• computational design
• digital fabrication
• freeform structures
• lightweight structures
• robots in architecture
• timber shells
• wood-only constructions

The HexBox project demonstrates a new “plug & play” system for the rapid on-site assembly and disassembly of a segmented timber shell, consisting of relatively inexpensive, prefabricated hexagon-shaped boxes made from plywood plates. The major novelty is the wood-only connections between the box components, which are produced from cut-off waste material from the cutting of the main plates of the structure. These connectors are inspired by traditional wedge joints, which were a smart and common method in handcrafted carpentry and cabinetmaking. Rather than attempting ultra-precisely fabricated elements, the wedges allow assembling box-like segments even when there are small imprecisions. Additionally, these joints allow for pulling and forcing the boxes together, closing gaps between the elements which may occur during assembly.
Another key aspect is the introduction of an innovative technique that allows for the simple and safe 1K PUR adhesive joining of thousands of miter joints with individual dihedral angles. Conventional clamping tools are indeed designed for 90° orthogonal miter joints and could therefore not be used here.
The structure was realized as a collaboration between researchers from the University of Kaiserslautern and the University of Sydney. After several tests and prototypes, preliminary planning, and robotic cutting of plates, the canopy was completely assembled by students in the frame of an international one-week summer school, held in August 2019 at the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning.