Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture (IntCDC)
The University of Stuttgart established its new Cluster of Excellence on 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 substantial grant awarded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). For the very first time, a Cluster of Excellence has been awarded to the field of Architecture. It will contribute to establishing an internationally visible research center.
The Cluster aims to harness the full potential of digital technologies to rethink design and construction based on integration and interdisciplinarity, with the goal to enable game-changing innovation in the building sector. The cluster’s 22 principal investigators represent the breadth of scientific excellence across seven faculties of the University of Stuttgart and the Max Plank Institute for Intelligent Systems. Prof. Achim Menges, from the Institute for Computational Design and Construction, is the director of the Cluster.
Research Projects
In 2022, the Cluster has entered its second research project phase. The ICD Stuttgart is engaged in 10 interdisciplinary research projects (RP) within the 2 research networks of IntCDC:
- RP 3-2: Computational design, engineering and development of digitally fabricated, high performance, multi-storey wood building system
- RP 4-2: Cyber-physical fabrication platform for IntCDC wood building system utilizing human-machine collaborations including immersive analytics for augmented reality
- RP 9-2: Data Processing and AI for Predictive and Adaptive Co-Design
- RP 10-2: Co-design from architectural, historical and social science perspectives: Opportunities, challenges and implications of an integrative approach to design and construction relations for multi-storey buildings
- RP 11-2: Building system development for long-span, fibre composite structures including structural health monitoring and alternatives for sustainable winding materials
- RP 12-2: Computational co-design for fibre composite building systems including visual analytics and interfaces to mechanical and fabrication simulation
- RP 14-2: Additive cyber-physical prefabrication platform for multifunctional, multi-scale load-adapted fibre composite building elements including fabrication simulation and digital twin
- RP 19-2: Leveraging the Building Material as Part of the Robotic Kinematic System for Parallel Construction
- RP 20-1: Knowledge Representation for Multi-Disciplinary Co-Design
- RP 21-1: Modular Data Architecture for Preparation, Annotation and Exchange for Conceptual Design
First Research Project Phase:
Research Network 1: Multi-storey Buildings
- RP 3: Computational design, engineering and development of digitally fabricated, high performance, multi-storey wood building system
- RP 4: Cyber-physical fabrication platform for IntCDC wood building system utilizing human-machine collaborations including immersive analytics for augmented reality
- RP 10: Co-design from architectural, historical and social science perspectives: Opportunities, challenges and implications of an integrative approach to design and construction relations for multi-storey buildings
- RP 20-1: Knowledge Representation for Multi-Disciplinary Co-Design
Research Network 2: Long-span Buildings
- RP 11: Building system development for long-span, fibre composite structures including structural health monitoring and alternatives for sustainable winding materials
- RP 12: Computational co-design for fibre composite building systems including visual analytics and interfaces to mechanical and fabrication simulation
- RP 14: Additive cyber-physical prefabrication platform for multifunctional, multi-scale load-adapted fibre composite building elements including fabrication simulation and digital twin
- RP 19: Leveraging the Building Material as Part of the Robotic Kinematic System for Parallel Construction