Cluster of Excellence IntCDC at the 57th Stallwächterparty

At the 57th Stallwächterparty - the political summer party of the Baden-Württemberg State Representation in Berlin - around 50 companies and research institutions from Baden-Württemberg presented future technologies under the motto "The Länd - Transformation Innovation Inventions" on July 5, 2022. Among them was the Cluster of Excellence Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture (IntCDC) at the University of Stuttgart. In cooperation with Holzbau-Offensive BW and the platform digitize wood, IntCDC presented digital planning and production of modern timber construction. The event was attended by approximately1,500 guests from politics, media, culture, the business sector, and the general public.

The exhibition team from Stuttgart welcomed the guests at the entrance to the site, with the mobile robot platform "TIM - Timber Platform for Robotic Construction" and the imposing exhibition stand "Fancy Fence" made of stacked wooden slats. Using the robotic platform designed for mobile use and pre-production of wooden building elements, the team made a wooden table that evening to match the stand. The tables not only served as bar tables for the guests during the champagne reception, but also as lecterns for the Baden-Württemberg Minister President Winfried Kretschmann, State Secretary Rudi Hoogvliet and Thomas Strobel, Deputy Minister President and Minister of the Interior, for their welcoming speeches.

The guests were particularly impressed by the demonstration of the robot's work: Dr. Felix Amtsberg, a researcher at IntCDC, and Hans-Jakob Wagner, a research associate at IntCDC, each had the robot "operate" on the hour, programming it to take prepared square timbers, place them precisely on top of each other, and fix them together using beechwood plugs.

Another highlight was the raffle of 300 cell phone holders made of self-forming wood. As a research associate at IntCDC, Laura Kiesewetter typically uses this technology to develop self-forming building components; for the Stallwächterparty, she designed mobile phone holders that will self-assemble after being unwrapped from their vacuum packaging.

"A great evening for us," cluster spokesman Prof. Achim Menges summed up the event. "Our presentation was an impressive showcase of state-of-the-art technology used in timber construction and it enabled us to send a strong message supporting timber construction at this event."

Cluster of Excellence IntCDC
The University of Stuttgart established the new Cluster of Excellence "Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture" in 2019. With an initial funding period of seven years, a Cluster of Excellence is the most significant and extensive funding program provided by the German Research Foundation (DFG). For the first time, a cluster of excellence has been awarded in the field of architecture. This will help establish an internationally visible research center.

Holzbau-Offensive BW
Baden-Württemberg is setting an example. With the Holzbau-Offensive, the state government is promoting climate-friendly timber construction. The project includes effective measures and targeted impulses for sustainable development in the construction sector. The goal is to establish Baden-Württemberg as a trendsetter for climate-friendly building culture.

digitize wood
The digitize wood platform organizes the transfer of knowledge and innovation between wood construction research at the IntCDC cluster of excellence and the timber construction industry in Baden-Württemberg. It is based at the Cluster of Excellence IntCDC at the University of Stuttgart and is funded by the Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection Baden-Württemberg as part of the Holzbau-Offensive BW.

Stallwächterparty
Since 1964, the summer party for those who "stand guard" during the parliamentary summer recess has traditionally been held at the Baden-Württemberg State Representation in Berlin. Today, the Stallwächterparty represents the diversity of the state and has become one of the most important communication platforms of the political summer in Berlin.