Wind room with artificial tornado generated by fog and high-performance drum fan

Windraum
2019 Kallmann-Museum Ismaning, Germany  

Walk-in wind room made of 96 triangular multiplex wood panels. When joined together they form a 2.90 m high and 5.12 m wide structure, the ceiling of which is also made of wood and forms a lamella circle. In the middle of the ceiling is a high performance fan with a diameter of 93 cm, generating a cyclone by means of artificial fog, which collapses after a short time to form itself again in varying form. The installation thus offers an impressive picture of the threatening forces of nature, which at the same time possess their own fascination and beauty.  
Direct effects of climate change are the destructive forces of cyclones, which are painfully experienced by those affected, but whose structure as a whole remains largely invisible from Earth. By using artificial means to create a tornado in the "Windraum", it unfolds these forces on a small scale and thus makes its development comprehensible. Enclosed in a space, the wind-rose moves in a tense relationship between the uncontrollable forces of nature and human attempts to control these forces. 

The form and construction principle of Buckminster Fuller (geodesic dome) was repeatedly adopted in various projects - skyplace 2002 Bali and 2018 Tensegrity Wiesloch, Germany.  

Research and spatial development using CAD technology: The 96 triangles of the wind room were manufactured with a multi-axis CNC woodworking machine. Several angles were cut in a single work process, fastener holders were milled into the side edges and holes for tools were drilled on the surfaces. The complexity of the unfolding (incl. back milling) was made possible by the digital production method, which was chosen to reduce the amount of material required. This process resulted in a space made from plates without further support or reinforcing elements.

 

 

 


changing forms of the tornadao in the object room


Installation inside the Kallmann-Museum, photo: Patrik Graf


First assembly in a hall

Scientific consulting and technical implementation of the Tornado: Chair of Building Technology and Climate Responsive Design at the TUM  
Project development and project management: David Briels    
Consulting and technical implementation of timber construction: Patrick Fritz, Schreinerei Wetzl, Schwindegg