| Time: | May 7, 2024, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
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During our recent ViNe visit, Prof. Lucio Blandini, Head of the ILEK and Cluster-PI, provided an enlightening overview of the Institute's rich history. He traced its beginnings from Emil Mörsch's pioneering research in reinforced concrete theory, through Carl Deininger's remarkable tall chimney constructions, to Fritz Leonhardt's influential work in reinforced and prestressed concrete, bridge construction, and tower engineering. In 1964, Frei Otto founded the Institute for Lightweight Structures (IL), which focused on wide-span surface structures and natural constructions, culminating in Otto's Pritzker Prize in 2015. Professors Jörg Schlaich and Werner Sobek introduced design education, which lead to the merger of the Institute for Design and Construction II with the IL to form the Institute for Lightweight Design and Construction, now led by Prof. Blandini, who also emphasises digitalisation and the circular economy.
ILEK has a highly interdisciplinary approach, integrating architectural design with engineering expertise in analysis, construction, and materials science.
The Institute emphasises the holistic development of building technologies, façades and structural systems, with a particular focus on their life cycle from design to disassembly.
Following this introduction Daria Kovaleva, a PhD student and winner of the IntCDC “Blue Sky” Project Grant 2023, shared her insights into her research work on fully recyclable sand formwork for curved concrete structures and delved into her work on the potential for achieving carbon neutrality in lightweight concrete through accelerated carbonation.
Engaging presentations sparked an intense discussion before Daria led us on a tour of the iconic ILEK tent, designed by Frei Otto six decades ago. Here, we explored valuable exhibits representing the Institute's research, including a soap bubble laboratory and various concrete and basalt samples.
Professor Blandini guided us to the adaptive high-rise D1244. Along the way, he highlighted the Stuttgart Glass Shell, his own PhD project already existing for 20 years now. He introduced the adaptive high-rise, showcasing innovative features such as the ground floor's adaptive technology, façade elements made of carbon and basalt fibres or the magnetic touch-sensitive façade for communication.
Climbing the building with PhD student Jonathan Hernandez Lopez, provided a deeper insight into the research objectives of the adaptive façades, which vary from floor to floor.
Many thanks to Prof. Blandini, Daria Kovaleva, Jonathan Hernandez Lopez, and the whole welcoming team at ILEK for making this excursion both valuable and engaging.
ViNe, the IntCDC Networking Programme, aims to promote mutual acquaintance, interdisciplinary exchange and cross-disciplinary understanding between researchers from around eighteen institutes at the University of Stuttgart and one MPI, encompassing architecture, structural engineering, building physics, engineering geodesy, manufacturing and systems engineering, computer science and robotics, and human and social sciences.
