FREI OTTO (1925-2015)

Frei otto was German architect and a structural engineer whose work inspired a lot of architects
who turned out to be the great at their time. He is famous for his ultra modern and tent like
structures. He pioneered in structural mathematics, he always experimented on models before
the beginning of construction process. He was never interested in designing for an individual
client rather he wanted his structures to contribute to improve everyones living condition. He
had went in a unique way of using innovative materials in his work to become a pioneer in his
field.
Frei otto was born in Germany and raised in berlin. He joined military service in 1943 as pilot
and later he was captured by the French army and remained as their prisoner. There started his
architectural journey, he learned to built structures with the limited amount of material he got
there. After the war, in 1947 he went on to pursue his architectural studies in Technical
university of berlin. Later in 1950 with his study scholarship funds he embarked on a study trip
to united states, there he visited the works of Frank Lloyd wright, Charles and Ray Eames,
among others. In 1952, he became a freelance architect and started his own architectural office.
For his structures he built complex models to test and flawless in tensile structures. He uses
modern light weight, tent-like structures in his work as he was partly concerned for their
economical and ecological use. Throughout his career he wrote extensively, some of his
publishings were Biology and buildings vol.1&2, structural and building properties of bamboo
etc. He was a full time professor at university of Stuttgart from 1964 to1991. He won prestigious
awards for many of his projects.
German pavilion, Expo 67
Frei otto believed that his tensile structures were architectural solution that was cheap, durable
and highly versatile. He also believed the need for temporary structures which were easy to
assemble and just as easy to take down. In 1967 Frei otto and Rolf gutbrod had designed the
German pavilion, expo to create a man made landscape. They used only lightweight materials
to build it, they used steel for structural support and translucent plastic skin for roof. The steel
mast are positioned according to the contour level and the steel wires are suspended to the
ground. Frei ottos technique was versatile, it can easily adapt to0 any irregular topography of
the site.
Japan pavilion expo 2000
It is a grid structure made of recyclable paper tubes giving the building a honeycomb pattern.
The theme of exhibition was to protect environment and the materials used in construction
would be recycled when the structure is dismantled. The main structure is made of pressed
paper tubes and wood is used for secondary structure. Even the foundations were filled sand
instead of concrete. It took three weeks to assemble the building. Frei otto had learnt all the
possible ways of building lightweight structures over the years.