So what goes on the roof? Ideas and products for the tops of buildings

The DACH+HOLZ International trade fair in Cologne is the top meeting place for the international roofing and timber-construction industry. It takes place every two years in alternation with the Stuttgart location. From 20 to 23 February, 550 exhibitors will be showcasing their new products and innovations, focusing on digitalisation, residential construction, fire protection and roof greening. Although mainly aimed at roofers, plumbers and carpenters, the fair also has a lot to offer architects. On the one hand there is "The future of roofs" architectural forum organised by Detail on 21 February, at which three start-up companies will present their ideas – for example, for adding storeys to modular multi-storey car parks; an intermediary platform between building owners, architects and tradesmen for unused roofs on existing buildings; and the construction of community gardens on roofs. In addition, Rudi Scheuermann, architect and head of the Building Envelope team at Arup, will present the research project "Cities Alive: green building-envelopes". The following day, the focus will shift to timber construction. At the Architecture Forum, six speakers will present residential construction projects made of wood and designed by international architects. These will include Jürgen Bartenschlag from Sauerbruch Hutton, who will present the Woodie student residence in Hamburg; Xaver Egger from SEHW Architektur, who will present an entire residential model for urban nomads in Berlin, built by his office using prefabricated solid-wood elements in a modular system design; and Fabian Scheurer of Design-to-Production from Switzerland, who will focus on digital solutions that optimise building with wood.

www.dach-holz.de