New Bending-Active Timber Project Developed with Rhino & Karamba3D

Summary

Developed using Rhino and Grasshopper, the bending-active timber structure offers a low-carbon, scalable hangar solution with tropical hardwood glulam beams.

Why it matters

This project provides a low-carbon alternative to the traditional steel and concrete-dominated construction sector, contributing to the spread of sustainable architecture especially in the Global South. The integration of parametric design and Karamba3D enhances structural efficiency.

Highlights

• The bending-active beam-string concept improves connection efficiency compared to conventional roof systems.
• Rhino and Grasshopper enable a seamless design workflow with structural analysis (Karamba3D) and Eurocode 5 validation (Beaver3D).
• The form-finding paradox demonstrates that adding material does not always increase structural safety, steering designers toward more precise optimization.

Critical take

While theoretically impressive, the supply chain for tropical hardwood glulam and the dominance of traditional steel industries in the Global South could limit real-world scalability.