News & Events

12|08|2024 Call for Student Assistant/HiWi

The Professorship for Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture is looking for a student assistant/HiWi (BA or MA landscape architecture student) to handle varied tasks involving research, the organisation and preparation of courses for the professorship and the sole charge of the GTLA social media (website, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook pages). The position is for 7.5 hours per week, starting October 1, 2024.

Would you be interested in joining the GTLA team? Head over to the job description.

Please note that the application is centralised.

25|06|24 Master's Thesis by Tatjana Greb

We would like to congratulate Tatjana Greb on her excellent Master’s Thesis, entitled “A Blue-Green Approach to Modernisation” (Ein blau-grüner Sanierungsansatz)

This thesis delves into the practical application of blue-green infrastructure in the refurbishment of existing residential buildings, with a focus on linear buildings from the German post-war period. The limitation of blue-green infrastructure relates to water management from rainwater and greywater use and the new concept of the tree facade. The findings aim to bridge the gap between research and implementation, offering a practical solution to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Tatjana Greb completed the Master of Science in Resource Efficient and Sustainable Building (RNB).

Thesis supervisor: Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig

28|04|24 Invitation to the Guidebook Presentation "Trees in planters as an effective urban climate adaptation measure"

We cordially invite you to the presentation of the guidebook "Trees in planters as an urban-climatically effective measure for adaptation to climate change" to discuss the results of the research project with you. With its help, Bavarian cities and municipalities can use trees in planters in a targeted manner in places where conventional tree planting is not possible and thus contributing to climate change adaptation and increasing biodiversity in dense urban situations.

You can find more about the presentation here.

28-05-2024, 9:00 - 13:00

Location: Institut für Botanik und Landespflege (Room U1)

Emil-Ramann-Str. 6

85354 Freising

20|02|24 Final Presentations of the Seminar The Power of Trees

For the seminar The Power of Trees, student projects were prepared as a contribution for a planned exhibition.

Over the course of the semester, the students worked in groups of two to develop a way of representing time. The focus of the seminar was on the graphical development of timelines. The results of the seminar offer insights into the methods of presenting time, as well as into the connections between trees and architecture in different periods of architecture.

Warm thanks to our guest critics, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sonja Dümpelmann, Prof. Dr. Andres Lepik and Dr.-Ing. Andjelka Badnjar Gojnić. The seminar was taught by Kristina Pujkilovic and Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Ludwig.

8|12|23 KlimaKübelBäume Research Project

As part of the KlimaKübelBäume (ClimateContainerTrees) research project, 15 trees were excavated from the test area at the greenhouse laboratory centre in Dürnast in order to examine the different root structures of the test trees after 4 vegetation periods of growth.
In the test series, 64 Platanus x hispanica and 64 Tilia cordata were planted in 4 different root space conditions (in the soil, in planters in the soil, in non-insulated planters and in insulated planters). The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of important root space limitation in combination with different irrigation regimes (drought stress/optimally irrigated) and different temperature influences on the root space with regards to tree growth.
The knowledge gained will be incorporated into a guideline for the planning and use of trees in planters in projects without adequate root space.

Project Partners:
Professorship for Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture (Supervision)
Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Ludwig, Christoph Fleckenstein M.A.
Chair for Strategic and Landscape Planning Management
Prof. Dr. Stephan Pauleit, Dr. Mohammad Rahman
Chair for Forest Growth and Yield Science
Prof. Dr. Thomas Rötzer, Vjosa Dervishi M. Sc.
Project duration: 01.11.2019 - 31.12.2023
Financing: Bayerische Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz

30|10|23 Symposium Design-Related Research

The introduction of the media dissertation at the TUM School of Engineering and Design opens up the opportunity to utilize the potential of genuine architectural working methods and methods of knowledge constitution. The focus of the symposium will be centred on discussions surrounding these methods. The symposium is divided into a public forum with an exhibition tour and keynote speeches, as well as university-public events of the colloquium, and an atelier with workshops for doctoral students and those interested in doctoral studies.

November 10th - 11th, 2023

The symposium will be held at Prof. Tina Haase's chair in the Königssaal. Entrance VI, Luisenstrasse at the corner of Gabelsbergerstrasse, “Golden Angel” staircase, 3rd floor.

