Eike Schling
Prof. Dr.-Ing. (Univ.) | Architect BYAK
Tragwerke + Baustoffe | Structural Design + Building Materials
Institute for Design and Construction
Leibniz University Hannover
Honorary Associate Professor (HKU)
Vita
Eike is teaching and researching parametric methods, architectural geometry, and structural behaviour with the vision of enabling construction-aware design. His focus lies in interdisciplinary research with mathematicians and engineers to simplify complex lightweight structures without sacrificing their design freedom. Eike completed his doctorate, “Repetitive Structures”, in 2018 with distinction at the Chair for Structural Design, Technical University in Munich. From 2019-2024, he worked as an Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong, collaborating on international projects in Asia and Europe. During the academic year of 2023, Eike was a panel member of the HKIA / ARB Professional Assessment Committee of Hong Kong. He is engaged in the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) as co-founder of the Architectural Geometry Working Group 22. In February 2024, Eike joined the Leibniz University Hannover as a Professor of Structural Design at the Institute for Design and Construction and remaines an Honorary Professor at HKU for teaching and research collaborations.
Eike’s architectural practice “Geometry.Design.Structure” combines structural and geometric knowledge to realize complex designs at all scales. His collaboration with artists, engineers and manufacturers has produced innovative spaces and gridshells in Germany and Hong Kong. As a computational designer, Eike worked with international architecture offices, to realize large-scale architectural projects such as the Francis Crick Research Institute, One Bishopsgate Hotel & Residential Highrise and Nova Victoria Office Development in London with PLP Architecture (2009-2012), and the Munich Airport T2 Satellite with Koch + Partner Architects (2012-2015).
CV
since 2024 Professorship for Structural Design
Tragwerke + Baustoffe, Institute for Design and Construction
Faculty of Architecture and Landscape Sciences, Leibniz University Hannover
since 2024 Honorary Associate Professor
Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, University of Hong Kong
2023 Panel member of the HKIA / ARB Professional Assessment Committee of Hong Kong
2019-2024 Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Architectural Structures
Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, University of Hong Kong
10.2018 Dissertation: Repetitive Structures, at the LT TUM [summa cum laude]
Advisors: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Barthel, Prof. Dr. Helmut Pottmann
2012-2019 Chair of Structural Design, Faculty of Architecture, Technische Universität München
since 2015 Independent Architect
2012-2015 Project Architect at Koch+Partner Architects, Munich
2009-2012 Project Architect at PLP Architecture, London
2009 Architectural Assitant at Donath Bickel Architects, Munich
2008-2009 Architectural Assitant at Auer+Weber+Associates, Munich
2006-2007 Student Architect at Atelier Big City, Montreal
2004-2005 Student Architect at Haipo Architects, Shanghai
2002 Student Internship at Gerkan Marg and Partner, Berlin
01.2008 Diplom-Ingenieur in Architecture: Stadium in Krakow
Chair of Structural Design, Faculty of Architecture, Technical University of Munich
2002-2008 Architectural studies (Diplom) at the Technical University of Munich
2006-2007 Architectural studies (MA) at McGill University, Montreal
1992-2001 Louise Schroeder Gymnasium, Munich
1998-1999 Oregon Episcopal School, Portland, Oregon
1995 Princeton Highschool, New Jersey
1981 born in Munich
Awards
Personal Awards
