Digital Timber Construction at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
Aimed at established construction professionals, this short course by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) explores the possibilities of wood as a building material.
This course is now closed
Digital Timber Construction is a four-day course from EPFL designed for construction professionals – architects, engineers, contractors, timber manufacturers – who want to explore building with wood.
As the construction industry shifts toward sustainable, bio-based materials to meet climate challenges, timber is emerging as a key part of the solution, from new buildings and urban densification to renovation projects.
Offered by EPFL’s Laboratory for Timber Constructions (IBOIS), this Microcredential course, worth 2 ECTS, immerses participants in the computational workflows that are reshaping how timber structures are designed and built.
Over the course, participants will learn advanced CAD methods for standard and bespoke timber structures, experiment with laser scanning and point clouds to design with round wood, and discover how to integrate fabrication, assembly, and structural engineering constraints into mass timber projects.
Real-world case studies such as the Vidy Theater and Annen Headquarters, bring these tools to life.
Led by director of EPFL Yves Weinand and a team of IBOIS experts, the course combines theory, hands-on exercises, and a final personal project, culminating in a Microcredential Certificate for successful participants.
School: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
Course: Digital Timber Construction
Type: short course
Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
Course dates: 21, 22, 27 and 28 November 2026
Application deadline: 28 September 2026
What will I learn during this course?
– The current trends and challenges for the timber construction industry
– Advanced CAD methods for the design of standard and bespoke timber structures
– Laser scanning and point clouds to create structures out of round wood
– Innovative computational tools to boost efficiency and creativity from design to construction
– How to integrate fabrication, assembly, and structural engineering constraints in mass timber construction projects
What are the requirements?
Basic knowledge of Computer-Aided Design (CAD), ideally on Rhinoceros 6 or 7. Participants lacking this skill must go through self-paced online training (approx. four hours) made available one month before the course start.
What facilities and resources are available?
On-site classrooms and Moodle access.
What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?
This course adds high-value technical knowledge, proving that you understand the computational workflows used to digitise the wood industry.
Who teaches this course?
– Yves Weinand, director of IBOIS, EPFL; principal investigator at the NCCR
– Nicolas Rogeau, postdoctoral researcher and lecturer, IBOIS and EPFL
– Damien Gilliard, doctoral assistant and lecturer, IBOIS and EPFL
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