Fiber-reinforced composites are playing an increasingly important role in many engineering applications: in aircraft and vehicle construction or even in wind turbines, their favorable strength-to-weight ratio ensures that lightweight structures are used in many facets of our lives. In architecture, however, they have so far played only a minor role and mostly only in niche applications, although their outstanding mechanical properties and filigree structural principles offer potential for a new type of construction.

A wide variety of fiber types and resin systems, additives and fillers, and suitable coatings can be combined, so that physical, chemical, ecological, economic and aesthetic properties can be considered in the decision-making process on the appropriate material system.

For fiber composites, there are many years of experience from many areas of technology. The key to their widespread use in architecture does not necessarily lie in the optimization of the material system, but rather in the development of suitable manufacturing processes.

In contrast to aircraft construction, the focus in architecture tends to be on large-format and robust components with individualized geometry, which are easy and resource-efficient to manufacture. This requires specific manufacturing processes adapted to the special requirements of architecture.

Against this background, the robotic, coreless winding process was developed, which was first used in the ICD/ITKE research pavilion in 2012 and has since been further developed in various forms.
In the process, resin-impregnated, wet fiber strands, so-called endless rovings, are stretched freely in space between frames. The component is then annealed in an oven. After the resin has cured, the winding frame is removed, leaving a pure fiber composite structure. The number and orientation of the fibers can be adapted to the respective static load of the component without additional effort. Exactly the number of fibers required for the load-bearing capacity is laid.
In recent research, bio-based components and ecological components in fiber composites are becoming an increasingly important topic, which is also reflected in the latest research projects and demonstrator constructions at the ICD.