AXISVM (Inter-CAD Kft.)

3️⃣5️⃣ As part of our 35th anniversary celebration, we're highlighting another remarkable project designed using AXISVM.

This week, we're taking you to Zürich, Switzerland, where the Pavilion of Reflections floated on Lake Zürich during the summer of 2016 as the public heart of Manifesta 11.

🔺 Designed by with structural engineering by Holzbaubüro Reusser GmbH (Winterthur), this extraordinary timber pavilion was conceived and built by more than 30 architecture students from ETH Zurich. Serving as a meeting place, open-air cinema, swimming platform, and public forum, the pavilion transformed the lake into a vibrant urban gathering space.

Built almost entirely from European spruce, the structure rests on floating steel caissons and showcases an elegant system of timber lattice roofs and simple screwed connections. The project itself was as inspiring as the final result—students spent ten months developing concepts, building prototypes, and collaborating with engineers, experts, and volunteers to bring this ambitious vision to life.

A perfect example of how innovative structural engineering and bold architectural ideas come together to create something truly unforgettable.

For more images, visit our website:

Pavilion of Reflections Switzerland RECOMMENDATIONS PAVILION OF REFLECTIONS ZURICH, SWITZERLANDSTRUCTURAL DESIGN: Holzbaubüro Reusser GmbH, WinterthurARCHITECT: Studio Tom EmersonYEAR: 2016

🥳3️⃣5️⃣ As part of our 35th anniversary celebration, we're highlighting remarkable projects from around the world that demonstrate the creativity and engineering excellence of the AXISVM community.

🇪🇸 This week, we're featuring the Gabriel García Márquez Library in Barcelona, Spain — a project that has captured international attention since its inauguration in 2022.

Designed by SUMA Arquitectura, the library quickly became both a public and critical success, earning numerous prestigious awards, including the City of Barcelona Award, the FAD Architecture Award, and perhaps most notably, the 2023 "Best Public Library in the World" award presented by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

At first glance, the building appears as a simple cube, but a series of carefully crafted chamfered cut-outs, fragmented façades, and alternating transparent and textured surfaces create a dynamic architectural expression inspired by stacks of books.

Behind the striking architecture lies an equally innovative structural concept. The building utilizes a hybrid system of glued laminated timber, cross-laminated timber (CLT), and steel, combining structural efficiency with sustainability. Three structural cores are connected by a sophisticated system of beams and steel ties, while prefabricated components and certified timber help reduce the project's environmental footprint.

Wood plays a central role not only in the load-bearing structure but throughout the interior, creating warm and welcoming spaces for visitors. The exterior is finished with distinctive white resin-fiberglass cladding and vertical louvers, giving the building its unique character.

We're proud that projects like this have been engineered with the support of AXISVM, helping engineers bring innovative and sustainable structures to life.

Link to some images: https://axisvm.hu/gabriel-garcia-marquez-konyvtar/

GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ KÖNYVTÁR REFERENCIA PROJEKTEK GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ KÖNYVTÁR BARCELONA, SPANYOLORSZÁG STATIKAI TERVEZÉS: Miguel A. R. NevadoÉPÍTÉSZ: Elena Orte, Guillermo