When in the late summer of 2012 we decided on the title for this current issue, we already knew that the title we chose, a play on words with the analogous translation of the German phrase – „a weakness for materiality“ –, which we transformed into „weak materiality“, would require an issue covering a wider ground than „just“ the topic of materiality. This also prevented a reiteration of the same „classical“ discourse on materiality, which could be seen, for example, in the issue „Magie der Werkstoffe“ of the magazine Daidalos (June 1995), and which has shaped especially the Swiss-German architecture over the last three decades.

While Switzerland explored material and its consistency, the worldwide discourse turned towards the immaterial realm. The discovery of the cyberspace as a virtual space made of bits sparked the collective imagination. However, the ­architect’s longing for tangibility remained also in times of digital body- and weightlessness. The intent to materialise virtual visions was the driving force behind the progress and led, over the years, to a shift of focus from space to mater­ial. Hence today, the new field of digital fabrication transforms the weak and vague materiality of the digital world into a novel, strong and physical materiality.

Looking for references for these new production methods, the evaluation of real phenomena brings hidden strengths of the seemingly weak to light. For example, when the hardening of folds of a cloth, be it through congelation or concreting, leads to an optimisation of the bearing structure. While in the past, weak material could only be explored through experimentation – Heinz Isler has to be mentioned as a protagonist in this respect – digital tools for analysis and production now ­enable engineers and architects to discover unanticipated strengths, which are starting to change our aesthetic sense of right and wrong.

Nevertheless, this issue also aims to question technological progress and contrasts digital manufacturing with traditional crafts and trades. The purpose is less to discuss the pros and cons of each and more to provide the ground for a mutually beneficial exchange. Michael Hansmeyer’s sandstone 3-D prints that are worked on under the supervision of a church conservator show, how in a post-digital era different disciplines and movements come together to form new cooperations. In order for this to succeed, knowledge passed down through generations has to be protected and preserved, skills in handling and processing materials, attained through observation or oral exchange, have to be fostered and maintained. This is of special importance for the emerging and thriving countries of Asia, where the speed of industrialisation fuels a cultural change that puts weak knowledge under pressure.

As in life, the truly weak has to struggle in the editorial as well and is thus mentioned last. But in how far does the weak have to gain strength, has to steel itself to find its way into architecture? A very personal answer to that might be offered by artist Heidi Bucher’s skin rooms, an entertaining one by the introduction of the bouncy castle into the canon of architecture.
The editors

04 Editorial

Architektur aktuell
10 Vertical Sublime oder Festung der Einsamkeit. Renzo Piano Building Workshop: The Shard, London | Florian Dreher
18 Geschmacksfragen
Caruso St John Architects: Erweiterung des Sir John Soane’s Museum, London | Florian Dreher

Weak Materiality: Eine Schwäche für Materialität
26 Fadenkonstruktionen. Vom armen Material zum starken Medium | Gunnar Schmidt
32 Das genähte Zuhause. Do Ho Suh und die textilen Nachbildungen
seiner ­Wohnräume | Katharina Sommer
34 Triumph of Weakware. Über himmlische Gebilde und ihre Pendants auf Erden | Hannes Mayer
38 Zwischen effizienter Konstruktion und expressivem Ausdruck. Textile Schalungen von Gustav Lilienthal bis heute | Philippe Block und Diederik Veenendaal
44 Ganzheitlichkeit des Seins. Die Eis-Versuche von Heinz Isler | Toni Kotnik
48 Weichen der Architektur. Raumhäutungen von Heidi Bucher | Julia Höck und Hannes Mayer
52 Reinforce! Über unsichtbare Schlüsseldetails und die Relevanz
des Bewehrungsplans | Florian Dreher und Abba Tor
54 The (fr)agile beauty of architecture. ProtoRobotic FOAMing as an expression of ­Neo-Materialism| Marjan Colletti
58 The (risky) craft of digital making. How digitally driven tools redefine the relationship between design and production | Branko Kolarevic
62 Material. Oberfläche oder strukturbestimmender «Stoff» | Dieter Geissbühler
68 Putz. Eine vielfältige Gebäudehülle | Hartmut Göhler und Pinar Gönül
72 Sein und Zu-Hause-Sein in den Bergen. Architektur und Bautradition in Himachal Pradesh, Indien | Bharat Dave, Jay Thakkar und Mansi Shah
78 Planungs- und Bauprozesse im 21. Jahrhundert. Digitales Prototyping hoch individualisierter Systeme am Beispiel des Leadenhall Building von Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners | Dirk Krolikowski
84 Die digitale Herausforderung. Alterung, Reparaturfähigkeit und theoretische ­Reproduzierbarkeit digital fabrizierter Architektur | Silke Langenberg
86 Aus Staub wird Gold. Sandstein-3-D-Druck von Michael Hansmeyer und Benjamin Dillenburger | Hannes Mayer

Rubriken
88 Ausstellung
92 Neues aus der Industrie
102 Lieferbare Hefte
104 Vorschau und Impressum