“Future Tree” is a finalist at the Structural Awards 2021
05.08.2021
The “Future Tree” open outdoor pavilion in the inner courtyard of the Basler & Hoffmann office building in Esslingen is one of the finalists in the category “Structural Artistry (non-building structures)” at the Structural Awards 2021. The awards ceremony will take place in London on 5 November 2021. The Structural Awards are the world’s most prestigious honour in the field of structural analysis.
The award for “Structural Artistry (non-building structures)” is given to extraordinary structures, excluding buildings, where the statics vision and skills are at the forefront. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the project entries for both 2020 and 2021 were evaluated together by the jury, made up of 24 international members. This means the Basler & Hofmann project team are even more pleased that the “Future Tree” made it to the final three.
With the Future Tree, the structural planners from Basler & Hofmann have tested the potential of parametric design and planning in combination with digital fabrication methods. The project was created as part of a development partnership with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich and Erne AG Holzbau. The tree-like construction consists of a honeycomb-like wooden construct, resting on an organically shaped concrete column. In the parametric model, the design, statics and manufacturing were optimised by the architect, engineer and entrepreneur in an iterative process. The pilot project shows the huge potential of this new planning method. It enables a completely new design language with simultaneously optimised functionality.
The Structural Awards were introduced in 1968 by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE). Every year, prizes are awarded in 14 categories.