bartlett architecture students use robots to build arkhive reconfigurable timber pavilion

"Arkhive is a full-scale developed by master's students from the Design for Manufacture (DfM) program at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. The project explores fabrication and reconfigurable construction systems through an adaptable truss structure assembled using interlocking joinery. The pavilion was conceived as a demonstrator for construction systems that can be fully disassembled, reconfigured, and . Designed and built by students and staff, the free-standing structure is organized around two twisting timber arches anchored to plinths."

"These arches are stabilised by robotically assembled ladder-beam trusses, which brace the leaning geometry and define the pavilion's structural logic. The ladder-beam system is composed of a bespoke arrangement of standardized timber rails and cam-lock connections. This system allows individual components to be assembled, disassembled, and recombined without material loss, supporting adaptability over multiple configurations. The components were fabricated and assembled using two industrial robotic arms, enabling a level of precision beyond manual construction and reinforcing an automation-led approach to timber building."

Arkhive is a full-scale pavilion developed by master's students in a Design for Manufacture program at UCL Bartlett School of Architecture. The structure uses two twisting timber arches anchored to plinths and robotically assembled ladder-beam trusses to stabilise and define its structural logic. The ladder-beam system uses standardized timber rails and cam-lock connections that enable assembly, disassembly, and recombination without material loss. Components were fabricated and assembled with two industrial robotic arms, increasing precision and supporting an automation-led approach. The pavilion operates as a material bank allowing components to be redeployed across future configurations, prioritising reuse and adaptability.

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