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BUGA Wood Pavilion

Heilbronn | Germany

The BUGA Wood Pavilion 2019 demonstrates how robotic fabrication, biomimetic design and material-efficient lightweight timber construction merge into a new form of architecture. Approximately 18,000 LIGNOLOC® wooden nails by BECK were used for the automated production of the timber segments.

The pavilion was developed by the ICD – Institute for Computational Design and Construction and the ITKE – Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design at the University of Stuttgart for the Federal Garden Show 2019 in Heilbronn. The structure is based on biological principles derived from the plate skeleton morphology of sea urchins and consists of 376 individually fabricated hollow timber elements. Through fully digital planning and robotic fabrication, a highly material-efficient timber shell structure with a column-free span of 30 meters was realized. As part of the automated fabrication process, LIGNOLOC® wooden nails by BECK were used to fix the timber layers during the bonding of the segments. The metal-free fastening technology supported a fully wood-based fabrication approach and could be efficiently integrated into the robotic production workflow.

BECK as a Partner of the University of Stuttgart

The pavilion was developed by the ICD – Institute for Computational Design and Construction and the ITKE – Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design at the University of Stuttgart. Together, the institutes created a biomimetic timber shell structure combining digital design, combining digital design, resource-efficient lightweight construction and robotic fabrication. The pavilion is internationally recognized as a reference project for computational fabrication processes and digitally fabricated lightweight timber construction. The research focused particularly on material-efficient construction principles in modern timber architecture.

Visit the University of Stuttgart Project Page

project data

Project: BUGA Wood Pavilion 2019
Location: Heilbronn, Germany (2019) | Mannheim, Germany (2023)
Client: Federal Garden Show Heilbronn 2019

- Research & Design: University of Stuttgart – ICD & ITKE
LIGNOLOC® Application: Robotically fabricated lightweight timber construction
Photo Credit: Roland Halbe and ICD/ITKE | University of Stuttgart Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design

Robotic Fabrication with LIGNOLOC® Wooden Nails

LIGNOLOC® wooden nails enable fast fixation of timber layers in automated production processes and are material-consistent. The friction heat generated during insertion permanently bonds the densified beechwood nail with the surrounding timber and allows it to integrate fully into the structure. This metal-free fastening technology supports the pavilion’s mono-material timber construction approach and facilitates later disassembly and reassembly of the structure. After its initial installation at the Federal Garden Show in Heilbronn in 2019, the pavilion was dismantled in late 2022 and reassembled for the Federal Garden Show in Mannheim in 2023. From the outset, the structure was designed for disassembly and reassembly without replacing major structural components.

Please note: BECK LIGNOLOC® wood nailer shown in the 2019 version with FASCO® branding.

Mass Timber Construction with LIGNOLOC®

The Challenge: Maximum Precision in Material and Fabrication Processes

The complex geometry of the individually fabricated timber segments placed high demands on precision, material behavior and fabrication workflows. Conventional metallic fasteners would have complicated both the mono-material construction concept and subsequent processing steps. A fastening solution was therefore required that could be efficiently integrated into the robotic fabrication process while supporting the architectural quality of the timber structure. The delicate lightweight construction particularly benefits from the use of LIGNOLOC®: As no adhesive drying time or long waiting periods are required, efficiency could be significantly increased while keeping the overall weight of the structure low – a decisive advantage for the realization of this sophisticated construction project.

More about LIGNOLOC® Wooden Nails

Metal-free fastening with LIGNOLOC®

LIGNOLOC® wooden nails enable fast and efficient fastening of timber layers in automated production processes. The friction heat generated during insertion permanently bonds the densified beechwood nail with the surrounding material, allowing it to integrate fully into the structure. This metal-free fastening technology supports the pavilion’s mono-material timber construction approach and facilitates later disassembly and reassembly of the structure. After the exhibition, the structure can be dismantled without residue and reassembled elsewhere.

MORE ON METAL-FREE TIMBER CONSTRUCTION WITH LIGNOLOC®

Especially in highly automated fabrication processes, the LIGNOLOC® system demonstrates its full potential: the complex geometry and robotic production of the individually fabricated timber segments placed high demands on materials, precision and fastening technology. Thanks to our LIGNOLOC® wooden nails, the timber layers could be efficiently fixed and seamlessly integrated into the digital production workflow – without pre-drilling, without metallic fasteners and fully aligned with the pavilion’s homogeneous timber construction concept.

Stefan siemers

Director Research & Development | BECK