News
Building the Tower of Babylon
30.01.2011
Sign up for this interdisciplinary design workshop which will build a tower for less than CHF 1000,- on ETH Science City, addressing local materials, sustainability and the limits of our society. The selected student team (bringing together students from architecture, civil engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering...) will compete with their tower in an international student competition, organized by the GlobalTech Alliance. This elective will be guided by Prof. Em. Dr. Werner Oechslin, founder and director of the Werner Oechslin Library Foundation in Einsiedeln, Prof. Block, and Diederik Veenendaal.More infoMore info
Vaulting workshop in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
05.01.2011
As a result of the success of the SUDU prototype, built at the EiABC in Addis Ababa, the Heinrich Böll Foundation Ethiopia has invited the BLOCK Research Group to organize a workshop on structural vaulting with soil-pressed tiles. Prof. Block and Lara Davis will train local people in thin-tile vaulting in workshops in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa from Jan 31 to Feb 4.
Free-Form Masonry on WIRED.COM
04.01.2011
Via eat-a-bug.blogspot.com, our research on Free-Form Masonry Shells got blogged on the wired.com "Beyond the Beyond" section, which provides coverage of an eclectic range of technology topics. Check out the post here.
Bridge with Fabric Formwork for ARC Competition
02.12.2010
For their entry in the ARC competition, Dutch architectural firm Zwarts & Jansma has consulted with Diederik Veenendaal. Their design for a wildlife crossing in Denver (USA) includes some of our specialties; a thin concrete shell cast in a cable-net, fabric formwork. Their submission and those of the other finalists are now available for download at the ARC website.More InfoMore Info
Prof. Block invited to Structural Morphology Group of the IASS
26.11.2010
Prof. Block has been invited to lead the 'Curved Surface Structures' study group of Working Group 15, Structural Morphology (SMG), of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS). The BLOCK Research Group is looking forward to taking a leading role in pushing innovation in expressive, and efficient surface structures.More Info
Prof. Block wins Golden Owl 2010
20.11.2010
Prof. Block has been awarded The Golden Owl 2010 at the ETH-Tag on November 20, 2010. The award for engagement and excellence in teaching is given by the ETH Zurich Student Association, after nominations by the student body. Prof. Block was winner for the Department of Architecture.
Special issue of ATDF Journal on Architecture and Development
27.10.2010
The special issue of the ATDF Journal "Design-Revolution in Architecture and its Impact on Development", edited by Prof. Block, was published online. The issue features many interesting contributions, including articles about the Mapungubwe National Park Interpretive Center in South Africa and NESTown in Ethiopia.More Info
Lecture at Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin
20.10.2010
Prof. Block has been invited by Dr.-Ing. Karl-Eugen Kurrer to give a lecture about his PhD research in the Lecture series "Praktiken und Potentiale von Bautechnikgeschichte". Prof. Block's first German lecture, entitled "Neue Studien zum Dreidimensionalen Gleichgewicht von Gewölben", will be held at the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin on Thursday November 18 at 18:00.More Info
Lecture at Seoul National University, South Korea
15.10.2010
Prof. Block has been invited by Prof. Sung-Gul Hong to present his research on innovation in form finding and three-dimensional equilibrium at the Department of Architecture & Architectural Engineering of the Seoul National University, South Korea. The lecture "Learning from the old master builders: Designing exciting and efficient shell structures" will be held on November 16 (Time and place TBD).
IASS 2010 Symposium in Shanghai
14.10.2010
The BLOCK Research Group will be strongly represented at the upcoming symposium of the International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures on November 8-12 in Shanghai, China. At IASS 2010 "Spatial Structures - Temporary and Permanent", Prof. Block, Lorenz Lachauer, Matthias Rippmann and Dr. Tom Van Mele will present their research on novel form finding approaches.
Lecture at the LGG, EPF Lausanne
13.10.2010
Prof. Block has been invited by Prof. Mark Pauly to present the BLOCK Research Group's research work on constraint-based optimization at the Laboratoire d'Informatique Graphique et Géométrique of the EPFL in Lausanne. Title talk is "Form Finding to Fabrication: An integrative digital design process for free-form masonry vaults". The teams hope that this can be the start of fruitful collaborations.More Info
Lecture at University of Cambridge, UK
08.10.2010
Prof. Block has been invited by Profs. Matthew DeJong and Michael Ramage to present his research at the Engineering Department Structures Research Seminar at the University of Cambridge, UK. His lecture, entitled "Exploiting Structural Indeterminacy: Free-form unreinforced stone shells", will be held at the Department of Engineering in Lecture 4, Ground floor on Thursday October 28, at 17:00. More Info
