In coreless filament winding, resin-impregnated fibre filaments are wound around anchor points without an additional mould. The final geometry of the produced part results from the interaction of fibres in space and is initially undetermined. Therefore, the success of large-scale coreless wound fibre composite structures for architectural applications relies on the reciprocal collaboration of simulation, fabrication, quality evaluation, and data integration domains. The correlation of data from those domains enables the optimization of the design towards ideal performance and material efficiency. This paper elaborates on a computational co-design framework to enable new modes of collaboration for coreless wound fibre–polymer composite structures. It introduces the use of a shared object model acting as a central data repository that facilitates interdisciplinary data exchange and the investigation of correlations between domains. The application of the developed computational co-design framework is demonstrated in a case study in which the data are successfully mapped, linked, and analysed across the different fields of expertise. The results showcase the framework’s potential to gain a deeper understanding of large-scale coreless wound filament structures and their fabrication and geometrical implications for design optimization.

Fibrous architecture constitutes an alternative approach to conventional building systems and established construction methods. It shows the potential to converge architectural concerns such as spatial expression and structural elegance, with urgently required resource effectiveness and material efficiency, in a genuinely computational approach. Fundamental characteristics of fibre composite are shared with fibre structures in the natural world, enabling the transfer of design principles and providing a vast repertoire of inspiration. Robotic fabrication based on coreless filament winding, a technique to deposit resin impregnated fibre filaments with only minimal formwork, as well as integrative computational design methods are imperative to the development of complex fibrous building systems. Two projects, the BUGA Fibre Pavilion as an example for long-span structures, and Maison Fibre as an example of multi-storey architecture, showcase the application of those techniques in an architectural context and highlight areas of further research opportunities. The highly interrelated aesthetic, structural and fabrication characteristics of fibre nets are difficult to understand and go beyond a designer’s comprehension and intuition. An AI powered, self-learning agent system aims to extend and thoroughly explore the design space of fibre structures to unlock the full design potential coreless filament winding offers. In order to ensure feedback between all relevant design and performance criteria and enable interdisciplinary convergence, these novel design methods are embedded in a larger co-design framework. It formalizes the interaction of involved interdisciplinary domains and allows for interactive collaboration based on a central data model, serving as a base for design optimisation and exploration. To further advance research on fibre composites in architecture, bio-based materials are considered, continuing the journey of discovery of fibrous architecture to fundamentally rethinking design and construction towards a novel, computational material culture in architecture.

Robotic coreless filament winding using alternative material systems based on natural fibers and bio-based resin systems offers possible solutions to the productivity and sustainability challenges of the building and construction sector. Their application in modular, prefabricated structures allows for material-efficient and fast production under tightly controlled conditions leading to high-quality building parts with minimal production waste. Plant fibers made of flax or hemp have high stiffness and strength values and their production consumes less non-renewable energy than glass or carbon fibers. However, the introduction of natural material systems increases uncertainties in structural performance and fabrication parameters. The development process of coreless wound composite parts must thus be approached from the bottom up, treating the material system as an integral part of design and evaluation. Existing design and fabrication methods, as well as equipment, are adjusted to emphasize material aspects throughout the development, increasing the importance of material characterization and scalability evaluation. The reciprocity of material characterization and the fabrication process is highlighted and contributes to a non-linear, cyclical workflow. The implementation of extensions and adaptations are showcased in the development of the livMatS pavilion, a first attempt at coreless filament winding using natural material systems in architecture.

Fiber-reinforced composites offer innovative solutions for architectural applications with high strength and low weight. Coreless filament winding extends industrial processes, reduces formwork, and allows for tailoring of fiber layups to specific requirements. A previously developed computational co-design framework for coreless filament winding is extended toward the integration of reciprocal design feedback to maximize design flexibility and inform design decisions throughout the process. A multi-scalar design representation is introduced, representing fiber structures at different levels of detail to generate feedback between computational design, engineering, and fabrication. Design methods for global, component, and material systems are outlined and feedback generation is explained. Structural and fabrication feedback are classified, and their integration is described in detail. This paper demonstrates how reciprocal feedback allows for co-evolution of domains of expertise and extends the existing co-design framework toward design problems. The developed methods are shown in two case studies at a global and component scale.