FOSTERING INTERDISCIPLINARY INNOVATIONS BY DESIGN-BUILD PROJECT WITH DIGITAL FABRICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Paper in proceeding, 2025

The construction industry is facing a major transition in promoting sustainability and adopting digital technologies. To address such challenges and foster innovations, one effective method is to nourish future professionals through education. The Adaptation to Future Environments course at Chalmers University of Technology aims to address the emerging challenges of adapting to the rapidly changing socio-technological environments. The course brings students together to collaborate and solve real-world challenges. 16 students participated in the course project through February to June 2024. The goal of the project was to design and build a pavilion using digital fabrication. The materials used were solid timber and wood-polymer composites. Through collaboration among different work groups, the design was developed by applying a free-form ring structure made of glulam with the cladding made of 3D-printed composite elements. The production method of both elements was developed with the aid of digital tools. As a result, the pavilion was successfully constructed through close communications among all the groups with appropriate supervision. The project effectively addressed real-life challenges in interdisciplinary innovations in the construction industry. It is concluded that such a hands-on design-build project is a highly pedagogical activity, that can be adopted in various teaching environments in timber engineering.