Elytra Filament Pavilion | Achim Menges + John Madejski
If biomimicry is at its core in the 21st century architecture, we are at a crossroads where computation can play a major role in parametric structural design. V&A is releasing their first engineering season with a biomimetic, digital fabricated pavilion (the Elytra Filament Pavilion), titled with Engineering the World: Ove Arup and the Philosophy of Total Design.
Ove Arup was one of the 20th century pinoeers, his multidisciplinary approach to design defined ways for engineering to be understood and practiced today. This exhibition will focus on the design philosophy of Ove Arup, revealing his ideas of total humanistic architecture.
Courtesy of ICD/ITKE university of stuttgart
Victoria and Albert Museum is where the installation will be shown, brought to life by architects Achim Menges and Moritz Dörstelmann with the help of structural engineer Jan Knippers and climate engineer Thomas Auer.
The Pavilion will grow over the course of the V&A Engineering Season in response to data on structural behaviour and patterns of inhabitation of the Garden that will be captured by real-time sensors in its canopy fibres. At select moments, visitors will have the opportunity to witness the Pavilion’s construction live throughout the Season as new cells are fabricated in-situ by a Kuka robot. – V&A stated
Influenced by a biological structural system, the pavilion indicates exploring new solutions for robotic, biomimetic and parametric architecture.
Courtesy of ICD/ITKE university of stuttgart
Elytra Filament Pavilion will explore the impact of emerging robotic technologies on architectural design, engineering and making. Inspired by a lightweight construction principle found in nature, the fibrous structures of the forewing shells of flying beetles known as elytra, the Pavilion will be an undulating canopy of tightly-woven carbon fibre cells created using a novel robotic production process. – V&A
Both Menges’ and Knippers’ of Stuttgart University completed several researches in digital fabrication, robotic architecture and biomimetic integration in architecture.
Courtesy of ICD/ITKE university of stuttgart
By : Khalid Saeed
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.