Timber Construction in Transition: Leitz Symposium sets new impulses for the future of the industry
Timber construction is at a decisive turning point. Against the backdrop of declining construction figures, increasing climate protection requirements, and limited raw material availability, the transformation toward faster, more customized, partly modular, and above all resource-efficient construction methods is gaining momentum. At the Leitz Symposium, experts from research, industry, and architecture discussed key future challenges along the entire value chain – from digital planning processes and industrial manufacturing to innovative construction and architectural concepts.
A central theme of many presentations was the growing importance of digital technologies. Professor Alexander Stahr (HTWK Leipzig) demonstrated that integrating design, manufacturing, and assembly into seamless digital process chains is a key lever for increasing productivity in the construction industry. While other industries have achieved significant efficiency gains over recent decades, construction still faces a structural deficit. Robotics not only offers automation potential but also enables the cost-effective customization of components. However, this requires a precise data foundation that transfers planning information seamlessly into manufacturing processes.
Industrial practice confirmed this trend. Alexander Leidorf of Leidorf Holztechnik illustrated that robot-assisted manufacturing offers significant advantages, particularly for large-format CLT components, in terms of flexibility and machining freedom. However, successful implementation depends less on hardware than on the quality of data preparation. Complex geometries require precise simulations and deep integration into machine control systems to ensure process reliability and precision.
Alongside digitalization, resource efficiency emerged as another key driver. With the “Universal Timber Slab” project, Hans Jakob Wagner (ICD, University of Stuttgart) presented a floor slab construction system with the potential to fundamentally transform conventional reinforced concrete construction. By specifically utilizing the anisotropic material properties of wood, the aim is to create high-performance, material-efficient structures with large spans and floor heights comparable to steel-concrete construction. Such a slab system is planned to be implemented for the first time in the future forum project in Oberkochen.
Professor Jürgen Graf (RPTU Kaiserslautern) called for a fundamental shift in perspective, proposing that buildings should in future be conceived as material banks. This requires standardized components and reversible joining techniques that enable non-destructive dismantling and reuse. Mechanical joining methods and dimensionally stable wood-based materials provide the foundation for scalable, circular construction systems.
Architecture itself was also identified as a decisive lever for sustainability. Bernd Liebel of Liebel/Architekten BDA demonstrated through completed projects that intelligent design strategies – such as optimal building orientation or the targeted use of low-tech solutions by making deliberate use of material-specific advantages in hybrid construction – can achieve significant energy savings. In modular timber construction in particular, this opens up new potential for rapid construction processes combined with high architectural quality.
The possibilities of digital planning were further illustrated by Professor Julian Krüger (Munich University of Applied Sciences). His work shows how parametric models and automated manufacturing enable “mass customization” in construction. This makes it possible to realize individual buildings efficiently and reproducibly – an approach that is increasingly dissolving the boundaries between serial production and bespoke architecture.
With the circular construction system developed by TRIQBRIQ AG, Levin Fricke presented a radically sustainable approach to solid timber construction. The modular building blocks require no adhesives at all and can be assembled and disassembled flexibly. In addition to complete reusability, the system stands out through its ability to utilize lower-grade timber qualities and through decentralized production concepts that strengthen regional value creation. A supermarket in Braunschweig has already been built using the TRIQBRIQ system.
Finally, the importance of tool technology was emphasized.
Markus Sturm showed that modern tool systems make a decisive contribution to precision, productivity, and process reliability. Specialized solutions are particularly necessary for machining hybrid materials. The combination of different cutting materials in a single tool demonstrates how technological innovations are opening up new possibilities in wood processing.
“The symposium clearly showed that the transformation of timber construction is already in full swing. Digitalization, automation, and new construction principles are meeting increasing demands for climate justice and resource efficiency,” summarized Andreas Kisselbach, moderator of the symposium and Head of R&D at Leitz, in his closing remarks. The decisive factor for future success will be to systematically connect these developments and bring them into broad industrial application.