2025 2nd Prize, Architectural Competition: Ehrenmal der Luftwaffe in der Otto-Lilienthal-Kaserne
2025 Teaching Award of the Leibniz Universität 2024 – Motivation and Engagement
2024 Engineering Structures – 2024 Best Paper Award
2022 Faculty Teaching Award 2022, HKU
2020 Metal Construction Award, [Category Special Construction: Hotel Intergroup, Canopy]
2019 Dr. Marschall Prize for innovative research, Technical University of Munich
2017 Project Sponsorship, “Dr. Marschall Stiftung” [Faculty for Architecture, TUM]
2011 1st Prize, “BE Inspired 2011” [Generative Design Category]
2008 1st Prize, “Pininfarina Design Award 2008” [Architectural Category]
2008 1st Prize, “Deutscher Stahlbaupreis 2008”, German Steel Award, [National Award]
2006 1st Prize, “MAIV-Award” [Munich Engineering and Architecture Award]
2005-08 German National Merit Foundation [National Student Scholarship]
Teaching Awards
1st Prize, “Förderpreis Textile Strukturen für neues Bauen 2017”, Category Macro-Architecture [ Katrin Fleischer, “Deployable Roof”]
1st Prize, “Competition Campus 2017” [Denis Hitrec, Asymptotic Gridshell]
1st Prize, “Stuttgarter Leichtbaupreis 2016” [Denis Hitrec, Asymptotic Pavilion]
“Senator Bernhard Borst Preis 2016” [Katrin Fleischer & Corinna Wiest, Deployable Dome]
1st Prize, “Competition Campus 2016” [Katrin Fleischer & Corinna Wiest, Deployable Dome]
1st Prize, “Stuttgarter Leichtbaupreis 2015” [Katrin Fleischer & Corinna Wiest, Deployable Dome]
Publications
Dissertation
Schling, Eike (2018): Repetitive Structures – Design and construction of curved support structures with repetitive parameters [summa cum laude]. Technische Universität München, Fakultät für Architektur, Lehrstuhl für Tragwerksplanung. DOI: 10.14459/2018md1449869. ISBN: 978-3-938660-39-3
Editor
Douthe, Cyril; Mitchell, Toby; Schling, Eike (Eds.) (2025): Special Issue WG22 on: Architectural Geometry. Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures, IASS. Madrid, Spain (Vol. 66). LINK
Peer-Reviewed Journal Papers
Wan, Zongshuai; Man, Haotian; Crolla, Kristof; Schling, Eike (2025b): Design and construction of an asymptotic kinetic transformable canopy. In Automation in Construction 180, p. 106508. DOI: 10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106508
Wan, Zongshuai; Crolla, Kristof; Schling, Eike (2025b): Geometry-driven development of semi-compliant kinetic asymptotic structures. In Advanced Engineering Informatics 68, p. 103762. DOI: 10.1016/j.aei.2025.103762.
Schling, Eike; Wan, Zongshuai (2025): Geometry-driven Design of Gridshells. Integrating From, Force and Fabrication. In Cyril Douthe, Toby Mitchell, Eike Schling (Eds.): Special Issue WG22 on: Architectural Geometry, 66(2025) No.2. Madrid, Spain (Vol. 66), pp. 92–104. DOI: 10.20898/j.iass.2025.005
Wan, Zongshuai; D’Acunto, Pierluigi; Schling, Eike (2024): Structural behaviour of asymptotic geodesic hybrid timber gridshells. In Engineering Structures 308, p. 117918. DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2024.117918.
Wang, Bolun; Wang, Hui; Schling, Eike; Pottmann, Helmut (2023): Rectifying Strip Patterns. In ACM Trans. Graph. 42 (6), pp. 1–18. DOI: 10.1145/3618378
Douthe, Cyril; Mitchell, Toby; Schling, Eike (2023): New Working Group 22 on “Architectural Geometry”. Announcement 64 (3), p. 150. DOI: 10.20898/j.iass.2023
Oberbichler, Thomas; Schling, Eike (2022): Tracing curvature paths on trimmed multipatch surfaces. In Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering. DOI: 10.1016/j.apm.2023.01.033
Schling, Eike; Wang, Hui; Hoyer, Sebastian; Pottmann, Helmut (2022): Designing asymptotic geodesic hybrid gridshells. In Computer-Aided Design 152 (0010-4485), p. 103378. DOI: 10.1016/j.cad.2022.103378.
