Printed Habitats: Integrating Wildlife into Urban Facades

This interdisciplinary design studio explores the future of sustainable renovation through the integration of the wildlife into urban facades. Set at the intersection of digital fabrication, urban ecology, and architectural design, the course invites students to rethink urban facades as habitats—not only for humans, but also for selected animal species.

Students will develop a multifunctional façade for the top part of the historic Water Tower in Ingolstadt. Using computational tools and 3D printing technologies, the aim is to create architectural facades that respond to both ecological and human needs. The course will apply Animal Aided Design principles, integrate preservation constraints, and leverage Ceramic Extrusion 3D Printing to design and fabricate components for site-specific designs. Topics will include species behavior and habitat requirements, climate analysis, integration into the historical building’s context, and additive manufacturing strategies using ceramic materials.  

In a series of design sessions and fabrication explorations, students will explore how digital design and ecological parameters can come together to inform the architecture of coexistence. A dedicated workshop at the site’s Maker Space will allow participants to engage directly with the location, testing initial design concepts through prototyping. The final outcomes will include comprehensive design studies and a selected full-scale (1:1) prototype tailored specifically to the Water Tower site in Ingolstadt.

 

Teaching team:

Prof. Dr. Kathrin Dörfler, Iuliia Larikova, M.A. (TUM Professorship of Digital Fabrication)

Collaborators:

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Weisser, Dr. Fabio Sweet (TUM Chair of Terrestrial Ecology)
Thomas Schneider, Stabsstelle Klima, Biodiversität und Donau, Ingolstadt
brigk - Digitales Gründerzentrum der Region Ingolstadt GmbH

Excursion:

06.05–09.05

1-day excursion to Munich and Ingolstadt (Animal-Aided Design Munich, building site Water Tower Ingolstadt, Tonality)

2-days-workshop in Ingolstadt (brigk) 

Input Lectures

• Urban Ecology –  Dr. Fabio Sweet
• Additive Manufacturing in Construction – Prof. Dr. Kathrin Dörfler
• Biodiversity Inclusive Design – Iuliia Larikova