+ The Institute of Structural Design (ITE, German: Institut für Tragwerksentwurf) is a multidisciplinary research and teaching institute with two professorships: Prof. Harald Kloft in Structural Design and Prof. Norman Hack in Digital Construction. ITE core areas of expertise include structural design, digital construction, and robotic manufacturing, with a strong emphasis on sustainable, large-format applications in construction.
+ ITE provides a solid educational foundation for architecture and engineering students, with a strong emphasis on digital design and emerging technologies. Its mission is to equip students with comprehensive knowledge and the skills to integrate technological innovation into architecture and construction. The institute places particular focus on environmental awareness, efficiency, and social responsibility, ensuring that graduates are prepared to address the challenges of sustainable building practices.
+ ITE’s research primarily focuses on integrating design, computation, and sustainable materialization processes. The institute actively promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge exchange, and methodological integration, all aimed at driving innovation in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) applications.
+ ITE research projects are third-party granted and are spanning from fundamental to applied industrial research. Moreover, since 2020 ITE hosts the Collaborative Research Center Transregio 277 Additive Manufacturing in Construction (AMC) together with TU Munich as one of the largest national research grants of the German Research Foundation (DFG) in AEC Industries. Within TRR277 AMC, ITE investigates fundamental material-process interactions of defined AM technologies as well as their integration within new digital workflows from design to construction. The goal is to develop new digital construction processes offering more freedom of design, fulfilling ecological, economically, and social demands for a better built environment.
+ ITE operates various large-scale machines and testing facilities such as the Digital Building Fabrication Laboratory (DBFL), the Earth Construction Lab (ECL), and innovative multi axis printer at the Digital Construction Site (DCS).
+ The ITE research group is highly motivated, international, diverse and interdisciplinary, bringing together expertise from mechanical and structural engineering, materials science, computational design, and architecture. At ITE, we support our researchers in advancing their scientific knowledge, fostering personal development, building global networks, and strengthening teamwork skills. We believe that only outstanding individuals can come together to form an outstanding team.
