ICD

ICD Institute for Computational Design

The Institute for Computational Design (ICD) is dedicated to the teaching and research of computational design and computer-aided manufacturing processes in architecture.

30/04/2026

We’re excited to share our new peer-reviewed paper, “Toward autonomous timber construction using distributed robotic perception system in coordination with a tower crane,” published in Automation in Construction.

Digital prefabrication has advanced timber construction, but large-scale timber elements are still largely assembled manually on construction sites. This research explores how a digitally controlled tower crane can work together with distributed robotic perception units embedded in timber components.
The system uses compact robotic units to support vision-based pose estimation, multi-view data fusion, and crane-guided assembly of large-scale cross-laminated timber components under realistic construction-site conditions.

Congratulations to first author Nils Opgenorth and co-authors Jack Michael Otto and Achim Menges.

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany’s Excellence Strategy — EXC 2120/1–390831618 — and by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) as part of the Zukunft Bau research funding program, within the project “Lights-Off On-Site Timber Construction” — funding code 10.08.18.7-23.36. Additional financial support was provided by ZÜBLIN Timber.

The open-access paper can be read through the following link:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2026.106973

© Image credits: Opgenorth, N., Otto, J. M., & Menges, A. (2026)

28/04/2026

On May 21st, Prof. Achim Menges will give a keynote lecture titled “Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture” at the 2026 at Zentrum HG. Keynote speakers on that day also include Dorte Mandrup and Mark Burry AO.

The ‘Future of Construction’ symposium explores how technology shapes the way we design and build. The accelerating convergence of technological domains in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) invites us to rethink human capability, skill, and agency. At this intersection, AI, extended reality, and robotics are transforming digital fabrication and augmented design into active sites of experimentation.

More information can be found on our website.

© Image credits: Future of Construction 2026

ICD researcher Xiliu Yang will be presenting her PhD Dissertation in an online event, Thursday March 26th 17:00 CET. The...
18/03/2026

ICD researcher Xiliu Yang will be presenting her PhD Dissertation in an online event, Thursday March 26th 17:00 CET. The talk, titled “ Augmented Industrial Human-robot Collaboration: A Human-centred Approach for Robotic Timber Construction with Augmented Reality”, will present a conceptual and technical framework for Human-robot collaboration (HRC) in timber prefabrication, leveraging head-mounted augmented reality displays (AR HMDs) for information delivery and interaction.

The event will be hold online via WebEx Webinar, Thursday March 26th 17:00 CET

17:00 Introduction, Prof. Achim Menges
17:10 Augmented Industrial Human-robot Collaboration, Xiliu Yang
17:45 Joint Discussion

Pre-register and more information on the dissertation can be found on our website.

© Image Credits: ICD/IntCDC University of Stuttgart (Photo: Robert Faulkner; Illustration: Xiliu Yang)

We are thrilled to share our latest peer-reviewed publication titled“The Hybrid Flax Pavilion: Towards minimally invasiv...
11/03/2026

We are thrilled to share our latest peer-reviewed publication titled“The Hybrid Flax Pavilion: Towards minimally invasive bio-based Architecture” published in: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

This joint paper is a result of a valuable collaboration between the Cluster of Excellence IntCDC | University of Stuttgart, and the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) at the University of Stuttgart.

This paper presents the Hybrid Flax Pavilion, a built case study that combines thin cross-laminated timber with digitally fabricated flax fibre components to reduce timber consumption and enable circular, low-carbon construction. Through design optimisation, use of existing manufacturing infrastructure, and a critical life cycle assessment (LCA), the project demonstrates how regional bio-based materials can bridge research and practice toward scalable, sustainable architecture.

Congratulations to the first author Monika Göbel, co-authors Christoph Zechmeister, Rebeca Estrada Duque, Julia Weißert, Harrison Hildebrandt, Alina Rossa, Christoph Schlopschnat, Daniel Christopher Bozó, Pascal Mindermann, Jan Knippers, Götz T. Gresser, Franziska C. Schünemann, Philip Leistner and Achim Menges.

