Leadenhall long-listed for the 2019 Mies-van-der-Rohe Award
The Architecture of the Structural System of the BBVA Tower Mexico City _CTBUH Conference Paper
CTBUH Published Paper and Presentation
Downstream aspects such as how local fabrication and construction culture as well as constraints inform the architectural decision making process will be discussed. This will be explored in context with the emergence of a tectonic language and details exposing the steelwork within the assembly. Further investigation will be carried out into how the structural megaframe enables an architecture with multi-storey garden spaces as a notion of vertical realm and urban densification. With that the paper concludes by putting forward the building as a tested prototype representing a new generation of urban substance which is proposing strategies for future models of urban densification in the South Americas.
Authors: Dirk Krolikowski , UCL, The Bartlett School of Architecture; Mark Gorton, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners : During his time at Rogers Dirk was in charge of the design development of the structural system for the 235m tall high-rise structure working in close collaboration with ARUP London.
more here>>
UNIT 14 UCL The Bartlett MArch Architecture (ARB/RIBA Part 2)

Dirk Krolikowski and Evan Greenberg the AA's EmTech Studio Master join to teach UNIT 14 at the Bartlett's MArch Architecture Programme.
At the center of Unit 14’s academic exploration lies Buckminster Fuller’s ideal of the ‘The Comprehensive Designer’, a master-builder that follows Renaissance principles and a holistic approach. Fuller referred to this ideal of the designer as somebody who is capable of comprehending the ‘integrateable significance’ of specialised findings and is able to realise and coordinate the commonwealth potentials of these discoveries while not disappearing into a career of expertise. Like Fuller, we are opportunists in search of new ideas and their benefits via architectural synthesis. As such Unit 14 is a test bed for exploration and innovation, examining the role of the architect in an environment of continuous change. We are in search of the new, leveraging technologies, workflows and modes of production seen in disciplines outside our own. We test ideas systematically by means of digital as well as physical drawings, models and prototypes. Our work evolves around technological speculation with a research-driven core, generating mo mentum through astute synthesis. Our propositions are ultimately made through the design of buildings and through the in-depth consideration of structural formation and tectonic constituents. This, coupled with a strong research ethos, will generate new and unprecedented, viable and spectacular proposals. They will be beautiful because of their intelligence - extraordinary findings and the artful integration of those into architecture.
This year's brief:
DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY1
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
R. Buckminster Fuller
1) to disrupt: to prevent something, especially a system, process, or event, from continuing as usual or as expected
more here>>
also see:
Instagram: UNIT14_UCL
CTBUH Scientific Peer Review Committee 2016

2016 Unit 16 Summer Show

Unit 16's exhibition is open! The Bartlett Summer Show is the School of Architecture’s biggest and best-known event, attracting around 10,000 visitors every year. Festivities commence with an opening speech by an invited guest in UCL’s iconic Quadrangle.
Two of Unit 16's students have been awarded the Saint-Gobain Prize for Innovation for their work highly commended during Friday's festive speeches.
Exhibition party & speeches
Friday 24 June 2016, 19.00
Main Quadrangle of UCL, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT
Exhibition open to the public
Saturday 25 June – Saturday 9 July
140 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2BX
Unit Tutors: Johan Berglund (42 Architects) and Dirk Krolikowski (DKFS Architects), Josep Mias (Mias Arquitectes)
Guest Crits in 2016 included: Mario Pirwitz I JSWD Architekten, Cologne, Will Jeffereys I Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Jan Guell I Studio Heatherwick and Falko Schmitt
DKFS Museum Bridge Central Section Installed
DKFS Museum Bridge installation has started in Luedenscheid, Germany.
The footage shows the 50 tons central section lifted into place. The bridge is being fabricated and assembled in 3 parts. The central section was lifted in during night/very early morning to not interrupt train service.
Architects: DKFS Architects >>link here
Client: City of Luedenscheid
Structural Consultants: Concept: Jane Wernick Associates, London, UK PE: Colin Jackson
Execution: Werner Sobek Ingenieure, Stuttgart, GER
Light Design: Speirs+Major, London
DIAL Light Design, Luedenscheid
Steelwork Contractor: Rohlfing Stahlbau
Lift Contractor: Heinzerling Hydraulic Lifts
Client: City of Luedenscheid
Structural Consultants: Concept: Jane Wernick Associates, London, UK PE: Colin Jackson
Execution: Werner Sobek Ingenieure, Stuttgart, GER
Light Design: Speirs+Major, London
DIAL Light Design, Luedenscheid
Steelwork Contractor: Rohlfing Stahlbau
Lift Contractor: Heinzerling Hydraulic Lifts
Schön hoch. The Leadenhall Building, London
UCL Bartlett ranked second in the world for Architecture

