BLOCK Research Group

Prof. Dr. Philippe Block

Prof. Dr. Philippe Block
Assistant Professor (tenure track)
HIL E 46.1
+41 (0) 44 633 68 44

Philippe Block is an architectural engineer with multi-disciplinary research interests including graphical design and analysis techniques, computational form finding and optimization, structural and architectural geometry, digital fabrication and appropriate construction. Trained at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Brussels, Belgium (BSc 2001, MSc 2003) and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA, USA (SMArchS 2005, PhD 2009), his research and teaching is very much at the interface of architecture and structural engineering. He worked as a visiting researcher with the late Prof. Ture Wester at the Royal Danish Academy of Arts in Copenhagen, Denmark (Fall 2007) and with Prof. Werner Sobek at the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK) in Stuttgart, Germany (Spring 2008).

For his PhD in Building Technology at MIT (2009), under the guidance of Prof. John Ochsendorf, he developed Thrust Network Analysis, an innovative approach for assessing the safety of historic vaulted structures with complex geometries in unreinforced masonry and for designing funicular (axial-force-only) three-dimensional structures. He has won numerous awards and fellowships for his research, including the Hangai Prize (2007) and the Tsuboi Award (2010) from the International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures.

Since 2009, Philippe Block is heading the BLOCK Research Group at ETH Zurich. He is Assistant Professor (tenure track) of Building Structure at the Institute of Technology in Architecture in the Department of Architecture, and an associated faculty member of the Institute of Structural Engineering in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering. Prof. Block was awarded the Golden Owl 2010 for the Department of Architecture for engagement and excellence in teaching.

An expert on the mechanics and behavior of masonry structures and three-dimensional equilibrium, Prof. Block collaborates with architects, and engineers on the study and structural assessment of historic monuments around the world. As founding partner of Ochsendorf DeJong & Block, LLC, he applies his research into practice for the analysis of vaulted historic masonry with complex geometries and the design and engineering of compression structures pushing innovation in unreinforced masonry. Projects range from unique signature vaults in cut stone to sustainable construction solutions for developing countries.

Learn more about prof. Block's research at ETH Zurich in his inaugural lecture "Conserving the Past - Designing the Future: New Studies in Equilibrium", held on April 28, 2010.

