Press Release

Interdisciplinary design On the relationship between analysis and synthesis

A lecture held on 3 July 2014 at 18:15 at the Oskar von Miller Forum by Werner Sobek, ILEK (Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design) at the University of

Today, when ever more complex buildings are being designed to satisfy ever more stringent demands, the question has to be asked, in which context and under which framework conditions is our built environment actually created. What role can and should architects – and engineers – play?

In the design phase of a building a number of iterative processes occur. Although sophisticated analytical methods can help in decision-making, geometric design, stability, joining of different materials or building energetics are not the only considerations. Design also involves lighting effects, colour and shade, surface finishes, micro and macro structures, temperature control and much more. Not infrequently, unquantifiable or intangible factors play a role.

But how can all of these factors be integrated to form a complex whole that works? Knowledge of how art is created cannot be expressed in writing. However, learning and understanding can be fostered through constant practice. And it’s imperative that this practice begins in the universities. Only by learning the language of the “other” will interdisciplinary design become possible at all.

About Werner Sobek

Prof. Dr. Dr. E.h. Dr. h.c. Werner Sobek is an architect and consultant engineer. He heads the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK) at the . From 2008 to 2014 he was Mies van der Rohe Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology in . Werner Sobek is also visiting professor at numerous universities at home in and abroad. He is the founder of the Werner Sobek Group, a worldwide alliance of planning offices for architecture, structural design, façade planning, sustainability consulting and design. The work of the group is characterized by high-quality design and ingenious concepts for minimizing energy and materials consumption.

Oskar von Miller Forum Oskar-von-Miller-Ring 25 D- 80333 Tel. + 49 89 15 88 33 80 [email protected] www.oskarvonmillerforum.de