SOG 2026 Public Lecture 5 by Rupert Maleczek

Описание: Fabricating Flat: Structural Timber Folding
Rupert Maleczek, University of Innsbruck

Abstract: Applying and scaling folding phenomena and strategies toward structural folding is a topic widely discussed in the Structural Origami community. This talk offers a perspective on different strategies that can be used to apply folding concepts to large-scale structures from thin wooden sheet material. A range of questions—from geometric concepts and digital fabrication constraints to hinge detailing and actuation strategies—will be discussed, and potential solutions will be shown using large-scale demonstrators developed over the last years. These structures will also help provide a perspective on scaling strategies for these principles, which are crucial for the successful implementation of these ideas.

Bio: Rupert Maleczek is an architect, researcher, and digital consultant, currently working as a postdoctoral senior scientist at i.sd (Institute of Structure and Design) in the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Innsbruck. In his multidisciplinary work, he explores the relationships among geometry, form, structure, performance, materiality, and both digital and physical production. This investigation is often grounded in the scalability of physical, geometric, and biological phenomena. The aim of his research is to understand complex relationships and enhance control over them through controlled simplification. This process, also known as simplexity, provides an accessible entry point to complex processes for non-specialists.