Wan, Zongshuai; Schling, Eike (2022): Structural principles of an asymptotic lamella curtain wall. In Thin-Walled Structures 180, p. 109772. DOI: 10.1016/j.tws.2022.109772
Schling, Eike; Wan, Zongshuai (2022): A geometry-based design approach and structural behaviour for an asymptotic curtain wall system. In Journal of Building Engineering, p. 104432. DOI: 10.1016/j.jobe.2022.104432
Schling, Eike; Rainer Barthel (2021): Šuchov’s bent networks: The impact of network curvature on Šuchov’s gridshell designs. In: STRUCTURES Volume 29, February 2021, Pages 1496-1506. DOI: 10.1016/j.istruc.2020.12.021
Tutsch, Joram; Hipper, Andreas; Schling, Eike; Barthel, Rainer (2017): Modulare Stahllamellenhallen von Hugo Junkers. Wissenschaftliche Grundlagen für eine denkmalgerechte Instandsetzung. In: Bautechnik 94 (3), S. 161–169. DOI: 10.1002/bate.201600071
Peer-Reviewed Conference Papers
Man, Haotian; Wan, Zongshuai; Pellis, Davide; Schling, Eike (2024b): Kit-of-Parts Equilateral Constant Normal Curvature (ECNC) Gridshell. In Philipp Eversmann, Christoph Gengnagel, Julian Lienhard, Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen, Jan Wurm (Eds.): Scalable Disruptors. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 128–140. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-68275-9_11
Schling, Eike; Wan, Zongshuai; Wang, Hui; D’Acunto, Pierluigi (2023): Asymptotic Geodesic Hybrid Timber Gridshell. With assistance of Holzbau Amann GmbH, Eberhard Brandl GmbH. In Kathrin Dörfler, Jan Knippers, Achim Menges, Stefana Parascho, Helmut Pottmann, Thomas Wortmann (Eds.): Advances in Architectural Geometry 2023: de Gruyter, pp. 97–110. DOI: 10.1515/9783111162683-008
Schling, Eike; Schikore, Jonas (2022): Morphology of Kinetic Asymptotic Grids. In Christoph Gengnagel, Olivier Baverel, Giovanni Betti, Mariana Popescu, Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen, Jan Wurm (Eds.): Towards Radical Regeneration. Design Modelling Symposium Berlin 2022. Cham: Springer International Publishing AG, pp. 374–393. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-13249-0_31.
Schling, Eike; Hsu, Chih Lin; Ma, Muye (2021): Asymptotic building envelope. Combining the benefits of asymptotic and principal curvature layouts. In Anastasia Globa, Jeroen van Ameijde, Adam Fingrut, Nayeon Kim, Tian Tian Sky Lo (Eds.): Projections. Proceedings of the 26th International Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia. CAADRIA 2021, vol. 1. Hong Kong, pp. 341–350
Jiang, Caigui; Wang, Cheng; Schling, Eike; Pottmann, Helmut (2020): Computational design and optimization of quad meshes based on diagonal meshes. In Olivier Baverel, Helmut Pottmann, Caitlin Mueller, Tomohiro Tachi (Eds.): Advances in Architectural Geometry 2021. Paris, pp. 38-60
Schikore, Jonas; Schling, Eike; Bauer, Anna M.; Oberbichler Thomas (2020): Kinetics and Design of Semi-Compliant Grid Mechanisms. In Olivier Baverel, Helmut Pottmann, Caitlin Mueller, Tomohiro Tachi (Eds.): Advances in Architectural Geometry 2021. Paris, pp. 108-129
Schling, Eike; Barthel, Rainer (2019): Repetitive Structures. In Christoph Gengnagel, Olivier Baverel, Jane Burry, Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen, Stefan Weinzierl (eds.): Impact: Design With All Senses. Design Modelling Symposium Berlin 2019, pp. 360-375. Springer, ISBN: 978-3-030-29828-9, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-29829-6_29
Schling, Eike; Kilian, Martin; Wang, Hui; Schikore, Jonas; Pottmann, Helmut (2018): Design and Construction of Curved Support Structures with Repetitive Parameters. In Lars Hesselgren, Karl-Gunnar Olsson, Axel Kilian, Samar Malek, Olga Sorkine-Hornung, Chris Williams (Eds.): Advances in Architectural Geometry 2018. 1. Auflage. Wien: Klein Publishing, pp. 140–165.
Schling, Eike; Hitrec, Denis; Barthel, Rainer (2017): Designing Grid Structures Using Asymptotic Curve Networks. In: Klaas de Rycke, Christoph Gengnagel, Olivier Baverel, Jane Burry, Caitlin Mueller, Minh Man Nguyen et al. (Ed.): Humanizing Digital Reality. Design Modelling Symposium Paris 2017. Singapore: Springer Singapore, pp. 125–140. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-6611-5_12.
Book Chapters
Schling, Eike; Rainer Barthel (2021): Šuchovs gebogene Netze – Krümmung und Verformung. in ‘Vladimir Šuchov’, Ed. Rainer Graefe 2020, Innsbruck.
