German architect and structural engineer Frei Otto (31 May 1925 – 9 March 2015) as well known for his pioneering innovations in lightweight and tensile structures. Shortly before his death in 2015 he was awarded the Pritzker Prize and prior to that he was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 2006. Much of his research in lightweight structures is as relevant today as when he first proposed them over 60 years ago, and his work continues to inform architects and engineers to this day.

Munich Olympic Stadium. Image © Atelier Frei Otto Warmbronn

German architect and structural engineer Frei Otto (31 May 1925 ? 9 March 2015) was well known for his pioneering innovations in lightweight and tensile structures. Shortly before his death in 2015 he was awarded the Pritzker Prize and prior to that he was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 2006. Much of his research in lightweight structures is as relevant today as when he first proposed them over 60 years ago, and his work continues to inform architects and engineers to this day.
© Ingenhoven und Partner Architekten, Düsseldorf

In many ways, Otto was far ahead of his time and sought new methods to use the least amount of material and energy to create space, embracing principles of sustainability long before the term was coined in architecture. His interest in going beyond the discipline of architecture is evident in his fascination with experimentation as he s...