#caschlatsch wins Norman Blank Prize 2024

The Caschlatsch project has received the 2024 Norman Blank Prize. This project, led by Gramazio Kohler Research, was created in collaboration with a team from Disentis/Mustér. It focuses on building a wooden frame structure at a historic site in the Grison Mountains. The structure combines traditional craftsmanship with robotic technology.

Prof. Dr. Robert Flatt hands over the Norbert Blank Prize 2024 to Dr. Oliver Bucklin, Petrus Aejmelaeus-Lindström and Ananya Kango for #caschlatsch. Photo: Lea Keller/ NCCR DFAB

The #caschlatsch project has received the 2024 Norman Blank Prize. This project, led by Gramazio Kohler Research, was developed in collaboration with a team from Disentis/Mustér. It combines traditional timber craftsmanship with robotic technology, to build a wooden frame structure at a historic site in the Grison Mountains.

NCCR DFAB researcher Dr. Oliver Bucklin together with students from the MAS ETH DFAB programme at ETH Zurich, led by Dr. Petrus Aejmelaeus-Lindström, designed the structure using parametric modeling. They redefined the design with advanced tools like virtual and augmented reality, enabling robots and humans to collaborate in the assembly process by combining machine precision with human adaptability.

The #caschlatsch structure was built in spring 2024 in the Surselva region of Switzerland.

About the Norman Blank Prize

The Norman Blank Prize is presented each year by the NCCR DFAB for outstanding work in digital fabrication. The award was created by Norman Blank, a chemist and former Chief of Research at Sika AG. The award highlights innovative projects that combine technology and sustainability to solve real-world challenges. Read more about the Norman Blank Prize here.

Read more about this years winning project Caschlatsch.

Previous Prize Winners

2023
Dr. Ana Anton, Dr. Lex Reiter, and Dr. Lukas Gebhard were recognized for their groundbreaking work on Concrete 3D Printing, exploring new possibilities for additive manufacturing in construction.

2021
The HiLo Funicular Floors project, led by Dr. Francesco Ranaudo, Dr. Andrei Jipa, and Dr. Gearoid Lydon, introduced lightweight and efficient floor systems using innovative tension structures.

2020
Prof. Dr. Ena Lloret-Fritischi and Dr. Joris Burger received the award for their dual projects, Eggshell and Future Tree, which combined minimal material usage with experimental construction methods.

2019
Prof. Dr. Mariana Popescu and Dr. Lex Reiter earned the award for Knit Candela, an intricate, lightweight structure created with advanced knitting techniques and innovative formwork.