The symposium is curated by Prof. Uta Graff, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Ludwig, Katharina Voigt and Julian Schäfer.

For more information

23|10|2023 Keynote Speech by Prof. Dr. Ludwig at the Chinese Digital Landscape Conference

Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Ludwig held a keynote speech "Growing Architecture: Digital Tools for Co-Designing with Trees" for the 6th International Digital Landscape Architecture Conference & Digital Landscape Week at Southeast University in China. The conference took place on October 21-22, 2023 and brought together Chinese and international experts and scholars.

21|09|23 Call for New Professorship Position in "Architecture of Urban Density"

The TUM School of Engineering and Design is happy to announce the call for an additional professorship position.

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) invites applications for the position of Professor in "Architecture of Urban Density" W2 Tenure Track Assistant Professor (with tenure track to W3) or W3 Associate/Full Professor; to begin in summer semester 2024.

Click on the following link for more information about the new position.

13-15|09|23 Workshop on Digital Tools for Co-Designing with Living Systems

Join our workshop “Digital Tools for Co-Designing with Living Systems” hosted by Ferdinand Ludwig and Hadi Yazdi from the TUM and Verena Vogler from McNeel Europe at “The Future of Construction 2023: Symposium on Human-Machine Teams for Design and Sustainable Construction”.

The workshop will address how we can learn to co-design with living systems and foster a new discourse on the future of integrating an ecosystemic approach in digital design. The workshop will shed light on conclusions from the recent research project ECOLOPES, and the tools TreeML and PrunML. Participants will work on a common whiteboard to discuss the chances and challenges of the approaches. The workshop will close with a conclusion session in which key learnings from the discussion are summarized in an online document.

Click here more information on the workshop and its organizers.

Register here for the symposium.

21|07|23 Co-authored Research Paper on Trees in Planters

"Trees in planters – Growth, structure and ecosystem services of Platanus x hispanica and Tilia cordata and their reaction to soil drought"

Finding the right balance between paved and green spaces in cities is met with challenges, but even more so due to the limited amount of underground space for tree roots. Trees in planters can offer solutions to this obstacle; however, planters bring their own set of challenges for a tree’s growth potential and the resulting provision of ecosystem services. In this paper, research conducted on Platanus x hispanica and Tilia cordata in four different types of growing scenarios reveals key findings as to their impact on the trees and the tree's ability to withstand soil drought.

Authors: Vjosa Dervishi, Christoph Fleckenstein, Mohammad A. Rahman, Stephan Pauleit, Ferdinand Ludwig, Hans Pretzsch & Thomas Rötzer

Click here to access the full version of our newly published research paper.

01|06|23 Research Paper on a Growth Model for Living Architecture Design

In the research paper “A circuit analogy based girth growth model for living architecture design”, we develop a girth-growth prediction tool by analysing the living structures from the “Tree Circus”. This prediction tool serves as a key component to the successful implementation and understanding of living architecture (Baubotanik).  

Images a and b are courtesy of Mark Primack.

Click here for online access to the research paper.

22|12|22 PhD Defense in "Blue-Green Architecture"

Our PhD candidate Friederike Well has successfully defended her PhD in "Blue-Green Architecture - Integrative Design with Water and Vegetation". Congrats to SUMMA CUM LAUDE - passed with distinction! Thanks to the whole team of Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture for creating an unforgettable event and for Alain Thierstein from the Chair of Urban Development for the charming chairing and moderation, Brigitte Helmreich and Martin Knöll for their role as reviewer. 

06|12|22 ECOLOPES TALKS with Leo Stuckardt presenting MVRDV Next

Digital Tooling, Datascapes and Design Speculation 

Leo Stuckardt, Senior Project Leader at MVRDV and co-founder of MVRDV NEXT, will talk about the role of NEXT within MVRDV’s global practice and illustrate on-going research on data-driven design through applied, speculative and academic case studies.

More information here. 

The recording of the lecture can be found on the Ecolopes Facebook page.

06|09|22 ECOLOPES TALKS with William Myers

We are pleased to present William Myers at the 4th ECOLOPES TALK on September 6th, 5PM CET.

