The “Rock Print Pavilion” was a research object, temporary structure and exhibit of the “Hello, Robot” exhibition of the Gewerbemuseum Winterthur. Built from loose gravel and string by a mobile robot, it exemplified the transformative power of digital building processes.
The pavilion consisted of eleven stone columns and a steel roof that rested on their tops. To build the columns, layers of gravel and cord were laid down with the robot. The cord had the function of reinforcement, which ensured the bonding of the stones. Load tests were carried out in advance to determine the material properties. After the end of the exhibition, the pavilion was demolished.
The steel roof consisted of a flat roof surface with ribs on top. The ribs ran over the support points, where the loads were transferred to the supports via adjustable threaded rods. The roof was manufactured in two parts for transport and connected on site with pre-stressed bolts.