Digital cutting meets architecture

The premise for the thesis was participation in the "Mextropoli 2019 Pavilion Competition" in Mexico. This international architectural competition called for the design and construction of a temporary structure that would be erected in the city and meet the requirements for sustainability.  

Lukas Kirtz and Karl Rösler`s approach was to combine old with new — traditional construction based on digital design and planning. The passageway they built on a 1:1 scale was covered with shingles attached at minimally different angles. The students` work was supervised by Prof. Dr. Volker Helm, who specializes in digital methods in architecture. 

"Using a digital process chain, it is possible to realize complex architecture in a cost-effective and resource-saving manner using automated and nearly waste-free manufacturing methods", explains Prof. Helm. 

The material used in the construction of the pavilion was honeycomb board, which is both stable and lightweight. The shingles were cut on a Zünd S3 digital cutting system installed at the university`s department of architecture in fall of 2018. The necessary job data was generated from a parametric 3D model and transmitted directly to the Zünd cutter. The system then proceeded to automatically produce a large number of individual parts that often differed only minimally in size. "Producing a series of unequal parts is made possible only through a digital fabrication process"; says Prof. Helm. In order to specify the exact position of the approximately 2,000 individual pieces that went into building the structure, all parts were identified with a code. Simple plug-in connections allowed for the pavilion to be set up and dismantled within a short time, and for each part to be separated and subsequently recycled.