Special thanks to the supportes Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Foundation under Germany’s Excellence Strategy – EXC 2120/1 – 390831618, Ministerium für Ernährung, Ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg, Bioökonomie, Förderprogramm “Nachhaltige Bioökonomie als Innovationsmotor für den Ländlichen Raum” und Holz Innovativ Programm (HIP).

Read the paper here: DOI 10.1088/1755-1315/1554/1/012095
© Image credits: © ICD/ITKE/IntCDC University of Stuttgart

27/02/2026

On March 4th, David Stieler and Fabian Kannenberg will present their work at the SPP 2187 Closing Conference at the Ruhr University Bochum.

David will present “Agent-based Methods for Fabrication-oriented Design of Adaptive Modular Pre-fab Concrete Construction” developed within the SPP 2187, while Fabian will outline the current progress of the project “Form- and Utilisation-aware Design Methods for Structures Made from Reused RC Elements” carried out within SFB 1683.

More information can be found on our website: https://www.icd.uni-stuttgart.de/news/SPP-2187—SFB-1683-Conference/



© Image credits: ICD University of Stuttgart

19/02/2026

On March 19th, at 7:00pm, Achim Menges will deliver a keynote lecture at the GAMM Annual Meeting 2026, hosted by the University of Stuttgart.

The International Association of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (GAMM) is an interdisciplinary network for researchers from applied mathematics and mechanics as well as their sub- and neighboring fields. It was founded by Ludwig Prandtl and Richard von Mises in 1922. GAMM played a significant role in advancing hydro- and aerodynamics, solid mechanics, and numerical and industrial mathematics.

More information can be found on our website





© Image credits: ICD

17/02/2026

In a recent interview with , our research associate Rebeca Duque Estrada () discusses her work on flax fibers and material-driven architecture as part of the ICD Fiber Team. The conversation addresses a central question in contemporary construction: how can bio-based materials evolve from secondary applications into high-performance structural systems that meaningfully reduce the construction sector’s carbon footprint? Through computational design, structural simulation, and robotic fabrication, the work embeds material behavior directly into the design process to develop structurally efficient systems that reduce material use while advancing a new material tectonics in architecture.

Drawing on projects such as Maison Fibre, the Hybrid Flax Pavilion, and the ITECH Research Pavilion 2024, the interview demonstrates how natural fibers like flax can be integrated into scalable building systems that combine structural performance with resource efficiency and renewable material strategies. Rebeca also discusses the transition from synthetic to natural fibers and the technical and cultural shifts required to work with variable bio-based materials in highly controlled digital fabrication environments.

Her ongoing doctoral research focuses on developing a computational framework for fibrous architecture that integrates design tools with life cycle assessment data from the earliest design stages. By embedding environmental performance directly into the design logic and further investigating timber-fiber hybrid systems, the work aims to expand the role of bio-based materials in ecologically informed construction.
Special thanks to Klára Jirková and the Material Time team for the invitation.

Read the full interview on Material Times: https://www.materialtimes.com/articles/when-fibers-become-structure-rebeca-duque-estrada-on-flax-and-material-driven-architecture

© Image credits: Material Times

Multiple open doctoral positions at ICD/CA The department for Computing in Architecture at the Institute for Computation...
19/01/2026

Multiple open doctoral positions at ICD/CA
The department for Computing in Architecture at the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD/CA) is directed by Thomas Wortmann and researches and teaches at the intersection of architecture, engineering, and computer science, with a focus on artificial intelligence methods. Much of our research is tied to the Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture (IntCDC), which is a leading research center in the field of computational architecture, engineering and construction.

ICD/CA is looking for doctoral researchers (TV-L E13) for IntCDC’s next round of research projects, as well as for projects from the new Central Innovation Program for SMEs “AI for Building Design”, in the following research areas:
AI-based Generation of Building Designs
AI for Building Construction Detailing
Digital twins and AI for On-Site Human-Robot and Robot-Robot-Collaboration
Material-informed Design for Regrowing Building Materials and Reused Building Components

Please view the full job offer on our website.