William Myers is a curator, author, and teacher based in Amsterdam. His book Biodesign (2012 and 2018 editions) identifies the emerging practice of integrating biological processes into design and architecture. Biodesign is the next step beyond biology-inspired approaches to design and fabrication. It refers to the incorporation of living organisms as essential components in design, enhancing the function of the finished work.

20|06|22 Presentation Doctoral Thesis Vertikale Freiräume

The first doctoral thesis at our professorship was completed in June! We congratulate Isabel Zintl for this. The topic of vertical free spaces was examined in the work. One speaks of vertical free space when open spaces are layered and a walkable three-dimensional free space is created as a result. This creates spaces of possibility in the vertical, which, for example, make previously unusable spaces between buildings accessible.

More Informations here.

05|04|22 ECOLOPES TALK with Helga Fassbinder about Biotope City

We are pleased to present Helga Fassbinder as our first speaker of the ECOLOPES TALKS series. Helga is the founder of the journal and the concept "Biotope City". The Biotope City concept is based on the realization that we and our cities do not form an antagonism to nature, but that our cities are nothing else but one other of the many forms that constitute nature. Helga will present and discuss the concept as well its implementation in the "Biotope City Wienerberg" in Vienna.

Please register here for the ECOLOPES TALKS series and our newsletter:

You will receive a confirmation mail with the zoom link to join the talks.

We are looking forward to meeting you at the online talk, Tuesday April 5^th 17:00 CET.

23|11|21 Bundeskongress Gebäudegrün 23. – 24.11.2021

The Federal Building Greening Congress was organised by BuGG again this year. Unfortunately, it was not held in Berlin as planned, but as an online event. We had the opportunity to present in five-minute short presentations three projects from our current research that deal with building greening. These included the Impuls project as part of the Interess-I research project, Prototyping School Garden as a 1:1 student project as part of the Blue-Green Infrastructure research and KlimaKübelBäume as part of the research into trees in planters as an alternative micro-climatically effective greening solution. In addition to the short presentations, the projects were also exhibited online on posters. The feedback from the other participants was consistently positive and, despite the online event, contacts were made. We hope to be present with insightful projects at the next national congress on green buildings.

03|10|21 Türöffner Maus at the Impulsprojekt in Stuttgart

Last weekend the hands-on campaign "Open doors with the Mouse" (Türöffner Maus) took place in Stuttgart at the containers of our research project INTERESS-I. We were able to welcome numerous families with children and bring them closer to the topic of urban greenery and water use.

Find more informations about the Event here.

26|05|21 Release of the first issue »Research Perspectives in Architecture«

Research Perspectives in Architecture Dimensions Issue 01/2021, edited by Katharina Voigt, Uta Graff, and Ferdinand Ludwig, explores different lines of enquiry with specific focus on their methodology. Design-based, reflexive, qualitative, experience-based, archival and interdisciplinary perspectives are investigated.

We cordially invite you to the release of Dimensions Vol.1:

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

6:30pm via Zoom: 

Online (Zoom-Meeting) Code: 143802

We will present the objective and structure of the journal, introduce the first issue and give an outlook on the upcoming editions. Prof. Sophie Wolfrum, former professor and Dean at the Department of Architecture at the Technical University of Munich, will introduce the international editorial context of BauHow5 and its extended network, emphasizing the role of the journal in discipline of architecture.

06|05|21 Online Lecture: Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig – The Architect as Planetary Gardener

Professor Ferdinand Ludwig invites you to his university-public online lecture on Thursday, 06.05.21 as part of the so-called "Assessment Centre" after the fourth year of the tenure-track procedure. Ludwig will provide insights into his research and teaching activities at TUM to date as well as an outlook on the coming years.

When
06.05.2021, 09.00h

Where
Online: Zoom-Link
Kenncode: 618672 

01|04|21 Humboldt Research Fellowship for Sandra Persiani

Arch. Ph.D. Sandra Persiani is awarded with the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. She conducts a research project on the topic "Architectural Symbiosis, emergence of new operating patterns as effect of a human-plant-building association" in collaboration with the Chair of Building Technology and Climate Responsive Design and the Professorship of Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture.

She is now part of the gtla* Team and we are so happy about it!

18|03|21 The Engineering Club: Evening Talk with Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig and Wilfrid Middelton

The Engineering Club offers a programme of free evening talks on diverse engineering aspects of engineering culture that is open to all.

