Prof. L. Blandini

Change of baton at the ILEK

May 20, 2020 / HKom Mayer-Grenu/kur

Prof. Lucio Blandini is the new head of the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design at the Faculty - Prof. Werner Sobek remains active as a source of ideas.
[Picture: LB]

In spring 2020, the Italian civil engineer and architect Prof. Dr. Lucio Blandini took over as head of the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK) at the Faculty 2 of the University of Stuttgartz. He succeeds Prof. Werner Sobek, who merged the ILEK from two predecessor institutes and led it to great recognition worldwide. Sobek will remain a research professor at the University of Stuttgart and until the end of 2020 also spokesman of the Collaborative Research Centre "Adaptive Envelopes and Structures for Tomorrow's Built Environment" (SFB 1244).

Traces of Lucio Blandini can already be found on the Vaihingen campus of the University of Stuttgart since the researcher, who was born in Catania, Sicily/ITALY, in 1976, received his doctorate under Prof. Sobek in 2005: a spherically curved glass dome with a span of 8.50 metres, constructed for the first time entirely without metal joints thanks to an innovative glass bonding technique and thinner than an eggshell in relation to its diameter. Blandini made a name for himself early on with the groundbreaking all-glass structure, and the lightweight construction principles implemented here continue to shape his work to this day. They have been reflected in innovative projects such as the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, the House of European History in Brussels and Kuwait International Airport. "What drives me is an extended lightweight construction that, in addition to the classic criterion of performance, also takes into account energy requirements, all emissions caused over the life cycle and the recyclability of a building," says Blandini.

Carrying on the legacy

With this viewpoint, Blandini is continuing the outstanding lightweight construction research at the ILEK, which has been shaped by names such as Frei Otto, Jörg Schlaich and Werner Sobek, and intends to expand it through life cycle considerations. One topic is adaptive facades and structures as well as concrete structures, in which the use of materials inside the component is adapted to the respective stresses thanks to sophisticated manufacturing techniques. "In this way, we can achieve larger spans with less material and show that lightweight construction is also possible and makes sense with concrete".

New focus on digitization

Blandini would like to set a new accent by researching the possibilities of digital tools in the building industry - an area that also plays a central role in the excellence cluster "Integrative computer-based planning and building for architecture" (IntCDC) at the University of Stuttgart. This will certainly enable further interesting synergies. Blandini was already fascinated by the topic during his Master's studies at the University of Pennsylvania/USA, later he continued to advance the tools and methods of digitisation in 14 years of professional experience at Werner Sobek AG.

For example, the geometry for the free-floating aluminum roof of the Ferraris Museum was defined using parametric scripts (computer rules), which makes classic construction plans unnecessary. Blandini also used scripts to develop the supporting structure for the Stuttgart 21 railway project and the associated complex reinforcement. "I would like to further develop these approaches at the University of Stuttgart."

Werner Sobek continues to provide ideas for Stuttgart University

Prof. Werner Sobek, who is internationally regarded as a pioneer of lightweight construction and sustainability, will continue to contribute to the ILEK as a source of ideas and make a contribution to shaping the built environment of tomorrow. Werner Sobek will remain a research professor at the University of Stuttgart and until the end of the year he will be spokesman of the Collaborative Research Centre SFB 1244 and chairman of the supervisory board of Werner Sobek AG. Sobek has been awarded a number of German and international prizes and honours for his work, including the Fritz Leonhardt Prize, the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg and the Auguste Perret Prize of the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA). Honorary doctorates from the TU Graz and TU Dresden are also awarded. His work has also been honored in many exhibitions worldwide.

Homepage ILEK

Contact Prof. Dr.-Ing. L. Blandini, Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design, Pfaffenwaldring 14, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany, +49 711 685-66578 , lucio.blandini@ilek.uni-stuttgart.de
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