Publications
Block P., Lachauer L. and Rippmann M.[2013]Thrust Network Analysis - Design of a stone-cut masonry vaulted pavilion, Form finding and Optimization of Shell Structures, S. Adriaenssens, P. Block, D. Veenendaal and C.J.K. Williams (eds.), submitted for review.
Adriaenssens S., Block P., Veenendaal D. and Williams C.J.K.[2013]Form finding and Optimization of Shell Structures.
Veenendaal D. and Block P.[2013]Comparison of Form Finding Methods, Form finding and Optimization of Shell Structures, S. Adriaenssens, P. Block, D. Veenendaal and C.J.K. Williams (eds.), submitted for review.
Block P. and Van Mele T.[2012]Algebraic Graphical Analysis, International Journal of Solids and Structures, submitted for review.
Block P.[2012]Retrofitting and Redacting Masonry Engineering, Building Systems: Technology, Design & Society, K. Moe and R. Smith (eds.), Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, London.
Block P. and Lachauer L.[2012]Three-dimensional Equilibrium Analysis of Gothic Masonry Vaults, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, SAHC 2012, Wroclaw, Poland, submitted for review.
Davis L. and Block P.[2012]Earthen Masonry Vaulting: Technologies and Transfer, Building SUDU: How to construct a sustainable urban dwelling unit, D. Hebel and M. Moges (eds.), ETH Zurich, Addis Ababa / Zurich, to be published.
Veenendaal D. and Block P.[2012]Computational form finding for fabric formworks: an overview and discussion, Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on flexible formwork, accepted for publication.
Lachauer L. and Block P.[2012]Compression Support Structures for Slabs, Proceedings of Advances in Architectural Geometry 2012, Paris, France, submitted for review.
Rippmann M., Lachauer L. and Block P.[2012]Interactive Vault Design, International Journal of Space Structures, submitted for review.
Van Mele T., Rippmann M., Lachauer L. and Block P.[2012]Geometry-based Understanding of Structures, Journal of the International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures, Vol. 53, Nr. 2, accepted for publication.
Van Mele T., McInerney J., DeJong M. and Block M.[2012]Physical and Computational Discrete Modeling of Masonry Vault Collapse, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, SAHC 2012, Wroclaw, Poland, submitted for review.
Davis L., Rippmann M., Pawlofsky T. and Block P.[2012]Freeform Timbrel Vaulting using Cardboard Guidework, The Structural Engineer, submitted for review.
Block P. and Lachauer L.[2011]Closest-Fit, Compression-Only Solutions for Free Form Shells, Proceedings of the IABSE-IASS Symposium 2011, London, UK.
Rippmann M. and Block P.[2011]New Design and Fabrication Methods for Freeform Stone Vaults Based on Ruled Surfaces, Computational Design Modeling - Proceedings of Design Modeling Symposium Berlin 2011, Springer, Berlin.
Rippmann M. and Block P.[2011]Digital Stereotomy: Voussoir geometry for freeform masonry-like vaults informed by structural and fabrication constraints, Proceedings of the IABSE-IASS Symposium 2011, London, UK.
Davis L. and Block P.[2011]Scaffolding to Structure: Construction in Thin-Shell Masonry, Seminar Week Fall 2010, ETH Zurich.
Veenendaal D. and Block P.[2011]A Framework for Comparing Form Finding Methods, Proceedings of the IABSE-IASS Symposium 2011, London, UK.
Davis L. and Block P.[2011]Earthen Masonry Vaulting: Technologies and Transfer, Building Ethiopia: Sustainability and Innovation in Architecture and Design, Cherenet, Z. and Sewnet, H. (eds.), Shama Books, Addis Ababa.
Van Mele T. and Block P.[2011]Novel Form Finding Method for Fabric Formwork for Concrete Shells, Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures, Vol. 52, Nr. 4, pp. 217-224.
Veenendaal D., West M. and Block P.[2011]History and overview of fabric formwork: using fabrics for concrete casting, Structural Concrete - Journal of the fib, Vol. 12, Nr. 3, pp. 164-177.
Davis L., Rippmann M., Pawlofsky T. and Block P.[2011]Efficient and Expressive Thin-tile Vaulting using Cardboard Formwork, Proceedings of the IABSE-IASS Symposium 2011, London, UK.
Van Mele T., Lachauer L., Rippmann M. and Block P.[2011]Geometry-based Understanding of Structures, Proceedings of Structural Geometry Group International Seminar 2011, London, UK.
Block P., Lachauer L. and Rippmann M.[2010]Validating Thrust Network Analysis using 3D-printed, structural models, Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures Symposium 2010, IASS, Shanghai, China.
Block P. and Aerni P.[2010]Design Revolution in Architecture and its Impact on Development, Journal of the African Technology Development Forum (ATDF), Vol. 7, Nr. 1-2.
Block P., DeJong M., Davis L. and Ochsendorf J.[2010]Tile vaulted systems for low-cost construction in Africa, Journal of the African Technology Development Forum (ATDF), Vol. 7, Nr. 1-2, pp. 4-13.
Van Mele T. and Block P.[2010]A Novel Form Finding Method for Fabric Formwork for Concrete Shells, Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures Symposium 2010, IASS, Shanghai, China.
Lachauer L., Rippmann M. and Block P.[2010]Form Finding to Fabrication: A digital design process for masonry vaults, Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures Symposium 2010, IASS, Shanghai, China.
Ramage M., Ochsendorf J., Rich P., Bellamy J. and Block P.[2010]Design and construction of the Mapungubwe National Park Interpretive Centre, South Africa, Journal of the African Technology Development Forum (ATDF), Vol. 7, Nr. 1-2, pp. 14-23.
Block P.[2009]Thrust Network Analysis: Exploring Three-dimensional Equilibrium, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Ochsendorf J. and Block P.[2009]Designing unreinforced masonry, Form and Forces: Designing Efficient, Expressive Structures, pp. 215-245, E. Allen and W. Zalewski (eds.), John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Block P. and Ochsendorf J.[2008]Lower-bound analysis of masonry vaults, Proceedings of the VIth International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historic Construction, SAHC08, Bath, UK.
Ramage M., Ochsendorf J., Block P. and Rich P.[2008]Advanced Geometry, Rudimentary Construction: Structural formfinding for unreinforced thin-shell masonry vaults, Advances in Architectural Geometry, AAG08, Vienna, Austria.
Block P. and Ochsendorf J.[2007]Thrust network analysis: a new methodology for understanding three-dimensional equilibrium, Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2007, Architectural engineering - Toward the future looking to the past, Venice, Italy.
Block P. and Ochsendorf J.[2007]Thrust Network Analysis: A new methodology for three-dimensional equilibrium, Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures, Vol. 48, Nr. 3, pp. 167-173.
Block P., DeJong M. and Ochsendorf J.[2006]As hangs the flexible line: Equilibrium of Masonry Arches, The Nexus Network Journal, Vol. 8, Nr. 2, pp. 9-19.
Block P., Ciblac T. and Ochsendorf J.A.[2006]Real-time limit analysis of vaulted masonry buildings, Computers and Structures, Vol. 84, Nr. 29-30, pp. 1841-1852.
Block P.[2005]Equilibrium Systems: Studies in masonry structure, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Mollaert M., Van Mele T., Block P. and De Temmerman N.[2004]Intelligent kinetic structures: architectural organisms as a concept, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Shell and Spatial Structures 2004, IASS, Montpellier, France.
Block P. and Van Mele T.[2003]Scissor hinge deployable membrane structures tensioned by pleated pneumatic artificial muscles., Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Mollaert M., De Temmerman N., Daerden F., Block P. and Van Mele T.[2003]Adaptable tensioned coverings, Proceedings of the International Symposium on New Perspectives for Shell and Spatial Structures 2003, IASS-APCS, Taipei, Taiwan.