Schling, Eike; Barthel, Rainer (2021): Experimentelle zweifach gekrümmte Gitterstrukturen. In Jakob Schoof (Ed.): Struktur und Natur. Holztragwerke. With assistance of Charlotte Petereit Roland Pawlitschko. Munich: DETAIL Verlag, pp. 24–29, DOI: 10.11129/9783955535513
Conference Papers (Abstract reviewed)
Hoyer, Sebastian; D’Acunto, Pierluigi; Schling, Eike (2024): Timber Gridshells: Challenges and strategies in fabrication and assembly. In Philippe Block, Giulia Boller, Catherine de Wolf, Jacqueline Pauli, Walter Kaufmann (Eds.): Proceedings of the IASS 2024 Symposium. Redefining the Art of Structural Design. LINK
Man, Haotian; Wan, Zongshuai; Pellis, Davide; Schling, Eike (2024a): Kit-of-Parts Equilateral Constant Normal Curvature (ECNC) Gridshell. In Philippe Block, Giulia Boller, Catherine de Wolf, Jacqueline Pauli, Walter Kaufmann (Eds.): Proceedings of the IASS 2024 Symposium. Redefining the Art of Structural Design. LINK
Schling, Eike (2024): Geometrische Optimierung von Gitterschalen. In: Baustatik-Baupraxis 15; Technische Universität Hamburg; ISBN: 978-3-00-077808-7
Schling, Eike; Jonas Schikore, Thomas Oberbichler: (2021): D-Nets on rotational surfaces. Equilibrium gridshell layout, symmetric to the principal stress directions. Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2021, Surrey, DOI: 10.15488/17093
Schling, Eike; Hitrec, Denis; Schikore, Jonas; Barthel, Rainer (2017): Design and Construction of the Asymptotic Pavilion. In: K.-U Bletzinger, Eugenio Oñate und B. Kröplin (Ed.): VIII International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures. STRUCTURAL MEMBRANES 2017. Barcelona: International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), S. 178–189. ISBN (Electronic)9788494690990
Eversmann, Philipp; Schling, Eike; Ihde, André; Louter, Christian (2016): Low Cost Double Curvature. Geometrical and Structural Potentials of Rectangular, Cold-Bent Glass Construction. In: K. Kawaguchi, M. Ohsaki und T. Takeuchi (Ed.): Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2016: IASS. PDF
Schling, Eike; Barthel, Rainer; Ihde, André; Tutsch, Joram; Huth, Sebastian (2015): Bending-Activated Tensegrity. In: Eugenio Oñate, K.-U Bletzinger und B. Kröplin (Hg.): Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures VII. Barcelona: International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE).
Professional Journals
Medebach, Johannes; Schling, Eike (2023): Asymptotic Geodesic Timber Vault. Gitterschalen mal einfach. Komplexe Strukturen aus einfachen Holzbrettern – ein Forschungs- und Bauprojekt beschäftigt sich mit der Konstruktion von leichten Gitterschalen. (8117275). In: www.baunetz-campus.de/
Schling, Eike (2018): Komplexe Formen einfach bauen: Die Asymptotische Gitterschale der TU München. In: structure-magazine.de, 17.12.2018.
Schling, Eike (2018): Forschung für “freien” Stahlbau. In M&T Metallhandwerk (3.2018), pp. 12–14.
Schling, Eike; Barthel, Rainer (2017): Experimental Studies on the Construction of Doubly Curved Structures. Fachwissen. In: DETAILstructure 10/17 (01), pp. 52–56.
Schling, Eike (2017): Aufwendiges einfacher planen. Ratgeber Produktivität. In: M&T Metallhandwerk (10.2017), pp. 32–34.
Schling, Eike; Barthel, Rainer; Tutsch, Joram (2014): Freie Form – experimentelle Tragstruktur. In: Bautechnik 91 (12), S. 859–868. DOI: 10.1002/bate.201400086
Posters
Kilian, Martin; Wang, Hui; Schling, Eike; Schikore, Jonas; Pottmann, Helmut (2018): Curved Support Structures and Meshes with Spherical Vertex Stars. In – (Ed.): ACM SIGGRAPH 2018. DOI: 10.15488/17095
Schling, Eike; Hitrec, Denis (2016): Asymptotic Gridshell. Using Asymptotic Lines to Construct the Curved Support Structure of a Minimal Surface. Poster. Zurich, 9/9/2016. DOI: 10.15488/17096
Geometry.Design.Structure 