CORA Installation / IAACSave this picture! Adri GoulaInstallations & StructuresCerdanyola del Valls, SpainArchitects: IAACYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2025 PhotographsPhotographs:Adri GoulaMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The Valldaura Labs Campus of the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is located in the Collserola Natural Park (Barcelona), covering 135 hectares. It is known for its innovative approach to utilizing advanced technologies in its projects. Continuing with this practice, the Campus has introduced a KUKA industrial robot, a versatile tool capable of milling, cutting wood, and performing other precision tasks. As part of the "Master in Advanced Architecture and Bioscities" (MAEBB), an international team of students faced the challenge of designing and building a fully functional laboratory for this robot over four months.Save this picture!Save this picture!The project's goal was to create a space dedicated to housing and operating this 6-axis industrial milling robot. With a wooden structure, skylights, and a refined atmosphere, the space subtly evokes the architecture of a cathedral. In homage to both craftsmanship and technology, the new building has been named CORA, an acronym for Cathedral of Robotic Artisans.Save this picture!Save this picture!The challenge of the project was to establish a dialogue between the old brick structure of the building, built in the 19th century and originally used as a stable for horses, and a new wooden structure representative of 21st-century design. The new volume was designed to incorporate appropriate spaces, services, and infrastructures for both robotic operations and human interaction.Save this picture!The design of the building involved refurbishing an existing structure adjacent to the Green Fab Lab the campus's digital research and manufacturing center. The old roof was removed, but the brick walls were preserved, then carefully restored and reinforced to maintain the structural integrity of the building. Wood was chosen as the main construction material, which integrates perfectly into the surrounding landscape and architecture. The proposed project ensures functionality and aesthetic harmony while offering a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials.A tree-like structure. The project features a wooden framework created by seven branching columns that represent tree trunks. These columns support a roof with Voronoi geometry, made of solid wood and cross-laminated timber (CLT) joints. The carpentry, precisely crafted through computer numerical control (CNC) machining, allows the structure to span an area of 8.8 by 4.6 meters. These joints were made from CLT panels produced at the Valldaura Campus Labs.Due to the depth limitations of CNC milling, some joints were made with four individually milled layers. These were then glued together to form cohesive elements. The result is a unified structural mass without joints that houses workshop facilities and supports a living green roof. Traditional carpentry techniques were combined with digital manufacturing methods to construct the joints of the structural columns (200 x 260 mm) and beams (200 x 400 mm), which are made of solid wood. The four sides of the structure were preassembled off-site and then hoisted with a crane inside the four brick walls, and finally, they were securely bolted to the ground.Save this picture!Save this picture!To install the new structure and meet the expected structural demands of the robot, a concrete pedestal was created on which the KUKA industrial robot was placed. The faade consists of CLT panels, milled to reflect a parametric pattern. This solution ensures that the building harmoniously integrates into the surrounding natural and historical landscape while referencing the new structure it houses within. In contrast, the inner face of the panels preserves the natural texture of the wood.A key objective of the design was to maximize natural light within the space, especially through the skylight located above the robot.A Mediterranean green roof. The first layer of the green roof is a root-resistant waterproof membrane that is applied with a heat gun onto the wooden panels of the roof. Following the membrane is a layer of geotextile fabric, drainage board, and humus to promote the growth of native Mediterranean plant species. To ensure proper hydration, irrigation tubing was installed as a final step. The plants selected for the green roof were common honeysuckle, sweet clematis, creeping sedum, and French lavender. All were chosen for their adaptability and aesthetic value. Currently, the Valldaura Labs team uses CORA as part of their prototyping initiatives, providing new solutions for sustainable design and advanced manufacturing.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Cerdanyola del Valls, Catalunya, SpainLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeIAACOfficePublished on March 27, 2025Cite: "CORA Installation / IAAC" [CORA / IAAC] 27 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1028395/cora-installation-iaac&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream