Frei Otto: Fascination for lightweight architecture celebrates its 100th birthday!

Frei Otto: Fascination for lightweight architecture celebrates its 100th birthday!

Frei Otto, the visionary architect and master of lightweight structures, will be one hundred years old on May 31, 2025. To mark this special occasion, a two-day conference dedicated to Otto's experimental spirit will take place at the University of Stuttgart. Under the title “Frei Otto 100 | The Spirit of Lightweight Construction”, the event will be held at the Institute for Lightweight Structures (ILEK) in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. The symposium includes a historical look at Frei Otto's work, methods and networks. Contemporary witnesses are invited to share their experiences and research is conducted into how different generations of researchers and practitioners interpret the legacy of the Stuttgart School of Lightweight Construction. What is special about this conference is the context in which it takes place; the tent structure that Frei Otto designed in 1967 for the German Pavilion at EXPO '67 in Montreal is used as an inspiring space to reflect together. [Planet Wissen] reports on his creative environment and Otto's early inspirations.

Frei Otto was born on May 31, 1925 in Siegmar, Saxony. His father, a sculptor and stonemason, and his mother were members of the “Deutscher Werkbund”. Already in his childhood he showed great interest in gliding and model building, especially in light membrane constructions. After studying architecture at the Technical University of Berlin, which ended with his degree in 1952, he first gained recognition with his membrane constructions for the Federal Garden Show in Kassel in 1955. These early works laid the foundation for his later fame. In 1967, the German Pavilion at the EXPO in Montreal became a milestone in architectural history and brought Otto international attention. [University of Stuttgart] points out that the pavilion's cable net construction served as a model for new roof constructions, which played a pioneering role in architecture.

The performative contribution “Put up umbrellas”

On the occasion of the anniversary, the performative contribution “Putting up umbrellas” will be presented. This aims to create an emotional approach to Frei Otto's work. The umbrellas that Frei Otto designed in 1971 embody aspects such as lightness, efficiency, spatial quality and design elegance. These structures became not only effective design objects, but also pop culture icons when they were used in the outdoor performances of Pink Floyd's 1977 US tour. After Frei Otto's death, six manual funnel umbrellas from the 1990s came into the possession of the Saai Archive for Architecture and Civil Engineering in Karlsruhe. In the fall of 2024, Prof. Jens Ludloff from the University of Stuttgart asked to examine these objects that had not yet been cataloged.

The results of this examination are promising: the umbrellas are completely preserved and three of them are available for loan under museum conditions. This offers the opportunity to celebrate Frei Otto's legacy even more vividly and to promote developments in the field of lightweight construction. [Frei Otto 100] emphasizes that the conference not only offers a look back at the past, but also opens up perspectives for future architecture and building culture.

Practical applications of his designs include the futuristic underground roof designed by Frei Otto for the new Stuttgart Central Station, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026. This shows that his influence on architecture continues to be felt even after his death and that his legacy remains alive in future projects.