Learning From Nature
What gives the structure its stability are
7,600 individual finger joints and their
interlocking connections—made possible
only through the robotic fabrication process. Visible within the building, the finger-joint connections mimic a sand dollar’s
microscopic connections.
“We analyzed the sand dollar’s structural
morphology, developed a model based on
its fundamental principles and translated
the model into a technical application: the
finger-joint plywood plate structure,” Mr.
Schwinn says. “The result is as beautiful as
nature itself.” PM
Putting It Together
Once the team moved all of the parts from the fabricator’s off-site workshop
to the site, assembly began.
First, the team used an already defined sequence, like a puzzle, to assemble
the plywood-plate structural shell over custom-built temporary scaffolding.
This step, including setting up the scaffolding, took three workers about 10
days to complete. After a crane hoisted the plates, the team screwed them into
place at defined locations.
The installation of the insulation,
waterproofing, cladding and interior
elements took another two and half
weeks to complete.
“A building like this would
be impossible without the
use of robotic fabrication
and digital processes.”
—Tobias Schwinn
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