Forms,their aspects and their formation processes in architecture and nature

Abstract

Short presentation of the key topics of research of Frei Otto and his teams at IL, with emphasis on the comprehensive investigations on form generating processes, the mutual interdependence of forms as a geometrically measurable, space creating entities and their structural qualities. This was one of the primary research topics at IL, which was studied in different contexties, like prestressed membranes, grid shells, form generation in living nature. Similar questions lead also to the investigations on structures of non-planed settlements, their form generation processes and their characteristics. The article conclude with a short presentation of the author’s latter investigations at the University of Innsbruck, “Institut für Konstruktion und Gestaltung” - “koge” on the phenomena of irregularity and on multilayer membranes, studies which are based on the experiences winned at IL.