A new system for the construction of lightweight wooden structures. 

For the first time a double layer folded timber plate structure with solely integral mechanical attachments was build in 2017.

Such a vaulted folding structure made of wooden panels was constructed for the first time at IBOIS in 2006 using plywood panels.

The miter-cut panels were fastened with screws, whereby subsequent investigations showed that connections with a higher bending stiffness were required, particularly in the edge areas of the cylindrical shell.

The fabrication of this prototype was realized with the help of templates. This allowed the miters to be cut with a circular table saw and then joined at the correct angle.
The original idea of the folded cylindrical vault was further developed in several steps, from a single-layer, single-curved construction to an increasingly variable, two-layer system for free-form surfaces with improved connections that allow simple, fast and precise joining (which is becoming increasingly important in view of the growing number of geometrically different and complex elements), while at the same time offering high strength and minimizing additional fasteners.

A fully integrated digital workflow from design to construction was established prior to the construction of the Vidy pavilion in Lausanne.

The research can be further explored in the following  publication:

Integrally attached timber folded surface structures: geometrical, experimental and numerical study, IBOIS, Andrea Stitic