The Bartlett has taken second place in the QS World University Rankings 2015 for Architecture and the Built Environment, coming second to MIT and topping the list of UK universities. The faculty, the most comprehensive of its kind in the world in the built environment field, obtained the maximum score for academic reputation, also outscoring MIT for citations, and tying on research impact. The top ten institutions also included Delft University of Technology, University of California Berkeley, Harvard, Tsinghua University in China, and ETH Zurich. UCL took fifth place in the overall rankings.
In addition to the faculty’s top QS world ranking results, the recently published LinkedIn University ranking, which illustrates the successful career trajectories of graduates globally, places UCL as the number one for design education.

These successes exemplify The Bartlett as a leading institution in its field: its interdisciplinary and comprehensive nature, its anchoring in the real world of research impacts, design skills and employability, and its world-class standing in international academia and output.
See the QS rankings in full >>
The QS World University Rankings is an annual league table of the top 600 universities in the world, and one of the best known. The rankings are based on academic reputation, faculty/student ratios, academic citations, research, teaching and international reach.
Final Year Crit Unit 20

With Moyez Alwani (Aga Khan Academies AKDN), Isaie Bloch (Erogatory), Roberto Bottazzi (Royal College of Arts, Westminster Uni), Andy Bow (Foster + Partners), Dirk Krolikowski (Bartlett, RSH+P), Michael Pelken (p+studio), Bob Sheil (Bartlett), Theo Spyropoulos (AA, Minimaforms), Vasilena Vassilev (p+studio), Andrei Martin (PLP Architecture, Westminster Uni).
CTBUH Seed Funding and Scientific Peer Review Committee 2015

facilitates the exchange of the latest knowledge available on tall buildings around the world.
more here
Sagrada Familia - Best Practice Exchange
RSHP/ARUP and the Sagrada Familia Team have initiated a 'Best Practice' knowledge exchange including lectures and site visits in London and Barcelona.
The exchange was initiated in the context of Sagrada's latest endeavours, the design and construction of the Jesus Christ Spire, the highest of all spires with a height of approx. 170m.
The exchange included sharing information on digital processes involved and the collaboration of architect and engineer. Furthermore the benefit of Digital Prototyping for a high degree of prefabrication was discussed and the approaches taken by both teams for fabrication and assembly assessed on Sagrada's off-site prefabrication plant.
Speakers:
Tristram Carfrae, Chairman ARUP
'Digital Processes and Fabrication of complex systems'
Dirk Krolikowski, RSHP
Damian Eley, ARUP
Digital Collaboration and Complex Fabrication

Built Environment Collaboration & Integration at University of Westminster presents the first event in the BECi open lecture mini series.
The Leadenhall Building, London, is the first to be featured in the series. Our speakers will discuss the process of Leadenhall and demonstrating how digital processes were used to extend design engineering into fabrication and bringing fabrication knowledge into design engineering.
Speakers:
Damian Eley, Arup
Dirk Krolikowski, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
This lecture is CPD Certified. more
Date: 1 May 2014
Time: 6.00pm - .
Location: 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS
Location: Wood Lecture Theatre 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS
RSVP: Register for the event to attend.
UCL Making Buildings Lecture Series
17 March 2014
11am - 12pm
Ramsey Lecture Theatre
Dirk Krolikowski talks about the Leadenhall building at 122 Leadenhall Street.
The Making Buildings Lecture Series brings together architects, designers and
engineers to discuss how to make buildings – from the slipstream of an
aeroplane to biggest green house in the world. These lectures are open to the
public.
Negotiating Design and Making
Through the introduction of advanced digital tools such as sophisticated information modeling and robotic fabrication methods into the workflow, designers gain increased control over final fabrication of components and interface definition of the assembly.
The paper discusses the investigations and findings throughout integration of digital tools into the project ‘The Leadenhall Building’, a 51-storey office building by Rogers Stirk Harbour+ Partners with Arup as engineers. It discusses in particular the implementation of digital tools throughout the advanced design work flow and the digital fabrication of the megaframe: the highly customized main stability system. The paper concludes with observations on downstream aspects such as the way in which advanced CAD-CAM, including robotic milling, plays a key role in digital design and fabrication.
Paper, Presentation and Article: 'The Leadenhall Building-Digital workflow and downstream fabrication system performance'
Krolikowski, D. , Eley, D. (ARUP)
FABRICATE
'Negotiating Design and Making'
Edited by Fabio Gramazio, Matthias Kohler & Silke Langenberg, Published by gta Verlag.
FABRICATE
'Negotiating Design and Making'
Edited by Fabio Gramazio, Matthias Kohler & Silke Langenberg, Published by gta Verlag.
In der Publikation werden aktuelle Arbeiten und herausragende Projekte im Bereich der digitalen Fabrikation vorgestellt und durch Gespräche unter Wissenschaftlern aus Forschung und Praxis ergänzt. Das Buch begleitet die FABRICATE Konferenz, die im Februar 2014 an der ETH in Zürich durchgeführt wird.
English
2014. 24.5 x 24.5 cm, hardcover
316 pages, 366 illustrations
ISBN 978-3-85676-331-2
CTBUH Scientific Peer Review Committee

