Ehsan Baharlou

Dr. Ehsan Baharlou serves as Assistant Professor of Architecture, Advanced Technologies at the University of Virginia School of Architecture, where he pioneers ecological construction through computational design and robotic fabrication to address climate change challenges. His work shifts design paradigms from material-centric processes toward multispecies integration and sustainable building systems.

His academic foundation includes:

• Dr.-Ing. (Ph.D. Engineering) from the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD), University of Stuttgart, Germany
• M.Sc. in Architecture from Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Iran

Baharlou's research spans computational design, digital fabrication, and biomaterial innovation. He develops living architecture through mycelium bioprinting, soil-based 3D printing, and upcycled plastic composites, creating ecologically active structures that integrate biological systems with robotic construction. His work bridges architecture, biology, and cyber-physical systems to establish new tectonic paradigms for sustainable building.

Analysis of his publication trajectory reveals accelerating focus on multispecies design and ecological material systems. Recent work emphasizes living building materials (mycelium, soil), waste-stream upcycling, and digital fabrication techniques that merge biological processes with construction robotics. His research increasingly addresses circular economy principles through invasive species utilization and closed-loop material systems in architectural applications.

At UVA's Computational Tectonics Lab (ct.lab.virginia.edu), Baharlou leads interdisciplinary research developing mobile robotic systems for in situ soil printing, hybrid timber composites, and adaptive additive manufacturing. The lab serves as an innovation hub for sustainable construction technologies that respond to ecological constraints while maintaining architectural expressiveness.