In-Class Lecture | Liza Heilmeyer and Stephan Birk: Building the Future — The Untapped Potential of Timber

Monday, October 28, 2024, 3:30 - 4:45pm

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Bhundf Riz Og Technikum

This lecture is part of Prof.Thorsten Helbig and Prof. Christian Rieser ARCH132 Structures II course.

With the Timber Construction Offensive (“Holzbau Offensive”) in Baden-Wurttemberg, the Timber Construction Initiative ((“Holzbauinitiative”) in Bavaria and their respective Timber Construction Prizes (“Holzbaupreise”), southern Germany has become a center of state-sponsored research and development of timber in architecture. Through these initiatives, we are witnessing the application of the recently developed best practices and techniques in timber architecture by local architects and engineers and further research and development programs in the local educational institutions.

Liza Heilmeyer and Stephan Birk are pioneers in this development. Liza has been the  chairwoman of the Association of German Architects of Baden-Württemberg since 2020 and is a frequent lecturer at schools of architecture and institutions in Germany for which timber development has been a key aspect. Stephan is a full professor at the Technical University of Munich and leads the Department of Architecture and Timber Construction. His work as part of the research group TUM.wood continues this development of timber technology and architecture in the local research institutions.

After completing their studies at the University of Stuttgart 2003, Liza and Stephan worked at Foster + Partners in London before founding their own practice, Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten, in 2005. Their award-winning, 40-person firm focuses on the conception and design of singular spaces for laboratories, schools, and technology centers while applying innovative approaches in timber construction. Designing only the necessary, creating surprising effects, and proposing inspiring ideas: from concept to detail, the pursuit of a high architectural standard and the application of timber is central to their work.

Liza and Stephan will present the latest developments in timber architecture and their work at the Cooper Union at in in-class lecture on Monday October 28th, 2024, in room 215F from 3:30 to 4:50 PM.

This lecture is open to current Cooper Union students, faculty, and staff.

Located at 7 East 7th Street, between Third and Fourth Avenues

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