A new live project will bring together innovation, technology and craftsmanship
LIGNA.27, the world’s leading trade fair for the woodworking and wood processing industry, will host a remarkable live project in the field of timber construction. Between May 10 and 14, a full-scale residential building will be built step by step in the open-air area of the fair using a modern timber frame construction system.
The project, where visitors will be able to follow the entire process from the foundation slab to the topping-out ceremony, will be carried out under the name LIGNA.Builds. The new format will be realized in cooperation with holzbau.tech, Rosenheim, which has many years of expertise in modern timber construction. Scientific supervision of the project will be provided by Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences.
A Real Residential Building Will Be Built at the Fairground
The live construction site, to be located next to the expo roof, will offer visitors the opportunity to closely follow the entire building process. The most important feature that makes the project special is that the structure to be built will not be merely a demonstration model. The building constructed during LIGNA will be a full-scale and functional home.
After the fair, the building will be carefully dismantled, transported to its permanent location and rebuilt on the homeowner’s plot.
Stephanie Wagner, Head of LIGNA at Deutsche Messe AG, stated that the idea for LIGNA.Builds emerged during the early stages of fair planning:
“When we were evaluating which themes and highlights would be most relevant for LIGNA.27, the idea of building a house quickly developed from an ambitious concept into a clear vision. We wanted to create something that every LIGNA exhibitor and visitor could relate to. This project needed to have a tangible and visible connection to the industry while also leaving a lasting impression. This idea led us to the concept of building a house live during the trade fair. The project will bring together the expertise of multiple technology and material partners. We named this project LIGNA.Builds and found the perfect partner to bring this vision to life in Prof. Andreas Heinzmann and his team from holzbau.tech in Rosenheim.”
Timber Structures Are at the Center of Sustainable Construction
Timber construction systems are emerging worldwide as one of the most important solutions for meeting the growing needs of sustainable construction. Short construction times, high levels of prefabrication, resource-efficient material use and digital production processes make modern timber construction a strong field of innovation within the construction industry.
LIGNA.Builds is positioned as a new and impressive live format that will allow visitors to directly experience this transformation.
Prof. Andreas Heinzmann, Managing Director of holzbau.tech Rosenheim, shared the following assessment of the project:
“We are very pleased to be a partner of the LIGNA.Builds project. This initiative impressively demonstrates what modern timber construction systems are capable of today. It combines digital processes, industrial prefabrication and skilled craftsmanship in a holistic experience. Visitors will be able to observe and experience this process directly at the fairground during LIGNA.”
Heinzmann also stated that after the fair, the building will be dismantled, transported to the customer’s land and rebuilt there. After this stage, subsequent construction processes such as roofing, building services and interior finishing will be completed.
“In this respect, LIGNA.Builds is a highly sustainable project. For us as holzbau.tech, this represents project delivery from start to finish and fully aligns with our core company philosophy.”
LIGNA.Builds Will Showcase the Entire Value Chain of Timber Frame Construction
LIGNA.Builds will make the entire modern timber frame construction process visible. From the initial concept development stage to the definition of structural elements, from material and component selection to production planning, engineering, industrial prefabrication and on-site assembly, the whole process will be presented to visitors.
The focus of the project will not only be on the machines and technologies presented by LIGNA exhibitors, but also on how these elements work together across the entire value chain.
Stephanie Wagner emphasized that LIGNA.Builds will make visible how strongly modern timber construction processes are interconnected:
“With LIGNA.Builds, we are showing how closely connected the entire process chain of modern timber construction is. Visitors will not only see the machines and products exhibited at participant stands, but also experience the entire journey from raw timber to a completed building live. This level of integration is exactly what makes LIGNA unique worldwide.”
LIGNA exhibitors will play an active role in the project throughout the fair. Exhibitors will provide materials and tools, while some building components will be manufactured on machines in the exhibition halls. Depending on the size of the elements, some components will be transported to the construction site at night for safety reasons, while suitable components will be brought to the area live during fair hours.
The assembly of the building components and the construction of the home will take place during regular visitor hours on all fair days.
More Than a Live Construction Site
LIGNA.Builds is designed not only as a live construction site, but also as an experience-oriented event format for exhibitors and visitors. The program will include guided site tours, live assembly demonstrations and interviews on selected topics.
The topping-out ceremony, expected to take place on Thursday during the fair, will be one of the project’s highlights. At this stage, the building will be officially handed over to its owner and end customer.
Digitalization, Prefabrication and the Timber Construction Market
Modern timber construction is regarded as one of the most dynamic growth areas in the construction industry. The possibility of serial and modular prefabrication, significantly shorter construction times and the environmental advantages of wood as a renewable material are among the main drivers of this growth.
At the same time, digitalization through BIM, CNC production, robotic applications and automated production processes offers new opportunities in terms of quality, precision and efficiency.
As the world’s leading trade fair for the woodworking and wood processing industry, LIGNA has long brought together the technologies, machinery, materials and expertise required for modern timber construction. LIGNA.Builds will build a bridge between mechanical engineering, industrial production, skilled craftsmanship and the rapidly growing timber construction market, showing how innovations in woodworking directly contribute to sustainable building projects.
An Experience Completed by LIGNA.Builds Village and LIGNA.TruckStop
LIGNA.Builds will be supported by two additional formats in the open-air area. LIGNA.Builds Village is designed as an exhibitor area with a village concept. In compact wooden pavilions of nine square meters, technology providers and service companies will present their solutions, products and services for modern timber construction.
This village format will support direct communication among construction professionals, architects, planners, investors and all professional groups involved in timber construction processes. In this way, the live construction site will become a broader platform for networking, inspiration and business development.
Next to the LIGNA.Builds area will be LIGNA.TruckStop. This format, first held in 2025 and now being organized for the second time, will be aimed especially at craft and application professionals. Manufacturers will showcase power tools, connectors, fastening technologies and wood-based materials directly from demonstration trucks and vans.
Live demonstrations, technical presentations and networking opportunities will create a strong practice-oriented meeting point for carpenters, joiners and timber construction professionals.
A New Hub in the Open-Air Area: Technology, Application and Professional Interaction
Together, LIGNA.Builds, LIGNA.Builds Village, LIGNA.TruckStop and the action and demonstration truck stage will create a new central meeting point in the open-air area.
While a building rises at the live construction site, companies in the Village area will present complementary solutions along the value chain. TruckStop will bring tools, equipment and solutions from daily practice directly to visitors.
This structure will create an integrated trade fair experience that uniquely brings together technology, application and professional interaction.
With LIGNA.Builds, LIGNA is adding a new event format to its portfolio that does not merely talk about the transformation of construction, but demonstrates it live. Together with the key players shaping the future of timber construction, the project will present this transformation in an open, practical and experienceable way.