roof support system composed of a honeycomb of irregular plywood cells spanning between primary steel beams

Industrial Pavilion in Germany

Like the Brochstein Pavilion at Rice University, the new cafeteria building on the Trumpf GmbH & Co. KG industrial campus in Ditzingen, Germany, offers as a central gathering place for both blue-collar and white-collar employees. The building serves primarily as a food-service facility, but can also function as an auditorium.

Designed by Barkow Leibinger Architects, the structure consists of a large canopy roof over a 5,400-square-meter (500-square-foot) space, enclosed largely by glass facades. The main level is set four meters (13 feet) below grade to align with an underground tunnel system that allows all-weather movement between buildings. The glazing was chosen to reduce heat gain, which is further minimized by a series of rolling screens stored in floor pockets.

The architects worked with structural engineer Werner Sobek to develop the roof structure, which combines a steel frame and columns with a glulam-wood-cell infill. Each wood-framed cell contains either a skylight, perforated wood acoustical planking, or artificial lighting modified by an aluminum-honeycombed deflector.

http://www.architectureweek.com/2010/0210/news_1-2.html