Lecture: Material (In)formation: Computing Material Gestalt

Professor Achim Menges is an architect and professor at Stuttgart University where he is the founding director of Institute for Computational Design. Currently he also is Visiting Professor in Architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He taught at the AA School of Architecture as Studio Master of the Emergent Technologies and Design Graduate Program from 2002 to 2009 and as Unit Master of Diploma Unit 4 from 2003 to 2006. From 2005 to 2008 he was Professor for Form Generation and Materialisation at the HfG Offenbach University for Art and Design in Germany. In addition he has held visiting professorships in Europe and the United States. Achim Menges practice and research focuses on the development of integral design processes at the intersection of evolutionary computation, algorithmic design, biomimetic engineering and computer aided manufacturing that enables a highly articulated, performative built environment. His work is based on an interdisciplinary approach in collaboration with structural engineers, biomimetic engineers, computer scientists, material scientists and biologists, and his institute is part of the German Competence Network for Biomimetics and the German Competence Network of Computer Science in Architecture. His research projects have been published and exhibited worldwide and received numerous international awards. Achim Menges has lectured widely and published more than 100 papers and articles and 10 books on his research in recent years. Lectures are free and open to the public. They are located in the Gin D. Wong, FAIA Conference Center, Harris Hall, on the University Park campus. No reservations are required. Parking is available on campus at Gate 1 off Exposition Blvd. USC School of Architecture