BioMat Pavilion 2021: LightPRO Shell

Active-Bending Structure fabricated from Natural Fibers

© BioMat am ITKE, Universität Stuttgart | Source: Vimeo

Photographs by BioMat at ITKE, University of Stuttgart

BioMat Pavilion 2021 (LightPRO Shell)

Location: Next to the Kollegiengebäude II on the Campus Stadtmitte opposite the Katharinenhospital

In a ceremonial event under hygiene regulations, the opening of the BioMat pavilion 2021 took place last Wednesday 04.08.2021.

The pavilion is in the form of a load-bearing shell structure combining a bending-active cross-beamed shell construction under compression to form a unique doubly curved structure that is combined with a stretched membrane roofing under tension. Both systems are connected to double-profile beams that transforms the forces from both systems to the three footages connected to a superficial foundation.

The bending-active structure is constructed from a newly developed ‘Bamboo-like’ - pultruded profiles made of natural flax and hemp fibers. The fabricated natural fiber-based biocomposite profiles are freshly produced through pultrusion in the linked LeichtPro research project and is directly applied in this innovative structural application, presenting a sustainability approach in future architecture.

The inner grid profiles are attached in a similar-way to the bamboo constuctions, through winded steel threads in a crossing-format, while the the membrane is linked to the 3 fottages then stretched along the external beams through an extended rope to the compressed NFRP profiles similar to sailing ships. The structure has a covering span of 10 m and heights varying between 4,5 m (highest point) and 3 m (clear head inner point).

The pavilion is a result of a year of intensive work linked to the research project (LeichtPRO) that started in September 2019 and is financed from FNR (Federal Agency of Renewable Resources)/ BMEL (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture), FKZ: 22027018. The result is based on several years of research in the field of the application of biobased materials and various concepts for a future-oriented sustainable architecture.

Material development and production took place through DITF, CG-Tec and BAM teams. Zenvision assisted in the technical product design- and market-development phases. Steinhuder assisted in assessing another connection system of the structure. Bieri has produced and sponsered the membrane.

Project Team

BioMat Director: Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. M.Eng. Hanaa Dahy

BioMat Team: Evgenia Spyridonos | Jan Petrš | Piotr Baszyński | Paulina Grabowska

Structural Support: Yanan Guo | Marta Gil Pérez

Geodesy Team: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Schwieger | Gabriel Kerekes

Membrane Support: Bieri GmbH | Technical: Tomas Thommen               

Membrane Assembly: Zimmermann Zeltbauten | Technical: Ronald Burgau

Technical support: Michael Preisack | Michael Schneider | Michael Tondera

IntCDC Laboratory: Sergej Klassen| Kai Stiefenhofer

Funding and Support

LeichtPro Partners:

Zenvision GmbH: Carsten Fulland | Jacob Börner

DITF: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus Milwich | Martin-Uwe Witt | Dr. Mark Steinmann | Patrick Kaiser | Marion Gebhardt

CG-Tec: Andreas Gerstner| Oliver Kipf| Manuel Rupp| Michael Nehmeier

BAM: Dr. Klaus Dippon|Uwe Schönfeld

Steinhuder: Michael Wölfl

Participating students:

Participating students (WS 20/21): Dominik Abele | Alexander Jansen | Sarah Rüngeler | Viktoria Schüle | Daniela Solueva | Rita Teixeira | Louisa Teufel | Ekin Şiar Baloğlu

Participating students (SS 2021): Fabian Schmid | Vural M. Ali | Matay Kaplan | Larisa Elena Simion | Maysa Abu Alqumboz | Sarah Rüngeler| Dominik Abele| Anastasia Kandylaki

Student assistants: Rita Teixeira |Daniela Solueva |Mahnaz Shahriyari | David Schadwill

Special Thanks: Asmaa Hassan | Marcel Wachter

Photo shooting: Masih Imani

This image shows Hanaa Dahy

Hanaa Dahy

Assoc.-Prof. Dr.-Ing.

BioMat Department Director

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