Timbrelyn

Timbrelyn is a robotically fabricated installation that explores resource-aware approaches to construction through digital design and fabrication. Created for the 2024 Bethel Woods Art and Architecture Festival, the project demonstrates how computational design, artificial intelligence, and robotics can be harnessed to build expressive, low-carbon structures from short lengths of both reclaimed and new lumber. Located at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts—the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival—the installation responds to its wooded setting by weaving layered timber patterns that frame views, filter light, and cast shifting shadows across the site.

The installation incorporates built-in seating and a raised platform, supporting informal public gatherings during art and music events. Its form is both functional and sculptural, expressing the dual role of wood as material and medium for digital craft. Timber subassemblies were prefabricated at Princeton University before being transported and manually assembled on site, minimizing disruption and accelerating construction.

At the core of the project is an adaptive robotic workflow designed to work with irregular reclaimed wood. Through computer vision, the robot scans salvaged pieces, selects and processes suitable members, and integrates them into modules that satisfy structural and aesthetic constraints. This closed-loop method enables the reuse of materials from deconstructed buildings, giving new life to wood otherwise destined for waste streams.

By merging reclaimed timber with computational fabrication, Timbrelyn advances a sustainable model of circular construction. It illustrates how digital tools can unlock enhanced sustainability and architectural creativity in wood design.