On Thursday the 8th Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig and PhD student Wilfrid Middelton will talk about Living Structure.

About the topic: Their research is focused on architectural concepts in which plants play a central role. Integrating plants – both functionally and creatively – into construction designs not only provides answers to some of today’s most pressing ecological issues, such as climate change, it also presents a methodological challenge, encouraging exploration into ways of dealing with aspects of growth and decay, chance and probability in architecture and landscape design.

More informations and the registration for the event: engineeringclub.org.uk/talk/living-structure/

18|12|19 Nachwuchspreis bdla Bayern 2019

Congratulations to Lotta Steger for winning the 2019 bdla Bayern Nachwuchspreis!

Her bachelor thesis, titled "Blau-grüne Infrastrukturen: Transformationsstudien urbaner Freiräume am Beispiel von Frankfurt" was written under the supervision of Ferdinand Ludwig and Friederike Well through the Professorship for Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture.

18|11|19 Exhibition Raumwelten Ludwigsburg

Impressions from the exhibition "Baubotanik - Cities Forests Trees" featuring research and teaching results of Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture, TUM Department of Architecture and projects by "ludwig.schönle | Baubotanik Architecture Urbanism". Fotos: Qiguan Shu

13|11|19 LECTURE Raumwelten 2019

Addressing the application of the photogrammetric method to living architecture, Qiguan Shu, Masters Student at Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture will present a process for extracting precise geometric information from complex living structures and preliminary results of the study. The work is performed by Wilfrid Middleton (doctoral student) and Qiguan Shu, supervised by Prof Ferdinand Ludwig.

Where? Bühnenturm der Akademie für Darstellende Kunst Baden-Württemberg

When? Wednesday, 13.11.19. 3-3.30pm

14|10|19 PRESENTATION MASTER Courses Winter 19/20

On October 14th the courses for Master Landscape Architecture students in winter 19/20 will be presented.

Where? E42, Weihenstephan
Who? Chair of Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture (gtla) and Chair of Landscape Architecture and Public Space (LAO)
When? October 14th at 12:30 pm

18|09|19 BUGG Forschung und Lehre

Vorstellung unserer Erfahrungen in der Lehre zu Gebäudebegrünung bei Architekten und Landschaftsarchitekten am BuGG-Tag Forschung und Lehre Gebäudegrün 2019.

Wo? ZAE Bayern, Würzburg

Wann? 18.09.2019

01|07|19 DGNB Sustainability Challenge

The faculty of architecture (TUM) and Ingenieurbüro Hausladen are currently working on a joint resesarch project "Agricultural Lighting Facade". As nominee in the category "Research", it was now honoured as finalist in the annual Sustainability Challenge der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen – DGNB. The winning project is called "BauCycle". Project manager Mariana Yordanova and Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig accepted the finalist award on the DBNB Day of Sustainability.

23|04|19 PRESENTATION New courses Summer 19

At the first day of the semester, April 23rd we will present our semester offers to the Landscape Architecture students at 11:00 in Freising in Room E42. See you there!

28-29|03|19 ARCHITECTURE + ENVIRONMENT Symposium II

On March 28/29 the department of Digital Architecture and Planning is hosting a symposium at the Vienna University of Technology. Professor Ferdinand Ludwig will be among the speakers. For more information, have a look at our facebook page.

20|02|19 PRESENTATION GREEN TECHNOLOGIES - LIVING BRIDGES

On Wednesday, 20/02 the final presentation of our seminar green technologies - living bridges will start at 9.45 am in Vorhoelzer Forum. We are looking forward to our guests, Dr. Andres Lepik, professor for History of Architecture and Curatorial Practice as well as Anette Dittel (BIOTOPIA - Naturkundemuseum Bayern).

30|11|18 WORLD FORUM ON URBAN FORESTS

On Friday, November 30 Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig and Stefano Panunzi will give a lecture about 'Seismic Green Infrastructure: EKSOTECTURES & EKSOSCAPES' at the World Forum on Urban Forests 2018 in Mantova, Italy. The aim of the Forum is to highlight positive examples of planning, design and management approaches that cities with diverse cultures, forms, structure and histories have implemented to optimize the contribution that urban forests and green infrastructure can provide in terms of economic development, environmental conservation, improved social cohesion, and increased public involvement. The event will last four days and will include conference sessions, discussions and public events.

