The Way to the Willows

Robot-welded prototypes of Lichtenfels’ willow architecture are on display in the Archive of the Future's showroom: 3D prints of forking branches and Cobot-welded tree trunks.

Weiden Prototyp

The design of the new building on market square blends leading-edge technology with the basket-weaving tradition of the city of Lichtenfels. The base material of basket weaving is willow wood. Two strikingly innovative steel trees arch up and over the glass pavilion of the new building.


Their construction posed immense challenges to architects and builders. Visual radiance, structural stability and material longevity are of fundamental concern. The showroom exhibition displayed prototypes detailing the complex developmental processes behind the willows’ architectural design and construction. The 3D models on display represent several stages in the creative quest for optimum solutions.

Find out more about the exhibition in our magazine article.