group facilitates the exchange of the latest knowledge available on tall buildings around
the world. more here
Planungs- und Bauprozesse im 21. Jahrhundert ARCHITHESE 3/2013

'WEAK MATERIALITY: Eine Schwäche für MATERIALITÄT'
Auch in Zeiten des digitalen Entwerfens bleibt die Architektur eine materielle Kunst. Materialwahl sowie Verfahren der Materialbehandlung und Konstruktion geben der Architektur ihre Erscheinung und bestimmen ihre Leistungseigenschaften. Doch jenseits blossen Funktionalismus sind es die Qualitäten des Materials und dessen Eigenschaften , die über Atmosphäre und Sinnlichkeit entscheiden. Darüber hinaus ist das Material in der Architektur nicht allein Baustoff, sondern auch Rohstoff. Ob Materialzyklen oder Bauen im und mit dem Bestand – das Denken über Materialität beschäftigt übergreifend.
Article: 'Planungs- und Bauprozesse im 21.Jahrhundert '
Krolikowski, D. , Mayer, H. (Einleitung)
Niggli Verlag, Zurich, Archithese 3.2013 (p. 28-33)
Prototyping Architecture
Prototyping Architecture, The Conference Papers
'Digital design and fabrication of carbon fibre beam prototypes with stress/deflection analysis driven envelope morphology ', Krolikowski, D., & Costa, D. (2013),Proceedings of the International Prototyping Architecture Conference,(p. 358-363)
ISBN 10 0901919179
CTBUH Conference London 'Digital Futures'
Form the virtual to the actual
Dirk has been invited to join this year's Smartgeometry panel:'From the virtual to the actual'.
Topic:
From screen to site. From human to robot. From multiple potentials to an actualised form.
How can the systemic relations of the virtual come to the actual? What is the role of computation in architecture and fabrication? What is the role of the architect/ designer and how the design process has shifted by using different computational systems during the design process? Finally, how does robotic fabrication can alter the process and involved partners in construction?
Panel members:
Mark Burry RMIT + Sagrada Familia
Daniel Bosia AKT
Sara Klomps Zaha Hadid Architects
Dirk Krolikowski Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
Bob Sheil The Bartlett
UCL Robotic Foaming at Smart geometry
Dirk is part of the Robotic FOAMing research cluster. The cluster at Smartgeometry 2013explored robotics as a design interface for a non-linear fabrication process, operating in a new way between traditional representation, digital modeling and fabrication. Base was a PU-foam mixture which was drawn and formed by three ABB 165 robots. Tool paths where generated through grasshopper with HAL. The foam prototypes displayed the great potential for the new forming process which utilises the self-organisational behavior of PU foam.
Material self-organisation and tectonic formation analysed during the process proves potential for the design of highly efficient structures which utilise material characteristics in an ideal way.
Equipment:
3 x ABB IRB2600_165 Robots,
20 kg payload each
Robot controller:
IRC5, Robotware 5.14, Multimove Setup
Special Equipment:
Custom End Effectors
Software:
Rhinoceros 5
Grasshopper Build 0.9.0014
HAL 0.04.5
ABB Robotstudio
Cluster Leader: Univ.-Prof. Marjan Colletti, PhD
Prototyping Architecture Conference London
EAP 2012