17|11|18 BAUBOTANIK The Nature of Nature

On Saturday 17th of November, the European Cultural is hosting a roundtable in Venice bringing together the work and thought of seven individuals holding a common interest in the metaphysics and physics of our existential envelopment amidst the vast realm of nature. Professor Ferdinand Ludwig was invited to give an introduction about Baubotanik.

TEACHING WINTER 18/19

Check out our new courses for Winter 18/19! You can find them on this website, on tumonline and at the institute in Freising.

26|04|18 UMCC exhibited at the Entrepreneur Day

Our "Urban Micro Climate Canopy" is being exhibited at the Entrepreneur Day of the Bavarian Building Industry. Many thanks to the installation and de-installation team that made this exhibition possible: Lorenz Boij, Moritz Dörstelmann, Daniele Santucci, Johannes Schmitt Carlo Guernier, Marco Zanchetta, Francesco Martini, Benjamin Slosharek, Samuel Meile, Martin Gabriel, Frederic Engasser

More info: www.umcc.eu

NEW COURSES Summer 2018

Our new courses for summer 2018 are online! Check them out on our website, on facebook and in tumonline.

11|04|18 PRESENTATION ISW-FACHTAGUNG by Isabel Zintl

Isabel Zintl, who is a member of our team, is going to give a presentation at the symposium of SW - Institut für Städtebau und Wohnungswesen München. There she is going to speak about „Vertikale Freiräume als grüne Möglichkeitsräume im Kontext hoher baulicher Dichte“.

03|03|18 MUNICH CREATIVE BUSINESS WEEK Exhibition Urban Microclimate Canopy prototype

Urban Microclimate Canopy

22|02|18 LECTURE GREEN, BLUE, SMART by Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig

The event ZUKUNFT STADT@GRÜNBAU BERLIN, which will take place on February 22 in Berlin in the context of bautec Messe, will present projects contributing to the aim of making cities smarter, more resilient and sustainable. Antje Backhaus, Ferdinand Ludwig and Ina Homeier show new ideas and concepts in the scope of this year's topic „Green – Blue – Smart: Concepts for the city of tomorrow“.

05|02|18 GUEST LECTURE by raderschallpartner ag landschaftsarchitekten

With "mfo park" raderschallpartner ag landscape architects have created the icon of a vertical space in collaboration with Burkhard+Partner architects. The symbiosis between architecture and landscape architecture serves daily use as well as special events, such as concerts and open-air cinema. The project is the topic of the guest lecture, which will take place at Vorhoelzer Forum.

Start: 8 pm

28|11|17 BUNDESPREIS ECODESIGN for Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig

We are delighted to receive this year's Bundespreis ecodesign in the category <concept>. The prize is awarded for future-oriented design studies as well as model projects. We sent in the approach of Baubotanik, which was developed by Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig and Daniel Schönle. The awards ceremony took place on November 27 at the Bundesimweltministerium Berlin.

13|11|17 MARK PRIMACK Guest lecture

We are really looking forward to welcoming the architect Mark Primack from Santa Cruz on November 11 in Munich! He is going to hold a guest lecture at the Vorhoelzer Forum about his work and his efforts on saving the <Scotts Valley Tree Circus>.

Start: 6 pm 

24|10|17 GRÜNE ARCHITEKTUR Lecture Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Ludwig

 Lecture <Grüne Architektur> by Ferdinand Ludwig within the project EKSOTECTURE / EKSOSCAPE on Oktober 24 in room 2350 (Alte Architekturbibliothek). Part 2: Techniken, Systeme, Synergien

Start: 9.45 am

17|10|17 GRÜNE ARCHITEKTUR Lecture Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Ludwig

Lecture <Grüne Architektur> by Ferdinand Ludwig within the project EKSOTECTURE / EKSOSCAPE on Oktober 17 in room 2350 (Alte Architekturbibliothek). Part 1: Konzepte und Haltungen

Start: 9.45 am

12|10|17 NEW FACEBOOKPAGE gtla*

Visit us on our new facebookpage! Take a look at our recent projects and lectures that we have on display there.