For the final jury, representatives from Friedwald Kalletal selected the top four (two third prices) pavilion designs, envisioning their potential for future realization as serene shelters to host visitors during farewell ceremonies.
On October 11th 2025, the final presentation of the Friedwald Pavilion project took place at the Detmold School of Design, TH OWL, with representatives from Landesverband Lippe e.V., including chairman Mr. Düning-Gast and district forester Mr. Homuth, in attendance. This event marked the final of a design challenge supported by Landesverband Lippe e.V., which generously provided prize money for the winning proposals. The jury, consisting of project supporters, guests, and experts Álvaro Valderrama and Hans Sachs from TH OWL, selected four outstanding designs from the submissions.
Project Background
The project tasked students with designing a pavilion or roof structure for a “Friedwald” (forest cemetery) using regionally sourced wood. The pavilion is intended as a space for funeral ceremonies, providing shelter for approximately 35 seated attendees and an officiating priest or speaker. The design brief emphasized on Material Responsiveness, Generative Design and Hybrid Material Approaches incorporating hybrid materials with wood to achieve specific structural and aesthetic outcomes.
Working in teams of two, students applied a material-driven design approach, leveraging their skills in parametric design and digital fabrication using Grasshopper, a visual programming plugin for Rhino3D.
Winning Proposals
The jury recognized four proposals for their outstanding creativity, technical rigor, and alignment with the project’s objectives. Each winning team demonstrated a unique interpretation of the design brief.







Mr. Düning-Gast and Mr. Homuth praised the students for their dedication and ingenuity. “The designs not only respect the ethos of the Friedwald concept but also push the boundaries of what is possible with regional wood,” said Prof. Hans Sachs and Álvaro Valderrama, who taught the module in the summer term 2024.
The Friedwald Pavilion project exemplifies the integration of generative design, material science, and sustainable construction practices. The collaboration with Landesverband Lippe e.V. provided an invaluable opportunity for students to tackle real-world challenges while exploring innovative approaches to architectural design. The four winning proposals stand as a testament to the potential of regionally sourced materials and computational design in creating meaningful and responsive structures for sacred spaces.