Renewable materials show high potential as an alternative to conventional fossil-based materials in mitigating climate change within the construction industry. Diversifying the sourcing, especially for plant-based materials, is imperative to ensure sustainability and prevent overreliance on specific resources. In prior studies, Coreless Filament Wound (CFW) natural fiber-reinforced polymer (NFRP) systems have demonstrated promising material efficiency and structural performance. However, the lack of research on their long-term performance in construction applications presents a significant barrier to widespread market adoption. This study addresses this gap by designing, developing, and evaluating the Hybrid Fibre Pavilion constructed for the 2024 Landesgartenschau in Wangen im Allgäu. The pavilion incorporates simply supported beams fabricated from robotically wound NFRPs and cross-laminated timber (CLT) slabs. Full-scale structural components were robotically manufactured and subjected to distributed ultimate load, creep, and cyclic load tests. The findings highlight the viability of this hybrid structural system, demonstrating its potential for robust instantaneous and long-term performance in construction.

Abstract

Keep searchin' dokumentiert das Design-Build-Projekt Pavillon am Schlossgarten in Stuttgart, einen temporären Forschungsdemonstrator für zirkulären, weitspannenden, urbanen Holzbau. Das Buch zeigt die Suche nach einer Verbindung von bewährten und neuen Konstruktionen und Bautypen. In sieben Essays wird das Projekt aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln betrachtet und in einen größeren Kontext gestellt. Eine Einladung zum Weiterdenken, Weiterbauen - und Weitersuchen.

Abstract

The Wangen Tower, designed for the Landesgartenschau 2024 in Wangen im Allgäu, Germany, exemplifies the innovative potential of advanced timber architecture and engineering. Rising to aheight of 22.5 meters, it is the world´s first publicly accessible structure to utilize self-shaped cross-laminated timber (CLT) components. The groundbreaking project harnesses wood's hygroscopic properties to achieve complex curved geometries through passive self-shaping during drying, offering the potential to reduce material waste and energy consumption compared to conventional construction methods. The hyperbolic timber shell structure achieves an exceptional height -to-wall thickness ratio of 173:1, efficiently bearing all significant loads, including wind forces. The project intrgrated material-aware computational desin, digital fabrication, and expert craftmanship with a co-design framework to foster interdidicilpinary collaboration throughout its development. Tailored structural connections minimized visible metal fasteners, enhancing the seamless timber aesthetic of the interior. Aditionally, prefabrication strategies streamlined on-site assembly while ensuring precission and efficiency. The tower´s dictinctive twisting geometry not only provides structural stability but also establishes a striking architectural landmark that creates a visual connection with it´s natural surroundings. By overcoming stringent engineering and regulatory challenges - including achieving structural certification - the Wangen Tower advances self-shaped timber technology from experimental prototypes to scalable applications. Ultimatel, by combining scientific research with innovative design and construction methodologies, this project broadens the architectural applications of advanced timber technologies.

Abstract

This paper discusses the architectural design potentials of a novel hollow timber slab building system for flexible and adaptive multi-storey timber building typologies. Current timber building systems are defined by their standardized nature, which limits most structures to unidirectional, rigid grids and limits designs to rectilinear layouts. At the same time, recent developments in computational design and digital fabrication open new possibilities to overcome these limitations. In this paper we present four building design applications of a new multi-directional slab building system that allows for a greater level of spatial flexibility and adaptability with free column placement and a tuned network of internal shear webs. These examples expand on previous work through the co-development of building design, skin, building system, and building service integration strategies for a long lifespan and changeable building program. The design applications illustrate open, reprogrammable floor plates that can support three different program states: office, residential, and mixed-use. Furthermore, the novel conceptual approaches to building service integration and the resulting slabs are compared to approaches more common in mass timber construction. Finally, we contextualize the study with related developments and discuss how computational and integrated design thinking could lead to a greater level of design freedom in timber construction and an increased applicability to more complex site conditions than in conventional masstimber construction