As part of this year’s IntCDC Open Day, the IntCDC Industry Consortium Annual Meeting provided a detailed insight into the scientific and technological advances.
The event brought together members of the Industry Commission and partners from industry and research at the Large-Scale Construction Robotics Laboratory (LCRL) in Waiblingen for an engaging exchange on ongoing and future collaborations.
Outlook on IntCDC Funding Period 2
Looking ahead into Funding Period 2 (FP2), the IntCDC network is set to expand, with a particular focus on knowledge and technology transfer. The Industry Consortium will continue play a central role in FP2, fostering closer interaction between research and practice.
In his opening remarks, IntCDC deputy spokesperson Jan Knippers (ITKE) emphasized:
"IntCDC is renowned for its excellent, internationally recognised, interdisciplinary fundamental research in a field that is relevant to society. However, IntCDC is also part of a regional ecosystem comprising academic and non-academic research institutions, market-established enterprises, strong medium-sized companies, and innovative start-ups.”
An update was also provided on the progress of the IntCDC Building, which will constitute a new model of a research building that spatially fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and a vibrant scientific environment. The new research facility will serve as the future home of IntCDC, bringing together researchers from multiple faculties and participating institutions.
Research Highlights
Introductions to the latest research highlights were provided by leading IntCDC researchers.
Lucio Blandini (ILEK) presented the current targets and topics of the Concrete Research, including:
- Material optimization and performance of the Two-Stage Mixing Process
- Prestressed concrete components with basalt tendons
- Application of Functionally Graded Concrete in the IntCDC Building
- Fabrication of modular lightweight concrete components using fully recyclable formwork systems
Thomas Wortmann (ICD/CA) offered insights into AI in Architecture, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence focusing on:
- Performance-informed Design
- Material-informed Design and Fabrication
- Building representation and generation with graphs
- Multi-actor fabrication and human–robot collaboration
Hans Jakob Wagner (ICD) introduced research on Computational Wood Architecture:
- Multi-storey Timber Slab system implementation in the IntCDC Building – a novel, genuinely digital wood building system that will enable the adoption of prefabricated timber construction in additional building typologies
- The Universal Timber Slab project – a lightweight, point-supported timber flat slab for multi-storey buildings, characterized by its geometric adaptability and segmentation grammar
Open Day Tour and Demonstrations at the LCRL
The meeting concluded with a guided Open Day tour through the Large-Scale Construction Robotics Laboratory (LCRL) – the central hub for IntCDC’s interdisciplinary exchange and a key interface between research and knowledge transfer. Highlights included:
- Robot-assisted processes for wood building systems and coreless wound fibre composite components
- Collaborative multi-robot systems for use in both new construction and refurbishment
- Mobile manipulators for AI-assisted assembly of building components
- On-site demonstrations featuring a modified spider crane, a tower crane, and the production of gradient concrete structures
The demonstrations and discussions emphasised the importance of knowledge transfer between fundamental research, advanced technology development and industry collaboration. This is a significant step towards a future-proof, resource-efficient and climate-positive transformation in the way buildings are designed and constructed.