The expected start date for all positions is as soon as possible but can be arranged to meet individual requirements.
The initial application deadline is January 31, 2026.
Come join a growing team of excellent researchers and help us to push our research on AI for AEC to the next level!

We are pleased to announce that ICD/CA has received an Innovation Campus Mobility (ICM), Bottom-Up Project grant in the ...
16/01/2026

We are pleased to announce that ICD/CA has received an Innovation Campus Mobility (ICM), Bottom-Up Project grant in the latest research funding round.

Shermin Sherkat, from the Department for Computing in Architecture (ICD/CA), the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW), and the Artificial Intelligence Software Academy (AISA), received the grant for her project proposal, BUP65: APTree+.

Congratulations to Shermin, and the project’s primary investigators, Prof. Dr. Thomas Wortmann and Prof. Dr. Andreas Wortmann.

Project Focus: Building on their PhD research on flexible task and motion planning for construction robotics, Shermin Sherkat is proposing a new approach to autonomous multi-robot task planning and coordination. The goal is to automatically adapt multiple robots to dynamic automotive production environments, reduce planning effort, and boost flexibility.

About the Program: The ICM “Bottom-Up” initiative supports visionary research ideas that bridges academic exploration with future mobility solutions.
We look forward to the developments and insights this project will bring to the ICD and the wider research community at the University of Stuttgart.

Image credit: https://www.icm-bw.de/en/

15/01/2026

We are excited to share our latest peer-reviewed publication, “geof3D: SPARQL geometric functions for co-designing buildings”, published in Advanced Engineering Informatics.
This work is a joint research effort by the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD/CA) and the Analytic Computing Department of the AI Institute at the University of Stuttgart, in collaboration with the industry partner Gropyus.
What’s it about? The paper introduces geof3D, a SPARQL extension that enables native 3D geometric computation directly within RDF triple stores, supporting measurement, spatial predicates, Boolean operations, and geometric transformations inside semantic queries.
Congratulations to first author Diellza Elshani and co-authors Daniel Hernandez, Ali Nakhaee, Anthony A. Arrascue, Steffen Staab, and Thomas Wortmann.
Special thanks to the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), the Zukunft Bau program, our industry partner Gropyus, our colleague Tobias Schwinn, and our student assistants at the time Markus Renner, Ankita Saha, and Joey Schweickhardt, for their support.

The open-access paper can be read through the following link:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2025.104261

© Image credits: Elshani et al. (2026)

Atrium ‚Stammhaus‘ Blumer Lehmann nominated for Detail Readers’ Award!Curved forms have long offered a way to achieve st...
15/01/2026

Atrium ‚Stammhaus‘ Blumer Lehmann nominated for Detail Readers’ Award!

Curved forms have long offered a way to achieve structural stability through geometry rather than material intensity. In Blumer Lehmann’s new atrium, this principle is reinterpreted through curved cross-laminated timber, forming wide, curved surfaces unusual in timber construction and giving the wood an almost textile quality. The tactile, visual, and structural properties of the curved CLT allow multiple functions to be integrated into a single material system: the elements support cantilevered slabs, form the sides of the staircase, act as balustrades and smoke baffles, and subtly guide movement through the space. The key challenge lay in detailing—maintaining the clarity of the free-form geometry while ensuring precise and functional connections to the building’s linear architecture.

Please support us and vote for the DETAIL Readers’ Award through the following link:
https://detailconstructionaward-2025.alpha-awards.com/landing/showcase

Voting is open from January 15th to 20th - Thank you for your support!

© Image Credits: ICD University of Stuttgart (Photo 1: Christoph Zechmeister, Photo 2: Roland Halbe)

Adresse

KeplerStr. 11
Stuttgart
70174

Webseite

Benachrichtigungen

Lassen Sie sich von uns eine E-Mail senden und seien Sie der erste der Neuigkeiten und Aktionen von ICD erfährt. Ihre E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht für andere Zwecke verwendet und Sie können sich jederzeit abmelden.

Die Universität Kontaktieren

Nachricht an ICD senden:

Verknüpfungen

Teilen

Kategorie