Structural Timber Fabric: Applying Textile Principles on Building Scale

Textiles are interesting from both a structural and an architectural point of view. Their patterns and textures, created by the interworking of yarn elements, are not only highly appealing on an aesthetical level, they also possess load bearing qualities. The research project “Structural Timber Fabric: Applying Textile Principles on Building Scale” sets out to investigate this potential and proposes to develop a new family of timber constructions based on the logic and principles of textile techniques. In this context, and within the scope of several case studies, one of the core objectives is to create an innovative structural system with concise aesthetic, spatial and structural qualities. Thus, the proposal addresses important challenges at the frontiers of the fields of architecture and civil engineering. The here presented paper outlines selected parts of this research.