A new research pavilion currently being established on the Campus City Center by the “Biomat” group led by Jun.-Prof. Hanaa Dahy as well as students at the University of Stuttgart looks similar to bamboo, as well as being curved and light as a feather. The centerpiece of the Biomat Pavilion 2021 is an active bending structure made of natural fibers, which was developed as part of the “LeichtPRO” research project. It is made from bio-based materials, and includes various concepts for forward-thinking and sustainable architecture.
The “scaffolding” of the pavilion consists of ‘bamboo-like’ pultruded (drawn) profiles made from natural flax and hemp fibers. These are prefabricated and processed in a bending-active lattice construction into a unique double-curved surface structure which is covered with a stretched membrane. With the bending-active structure system, it was possible to produce an elastically deformed shape out of a bamboo-like linear profile to create a double-curved shell roughly 10 meters in width and 4 meters in height. The newly-developed and natural fiber-based biocomposite profiles are freshly produced as part of the LeichtPro research project and inserted directly into this innovative building application, which represents a sustainable approach for the architecture of the future.
The BioMat Pavilion 2021 will be officially opened in a ceremony held on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 5 p.m. (City Center Campus at the University of Stuttgart, Keplerstraße 11 next to College Building K II). Representatives from the media are warmly invited to attend. As part of the ceremony, Prof. Hanaa Dahy will explain the architectural model as well as the underlying vision of forward-looking and sustainable architecture, and will be on hand to answer any questions. Those planning to attend must register with h.dahy@itke.uni-stuttgart.de. Social distancing regulations will be in place and masks must be worn.
The LeichtPRO research project was launched in 2019 by the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR), a project managing organization which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). (FKZ: 22027018). The material development and production were carried out by the German Institutes for Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) as well as the companies CG-Tec and Biocomposites And More. The company Zenvision provided support in the design, technical product development and market development phases, the tool manufacturers Steinhuder Werkzeugbau helped to evaluate an additional connecting system for the structure, and the membrane was produced and sponsored by the Swiss planning specialists Bieri.
Previous pavilion wins silver in the Focus Open 2021 design prize
The BioMat Pavilion 2021 is not the first research building to be produced by the working group led by Hanaa Dahy. Just a few weeks ago, a previous model from 2018 won the “Focus Silver” award in the Materials and Surfaces category at the Focus Open 2021, an international design prize held by the Design Center Baden-Württemberg. This pavilion was created as part of a research project which was also funded by FNR/BMEL, in which various different alternative bio-based sustainable construction products were developed and produced such as façade panels, window frames and semi-finished products.
Expert Contact:
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Hanaa Dahy, University of Stuttgart, Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE), Deptartment of Bio-based Materials and Materials Cycles in Architecture (BioMat), Tel.: +49 711 685-83274, e-mail