The Nest Façade is a test installation for an ecological, biodiversity-enhancing building envelope produced using additive manufacturing with clay. Customised ceramic elements are developed so that their complex geometry provides shelter and nesting opportunities for different animal species. At the same time, the geometries were digitally optimised for self-shading of the building envelope, which reduces the façade’s surface temperature, particularly during summer.

The prototype was developed at the Technical University of Munich in a collaboration between the Professorship of Digital Fabrication (Julia Larikova, Prof. Kathrin Dörfler) and the Chair of Terrestrial Ecology (Dr. Fabio Sweet, Prof. Wolfgang Weisser), within the framework of the Horizon Europe Lighthouse Project for the New European Bauhaus, Creating NEBourhoods Together, supported by the EU project ECOLOPES. The research was funded by the Stiftung Artenschutz und Technik (Foundation for Species Protection and Technology), and the realisation was supported by the industry partner Tonality GmbH as well as Feierwerk e.V. – Südpolstation.

Credits:

Research, Planning- and Realisation
Julia Larikova (project & design lead, fabrication)
Dr. Fabio Sweet (biodiversity parameters, project management)

Scientific Supervision
Prof. Dr. Kathrin Dörfler
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Weisser

Student Assistants
Niklas Ebert
Yaxi Wang

Industry Partner
Tonality GmbH

Industry Supporters
Zschimmer & Schwarz, Georg & Schneider