About
Tom Emerson is a Full Professor at the Department of Architecture (D-ARCH) at ETH Zurich, where he leads a design studio focused on architectural design, material studies, and urban interventions. His work spans across historical analysis, contemporary design practices, and sustainable approaches to architecture and urbanism.
His research interests include:
- Material studies, particularly focusing on aluminum and concrete construction systems
- Urban planning and suburban development, with emphasis on sustainable renovation
- Historical architectural analysis, especially post-war architecture
- Garden and landscape design as integral components of architectural practice
- Architectural representation and documentation through atlases and publications
Professor Emerson's design studios consistently explore the relationship between architecture, materiality, and the environment. Recent projects have examined aluminum construction systems from the 1970s-90s ("The Understory"), post-industrial sites in Palermo ("Arenella"), and the sustainable transformation of single-family housing in Zurich ("The Good Life"). His approach combines hands-on making with theoretical exploration, often resulting in detailed atlases that document both physical and social dimensions of architectural sites.
His studio has received significant recognition, with students winning prestigious awards including the ETH Medal and the Willi Studer prize. The studio's work on the Pachacamac Pavilion in Peru was nominated for the Beazley Design of the Year 2019 and won the Dezeen Design Award for architecture.
Professor Emerson has supervised numerous Master's theses, with recent notable projects including "Nobody is an Island" by Leslie Majer (winner of the Willi Studer prize 2024) and "Heliocentric Architecture" by Matyas Enz (winner of the ETH Medal 2024). His studio regularly collaborates with other ETH chairs and professionals in the field of sustainable construction and architectural heritage.
