Tag: frei-otto | ArchDaily

Who Has Won the Pritzker Prize?

Nicolás Valencia — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:30:00 +0000

The Pritzker Prize is the most important award in the field of architecture, awarded to a living architect whose built work "has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity through the art of architecture." The Prize rewards individuals, not offices, as happened in 2000 (when the jury selected Rem Koolhaas instead of his firm OMA) or in 2016 (with Alejandro Aravena selected instead of ELEMENTAL); however, the Prize can also be awarded to multiple individuals working together, as was the case in 2001 (Herzog & de Meuron), 2010 (Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa from SANAA), and 2017 (Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, and Ramon Vilalta from RCR Arquitectes).

When the World Came to Montreal: The Urban Legacy of Canada’s Expo 67

Moises Carrasco — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Canada's Expo 67 stands as one of the most successful world expos ever held, setting records and leaving an enduring impact on Montreal's urban landscape. As part of Canada's 100 years celebrations, the event provided an opportunity for the city to showcase its cultural and technological achievements on a global platform. With over 50 million visitors in just six months, it shattered attendance records, including an astonishing 569,500 visitors in a single day. An unprecedented feat for a world fair at the time. Now, 58 years later, and with the Osaka Expo 2025 set to showcase how to design the future society for our lives, it is worth revisiting the legacy of Expo 67 and exploring the urban transformations it brought to Montreal.

How Textiles Shaped Architecture: Prehistoric Structures for Modern Buildings

Ankitha Gattupalli — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Much before humans constructed their first permanent shelters, they discovered the protective power of animal hides as a barrier against harsh environmental conditions. This fundamental principle of building with flexible materials finds influence in the architecture of today, despite the lack of strong precedents that have been lost to time. Textiles served as humanity's first architectural elements, predating ancient construction methods like stone masonry. The relationship between textiles and shelter would go on to shape the entire history of architecture, from prehistoric settlements to modern skyscrapers. What lessons might these ancient origins of architecture hold for future advancements in building design?

From White Elephants to Sustainable Venues: The Evolving Story of Olympic Architecture

Maria-Cristina Florian — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:30:00 +0000

For cities, hosting an Olympic event represents both an honor, an important opportunity for growth, and a significant challenge. With over 200 nations taking part in the Games, the Olympics are the largest sporting competition in the world. Adapting the public and sporting infrastructure to accommodate this sudden influx of people and the scale of these events runs the risk of misunderstanding the cities’ needs after the closing ceremony, often producing “white elephants” that struggle to adapt to the rhythm and necessities of everyday urban life. Urban transformations are often cited as an advantage of hosting the Olympic Games, as cities are incentivized to invest in their traffic infrastructure, housing, and public spaces. One such example is the city of Paris, which introduced its first metro line on the occasion of hosting the second edition of the Olympic Games in 1900.

Munich Architecture City Guide: From Skyscrapers to Small Pavilions, Brutalism to Art Nouveau

Virginia Duran — Sat, 11 Mar 2023 06:30:00 +0000

Munich – Bavaria’s capital since 1506 – is a city with layers and layers of history. Its many years as a rising architectural epicenter have left an interesting and unique mix of buildings. From Middle Age churches and cathedrals to contemporary synagogues. From skyscrapers to small pavilions. Brutalism to Art Nouveau. Munich’s architecture is truly extensive and marvelous.

Materialising a Vision: Structural Engineering and Architecture

Andreea Cutieru — Mon, 24 May 2021 04:00:00 +0000

Recent years have seen an increased acknowledgement of the collective endeavour that is architecture and a better valuing of the different professions that participate in the design process. Within every extraordinary building, structural engineering plays an essential role in delivering the architectural vision. The article highlights the past and present contributions of engineering to the built environment, personalities that have stood in the shadow of architects delivering their design intent, and the collaboration between engineers and architects today.

Spotlight: Frei Otto

Evan Rawn — Sun, 31 May 2020 03:30:00 +0000

German architect and structural engineer Frei Otto (31 May 1925 – 9 March 2015) as well known for his pioneering innovations in lightweight and tensile structures. Shortly before his death in 2015 he was awarded the Pritzker Prize and prior to that he was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 2006. Much of his research in lightweight structures is as relevant today as when he first proposed them over 60 years ago, and his work continues to inform architects and engineers to this day.

Tensile Structures: How Do They Work and What Are the Different Types?

Matheus Pereira — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Historically inspired by some of the first man-made shelters—such as the black tents first developed using camel leather by the nomads of the Sahara Desert, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, as well as the structures used by Native American tribes—tensile structures offer a range of positive benefits compared to other structural models.

Frei Otto's Drawings and Models Showcased With Exhibition Design by FAR frohn&rojas

Ariana Zilliacus — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 06:00:00 +0000

Frei Otto (1925-2015) was best known for his innovative lightweight structures, even naming an institute after them at the Stuttgart Technical University. His speciality in tension and membrane structures were, and still are, not only beautiful, but also incredibly modern for his time, creating forms that were entirely new to the eye. One of his most notable creations is the Multihalle, which he contributed towards with the architects Carlfried Mutschler + Partner in 1975; it still remains the largest freestanding wooden lattice structure in the world.

