From March 24–26, 2026, Cologne hosted digitalBAU, the trade fair for digital solutions and products related to the digital design, construction, and operation of buildings. Around 300 exhibitors showcased their construction software to 11,000 visitors. Through a supporting program featuring four stages and around 90 speakers, visitors were also able to learn about and discuss research and development topics in the industry.
At its exhibition booth, the IntCDC, in collaboration with the digitize wood platform, presented the research findings from the recently concluded first funding period and got the professional audience excited about the next seven years of research. Visitors were particularly impressed by the demonstrators on display: models of the Wangen Tower and the Hybrid Flax Pavilion brought the research to life. The invitation to the upcoming guided tours of the IntCDC construction site also attracted many potential partners and interested parties.
In four presentations and a panel discussion, Prof. Thomas Wortmann and research associates Hans Jakob Wagner, Tim Stark, and Aaron Wagner from the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) presented their research topics to the expert audience in the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning for architecture and construction, computer-aided design and construction in timber building, as well as automation and robotic manufacturing.
A highlight for the researchers was the presentation of the “Auf IT gebaut Prize,” in which ITECH students won first and second prize in the architecture category for their master’s theses. Juan David Frank and Alfiia Shakurianova received first prize for their master’s thesis “ Copilot for Constraint-driven Generation of Architectural Design Evaluations and Suggestions.” Clara Blum, Laura Marsillo, and Gonzalo Muñoz Guerrero received second prize for their master’s thesis “ Reclaimed Design – An availability-oriented design methodology for reclaimed lumber” Both theses were supervised by Prof. Thomas Wortmann, among others.
For their trade fair appearance, the Cluster of Excellence IntCDC and the platform digitize wood joined forces to promote knowledge transfer between research and practice. By focusing on timber construction demonstrators, they not only showcased a key aspect of IntCDC’s research but also highlighted timber construction as part of Baden-Württemberg’s state strategy for a climate-positive building culture. The platform digitize wood is funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs, and Consumer Protection as part of the Timber Construction Initiative.
digitalBAU 2026