The Leadenhall Building
After several exciting years of my life spent at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners as the architect and associate in charge of design, development and delivery of the unique structural system (The Megaframe) , working in close collaboration with ARUP, I am thrilled to see it going up. Watch out for London's skyline changing as we speak.
Europe 40 under 40
Dirk Krolikowski and Falko Schmitt have been awarded the prestigious Europe 40 Under 40, for the work of their studio DKFS, confered by the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and the Chicago Athenaeum : Museum of Architecture and Design. The prize “recognizes the best emerging European design talent in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and industrial design and their exceptional leadership contributions and achievements early in their professional careers.”
Emergency Bridge
This project started in 2005 and has been continuously developed. In case of natural or human disasters the EMCBridge provides first aid to geographical regions that are in need of supply or simply reconnects locations by providing the Infrastructure. Key requirements have been cantilever erection from one side, erectable by one technician with a handful of unlearned local people and without use of additional machines.
The proposed pedestrian bridge spans 60m and is capable of carrying the imposed life load of the biggest known pack animals: elephants. The folded package fits exactly into the outer dimension of a 40´ standard shipping container. By doing that it utilizes a global existing transport system to be delivered in time to the right place providing infrastructure and help for those who are in need.
Wendepunkt im Bauen - Richard Rogers and Dirk Krolikowski
The Title 'Wendepunkt(e) im Bauen' highlights two major paradigm shifts in architecture. The first is the development from craft to industrialisation and serial production, the second is the change caused by digital design and computer aided production. I would like to think of it as a development towards a digital craft.
ISBN 978-3-920034-39-3, Wendepunkt l e im Bauen – Von der seriellen zur digitalen Architektur, Edition DETAIL, Munich, 2010
KONSTRUKTION, 2nd edition
KONSTRUKTION Dirk Krolikowski, Falko Schmitt, Mirko Baum ISBN 978-3-00-028729-9
that's it. the second edition of KONSTRUKTION is available.
'Structure is one of the most essential constituents of architecture.Its quality is defined by the virtuosity and comprehensiveness of composing and bringing the conceptual as well as the physical elements of the structure together. The way things are brought together and joined mirrors the designer’s attitude and culture. This publication shows the works of students at the Chair of Design Engineering, RWTH Aachen University which were in pursuit of this comprehensiveness in the years 2007-2009.'
Herausgeber / edited by
Lehrgebiet fuer Konstruktives Entwerfen
RWTH Aachen University
Fakultaet fuer Architektur
Univ. Prof. Mirko Baum
Lehrbeauftragte fuer Konstruktives Entwerfen
Dirk Krolikowski
Falko Schmitt
Aachen-London 2009
Layout: Sarah Bosen
Cover: Nikolas U. Torscheit
Printed in Germany
ISBN 978-3-00-028729-9
Text and illustrations © Lehrgebiet fuer Konstruktives Entwerfen
RWTH Aachen University, Faculty of Architecture
that's it. the second edition of KONSTRUKTION is available.
'Structure is one of the most essential constituents of architecture.Its quality is defined by the virtuosity and comprehensiveness of composing and bringing the conceptual as well as the physical elements of the structure together. The way things are brought together and joined mirrors the designer’s attitude and culture. This publication shows the works of students at the Chair of Design Engineering, RWTH Aachen University which were in pursuit of this comprehensiveness in the years 2007-2009.'
Herausgeber / edited by

Lehrgebiet fuer Konstruktives Entwerfen
RWTH Aachen University
Fakultaet fuer Architektur
Univ. Prof. Mirko Baum
Lehrbeauftragte fuer Konstruktives Entwerfen
Dirk Krolikowski
Falko Schmitt
Aachen-London 2009
Layout: Sarah Bosen
Cover: Nikolas U. Torscheit
Printed in Germany
ISBN 978-3-00-028729-9
Text and illustrations © Lehrgebiet fuer Konstruktives Entwerfen
RWTH Aachen University, Faculty of Architecture
End Crit London, EXTREME 3000 , RWTH Aachen Design Engineering Unit
Rapid Prototype of ER 3000
The final crit of the 2009 Design Engineering Unit took place in London.Dirk and Falko are teaching the Design Engineering Unit at Prof. Mirko Baum's Chair [Lehrgebiet fuer Konstruktives Entwerfen, RWTH Aachen] as Adjunct Professors [Lehrbeauftragte] since 2007.
Invited guest crits for the day were: Daniel Hecker Grimshaw Architects, Dennis Austin RSH-P, Felix Weber ARUP Materials, Dan Wright RSH-P.
The Design Engineering Unit has been granted a sponsorship by the RWTH Aachen for their innovative and successful teaching format. Parts of the sponsorship will be used to publish the best works of the last two years of the DEU in a dedicated publication.