Spanning the Future: A Documentary About the Life and Work of Frei Otto

Kaley Overstreet — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 14:00:00 +0000

Frei Otto: Spanning the Future, a documentary focusing on the life and work of 2015 Pritzker Prize winner, Frei Otto, has finished production and will be screened at various venues during the course of 2016. The film features one of the last interviews Otto gave before his death, in addition to commentary from renowned architects and engineers, including Zaha Hadid and Jürgen Hennicke, on the importance of his work. In the film, Otto discusses the influences on his work and his approaches on form finding and the development of tensile structures.

Opinion: Why Michael Graves Should Have Won the Pritzker

Lachlan Anderson-Frank — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 09:30:00 +0000

In March of this year, two of the world’s great architects died in the same week. The coincidence was unusual not because of the similarities between these two men - the advanced stage of their careers, their age and relative success - but because of the marked differences. In the few days between their mutual passing, one of the two was awarded architecture’s highest medal, the Pritzker Prize. This year’s winner, Frei Otto, had been notified of his triumph in the months prior to his death. Someone you might call his alter ego – stylistically that is – the late, great Michael Graves, died shortly after the prize was awarded to Otto.

Watch The Pritzker Prize Award Ceremony Live Today (8pm ET)

Rory Stott — Fri, 15 May 2015 12:00:18 +0000

Tonight the Pritzker Prize will hold its annual award ceremony, this year honoring the work of 2015 laureate Frei Otto, who sadly passed away the day before he was announced as this year's winner on March 10th. This year, the ceremony will be hosted in Miami Beach at Frank Gehry's New World Center, the first time the ceremony has been held in the Miami Area. Speakers will include Tom Pritzker and Chair of the Jury, Lord Peter Palumbo, alongside a selection of past Pritzker Laureates.

uncube Pays Homage to Frei Otto

Karissa Rosenfield — Thu, 07 May 2015 10:15:29 +0000

uncube has published an entire issue dedicated to the late Frei Otto. The architect and inventor, known best for his tensile structures, was the first ever to be awarded the Pritzker Prize posthumously. Honoring Otto with more than a "simple retrospective homage," uncube has compiled an extensive online issue of "thoughts, anecdotes and observations" that reflect Otto's legacy and the ideas that lead him to be a significant part of architectural history. View the entire uncube issue on Frei Otto, here.

Video: Olympiapark München / Frei Otto

Karissa Rosenfield — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 14:00:06 +0000

Pritzker laureate Frei Otto was best known for his tensile structures. A prime example Otto’s ingenuity, the 1972 Olympic Stadium in Munich was a collaborative work with Gunther Behnisch that connected the park’s main programs - the natatorium, gymnasium and main stadium - with a whimsical, lightweight canopy structure that mimicked the “rhythmic protrusions” of the Swiss Alps. Watch the Spirit of Space short film above to see the project in its current state and learn more about the pioneering structure, here.

Architects' Reactions to Frei Otto's Pritzker Prize Win

Rory Stott — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 23:00:51 +0000

After news of Frei Otto winning the 2015 Pritzker Prize broke, the internet was filled with comments on his influence on the profession over the past half a century of architecture. Of course, with the news of the Pritzker sadly packaged with news of his death, the impulse for many to offer some words in remembrance heightened the outpouring of opinion.

Frei Otto and the Importance of Experimentation in Architecture

Natalia Yunis — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 09:30:23 +0000

In their notes on the selection of Frei Otto as the 2015 Pritzker Prize Laureate, the jury described him as an architect that took his work beyond the boundaries of the discipline, as an architect who was also a “researcher, inventor, form-finder, engineer, builder, teacher, collaborator, environmentalist, [and] humanist.”

To learn more about Otto’s multidisciplinary approach to architecture as well as his emphasis on experimentation, we turned to an interview he did with Juan María Songel in 2004, published in the book A Conversation with Frei Otto. In the interview, Otto discusses numerous topics of interest and relevance to architecture in the 21st century, and in particular the importance of experimentation and research, declaring: “Productive research must be brave!”

Video: Frei Otto Experimenting with Soap Bubbles

José Tomás Franco — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 08:00:18 +0000

“The computer can only calculate what is already conceptually inside of it; you can only find what you look for in computers. Nevertheless, you can find what you haven’t searched for with free experimentation.” - From A Conversation with Frei Otto, by Juan Maria Songel

"Spanning the Future" Documentary Traces the Life and Work of Frei Otto

Victor Delaqua — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 08:00:28 +0000

“Frei Otto: Spanning the Future,” a documentary profiling the internationally renowned architect and engineer Frei Otto, has been in production since 2012. Otto, who was named the 2015 Pritzker Prize laureate on Tuesday evening (following his death on Monday night), first gained international recognition half a century ago as a pioneer in designing tensile structures using metal frames and lightweight membranes.