Building the future: University of Stuttgart opens the open day!

Building the future: University of Stuttgart opens the open day!

On October 2, 2025, Prof. Peter Middendorf, Rector of the University of Stuttgart, opened the open day of the IntCDC Cluster of Excellence in the Large-Scale Construction Robotics Laboratory (LCRL) in Waiblingen. This event attracted numerous representatives from ministries, associations and industry, including the Ministry of Science, Research and Art and the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg. Media representatives were also on site to gain insights into the future of construction.

The central theme of the event was the exchange of knowledge within the IntCDC industry consortium, which promotes the implementation of research results. The second postdoc network meeting of the research network AdvanceAEC, which acts as the founding initiator of the cluster, also took place. The aim of these initiatives is to fundamentally modernize the design and construction process, particularly through computer-aided methods.

Sustainability and innovation in focus

The Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture” attaches great importance to the ecological, economic and social relevance of architecture. According to current forecasts, 400,000 new residential and commercial units need to be created in German cities every year. At the same time, the construction industry consumes over 40% of global resources and energy. This pressure on the industry requires innovative approaches to increase productivity, which has stagnated for decades.

Digital technologies offer new solutions here. However, adoption is often slow and fragmented. The main goal of the cluster is to exploit the full potential of digital technologies to develop new methods for design and construction. The focus is on interdisciplinary collaboration in the areas of architecture, civil engineering and computer science.

The challenges of digitalization in the construction industry

A recent study on digitalization in the construction industry, which was carried out as part of the “Digital Construction Management” (DiCoMa) consortium project, identified various challenges. Interviews with 26 industry experts revealed that efficient construction and better collaboration can be achieved through digital solutions. However, there are technical obstacles such as problems with data exchange and data quality.

The obstacles to digitalization are manifold: A lack of personnel and a lack of know-how are just as problematic as high acquisition costs and the structural pressure of the procurement process. The use of 4D modeling software and other digital tools is already in place, but many potentials are not yet being exploited.

These challenges could be addressed with further training measures, the establishment of standards for data transmission and closer cooperation between companies and research institutions. Political support is needed to create legal frameworks for digital projects.

The commitment of the IntCDC Cluster of Excellence and the associated initiatives show that the construction of tomorrow must not only be designed digitally, but also sustainably and holistically. The University of Stuttgart plays a key role here and contributes to the creation of a livable and digital building culture. Further information can be found on the websites of the University of Stuttgart and the partner institutions: uni-stuttgart.de, excellencestrategy.de, iese.fraunhofer.de.