Achim Menges

Prof. Achim Menges is a leading academic and researcher in architecture and computational design at the University of Stuttgart. As Director of the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD), he focuses on interdisciplinary research into sustainable, digitally planned, and robotically manufactured building systems. He is renowned for pioneering projects like the livMatS Pavilion, a biomimetic structure made of robotically wound flax fibers, and for leading the IntCDC Excellence Cluster, Germany's only architecture-focused research consortium. His work integrates computational methods, material innovation, and robotic fabrication to advance resource-efficient and future-proof architectural practices.

Research Interests: Menges explores biomimetic design, robotic fabrication, sustainable timber engineering, and circular construction systems. His projects often involve cross-disciplinary collaboration, such as with biologists from the University of Freiburg for the livMatS Pavilion. His methodologies emphasize open-ended experimentation and foundational insights to transform architectural practice.

• Awards: 2023 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (Germany’s top research honor)
• Labs/Teams: Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD), IntCDC Excellence Cluster
• Grants/Projects: Leibniz Prize funding ($2.5M), livMatS Pavilion, HYGROSHELL, Terra Incognita

His publications span robotic construction workflows, bio-inspired materials, and collaborative human-robot systems, reflecting a commitment to bridging computational design, engineering, and fabrication for scalable, sustainable outcomes.