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Institute for Lightweight Structuresand Conceptual Design

Pfaffenwaldring 7 + 1470569 StuttgartGermany

T +49 711 / 685 63599F +49 711 / 685 63789

www.uni-stuttgart.de/ilekinfo@ilek.uni-stuttgart.de

University

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English

Stuttgart

KarlsruheSingenMunich

o. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Dr. h.c. Werner Sobek

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Balthasar Novák Jun.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dirk Schwede, PhD

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In both its research and its teaching activities, the Institute for Light-weight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK) at the University of Stuttgart merges the architectural subject areas of design and form with the engineering fields of ana-lysis, construction, and material science.

Following a highly interdisciplinary approach, the institute focuses on the conceptual and crossmaterial development of all types of buil-ding technologies and structural systems and on the research and development of innovative building materials.

The scope of work spans from textile and glass construction, to new possibilities in steel and pre-stressed concrete design, to ultra-lightweight structures using adapti-ve systems.

From the individual details to the overall system, the aim is to optimi-ze form and structure with respect to energy and resource consumpti-on, durability and reliability, recy-cling potential and environmental sustainability.

Vital to the success of this ap-proach is the integration of the ins-titute in an active international net-work with other leading research and teaching institutions, as well as the collaboration with numerous industry partners.

Part of the ILEK is housed in the famous tent structure, originally erected as a prototype to test the construction and assembly proce-dure of the German Pavilion for the World Exhibition 1967 in Montreal.

Today, the building in Pfaffenwal-dring 14 is widely regarded as an icon of modern architecture.

Picture credits: © ILEK1 Zooey Braun2 Bosch Rexroth

In 1994 Werner Sobek assumed the chair of Frei Otto, and succee-ded Jörg Schlaich in 2001. Both professors contributed fundamen-tally to the worldwide reputation of the University of Stuttgart with their work in the fields of light-weight structures and solid building and thereby advanced its high level of recognition both for lightweight and concrete structures.

The foundation of today‘s institute was already laid in 1916 by Emil Mörsch, who founded the former institute for solid construction, which occupied a leading postition in the research-field of reinforced concrete.

The successive heads of the insti-tute Karl Deininger, Fritz Leonhardt and Jörg Schlaich further extended the reputation established by Emil Mörsch.

The ILEK‘s second line of tradi-tion lies in the 1964 by Frei Otto founded Institute for Lightweight Structures, which quickly became renowned because of its‘ revoluti-onary research studies with light-weight constructions.

By merging both chairs in a symbo-lic act in 2001, Werner Sobek reu-nited two disciplines, architecture and engineering, which have been increasingly separated over the last two centuries.

Balthasar Novák works as an Asso-ciate Professor at the ILEK with an emphasis on structural engineering and on material- and security re-search. Furthermore he is involved in German and European Standard Committees and in the setup of de-gree courses in civil engineering at Universities in Mandi and Cairo.

Since 2012 Dirk Schwede holds the position of the Junior Professor “Sustainable Design“ endowed by the Robert Bosch Stiftung.

Research studies in the fields of lightweight structures, facade and graded concrete technologies are coordinated by Dr. Walter Haase.