Living systems: Designing growth in baubotanik

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

Baubotanik-the construction method that uses living plants for load bearing in architectural structures-provides a surprising ability to anticipate the latent convergence of non-living and living systems in architecture. Through interdisciplinary research by architects, engineers and biologists it aims to synthesise architectural qualities, constructive requirements and biological properties in living structures. In this article, Ferdinand Ludwig, Hannes Schwertfeger and Oliver Storz of the Baubotanik research group at the Institute for Architectural Theory and Design (IGMA) at the University of Stuttgart explain how living and non-living building elements can be designed to develop into vegetal-technical compound structures.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)82-87
Number of pages6
JournalArchitectural Design
Volume82
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2012

Keywords

  • 'plant addition'
  • 'stabilisers of expectation'
  • Baubotanical Tower
  • bending forces
  • botanical hybrid composites
  • form adaptation
  • inosculation
  • living buildings
  • mechanical pressure
  • tight radii
  • trees
  • tropical strangler fig (Ficus benghalensis)
  • vegetal framework structure
  • willows (Salix alba)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Living systems: Designing growth in baubotanik'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this