Arkhive: A Full-Scale Pavilion Testing Robotic Assembly
Arkhive is a full-scale pavilion developed by master’s students from the Design for Manufacture (DfM) program at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. The project explores robotic fabrication and reconfigurable construction systems through an adaptable timber truss structure assembled using interlocking joinery.
The pavilion was conceived as a demonstrator for construction systems that can be fully disassembled, reconfigured, and reused. Designed and built by students and staff, the free-standing structure is organized around two twisting timber arches anchored to steel 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.
all images courtesy of UCL Bartlett School of Architecture
A Modular Timber Prototype for Reuse and Reconfiguration
By combining robotic fabrication with reversible joinery, Arkhive functions as a prototype for modular timber construction that prioritizes material efficiency and long-term reuse. The structure operates as a ‘material bank,’ in which components retain value and can be redeployed in future architectural applications.
The project was led by design tutors Ben Spong and Pradeep Devadass, with program direction by Peter Scully from the Design for Manufacture M.Arch program at the UCL Bartlett School of Architecture. The design team included students Matías Ramírez Muñoz, Hakyeong Jeon, Victoria Arancibia Retes, and Jawad Soueid from the 2023–2024 DfM cohort, working in collaboration with structural engineers from Price & Myers.
Arkhive was first assembled and exhibited at The Bartlett’s Fifteen Show in 2024. Following the exhibition, the timber arches were refined, redesigned, and re-fabricated. The final iteration was installed at St Andrews Botanic Garden in Scotland in summer 2025 by the 2024–2025 DfM cohort, where the pavilion was used as a venue for public events. The project illustrates the Bartlett’s Design for Manufacture program’s emphasis on integrating design research, digital fabrication, and full-scale construction within an academic setting.
Arkhive is a full-scale pavilion developed by students from UCL’s Design for Manufacture program
the pavilion explores robotic fabrication through a reconfigurable timber truss system
the project was conceived as a demonstrator for disassembly and reuse in construction
two twisting timber arches form the primary structural elements of the pavilion
interlocking joinery enables the structure to be assembled without permanent fixings
the truss system is composed of standardized timber rails and cam-lock connections
leaning geometry is stabilised by robotically assembled ladder-beam trusses
reversible joints support adaptability across multiple future configurations
the pavilion demonstrates an automation-led approach to timber building
robotic assembly enables a high level of precision beyond manual construction
the structure is conceived as a material bank for long-term reuse
project info:
name: Arkhive
architect: Design for Manufacture, Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London
students: DfM cohort of 2023-2024 (Matías Ramírez Muñoz, Hakyeong Jeon, Victoria Arancibia Retes, Jawad Soueid), DfM cohort of 2024-2025 (Anuj Bajaj, Chao-lin Cheng, Hongkun Chen, Iqbal Utomo, Jun Myung, Longfei Ma, Nour Beydoun, Petra Li, Pongpreedee Chaveegoolrat, Qiyang Zhu, Shengtong Liu, Sibei Chen, Sihan Liu, Tong Wu, Xujie Shen, Yanzhu Che, Yuan Gao, Yuntian Ma, Yuxuan Zhou, Zining Zhu, Zishan Huang, Ziyue Wu)
B-made workshops & labs: Hamish Veitch, Yaoyao Meng, Guillem Perutxet Olesti, Melis Van den Berg, Samuel Turner-Baldwin, Claudia Toma, Adam Meyrick, Costa Harrison, Mark Burrows
structural engineers: Bedir Bekar, Tim Lucas, Giulio Gianni, Price & Myers
plywood sponsor: Ben Price, Plykea – Here East
screw pile foundation contractor: Radix Group, Dundee Scotland
project partner: Harry Watkins, St Andrews Botanic Garden
design tutors: Ben Spong, Pradeep Devadass
program director: Peter Scully
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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
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