Our purpose
We are radical thinkers, deeply rooted in practice, forging the way towards a more intelligent and sustainable means of designing and making of architecture.
Join our program, and gain the technological literacy needed to make a real impact. Become part of our vibrant and multidisciplinary community of experts: architects, engineers, designers, researchers.
Spatial Timber Assemblies
2019 MAS ETH DFAB Project
/Trimester 2
In our Robotics Fabrication Lab (RFL)
Over 11 weeks, students tackled the challenges of designing parametrized ornamentation for robotic concrete printing, while also grappling with the novel material challenges posed by concrete extrusion.
Photo: Axel Crettenand, Digital Building Technologies
Welcome from our
faculty
Prof.
Benjamin Dillenburger
Prof. Benjamin Dillenburger is Chair of
Digital Building Technologies (DBT), at the Institute of Technology in Architecture, Department of Architecture, ETH Zürich.
“The MAS ETH DFAB is a flagship program, known for the innovative outcomes generated by our students each year. This program attracts individuals willing to stretch the boundaries of their creativity, students who are prepared to challenge the established norms, questioning the very foundations of architectural design and fabrication, exploring diverse materials, and considering the environmental impact of their work. We actively embrace radical thinkers.”
Benjamin Dillenburger
Prof.
Fabio Gramazio
Prof.
Matthias Kohler
Prof. Fabio Gramazio and Prof. Matthias Kohler are co-Chairs of Architecture and Digital Fabrication (GKR), at the Institute of Technology in Architecture, Department of Architecture, ETH Zürich. Together with Prof. Benjamin Dillenburger, they are the leading facutly of the MAS ETH DFAB program.
“We demystify technology and fully harness its potential. This program focuses on building a strong foundation in skills essential for leveraging technology within the field of architecture. Our students learn digital skills, needed to proficiently engage in informed discussions across a wide array of disciplines involved in the construction of architecture. We invite students with a passion for technology, eager to embrace new digital tools.”
Fabio Gramazio
Digital fabrication is set to revolutionize architecture. The seamless integration of digital design technologies and physical construction processes is paving the way for the realisation of new design paradigms. Since 2015, ETH Zürich educates a new generation of collaborating architects, engineers and designers eager to define the future of architecture. We welcome the next generations of collaborators, who will shape the future of our profession.”
Matthias Kohler
Meet our team
Our team
The program has a dedicated team that teaches and follows the class the entire year.
Along the curriculum, additional tutors from the chairs of Gramazio Kohler Research and Digital Building Technologies, as well as many other researchers at the ITA, are involved in the teaching. The program exposes our students to all the topics being researched.
This dedicated team, with our small class group insures an exceptional support and community. For more info, see our Program page.
Our students
Our program is designed for university graduates from Switzerland and abroad and will accept qualified applicants who are specifically interested in improving their skills and gaining experience in the areas of advanced digital design methods, digital fabrication, and the application of robotics and 3D printing within construction and architecture.
Applicants must also evidence their creative design skills and technological capabilities.
For further explanation of the minimum qualifications required, full list of all application documents to be submitted, and application timeline see our Application page.
Dr. Petrus Aejmelaeus-Lindström (left)
Simon Griffioen(middle)
Ananya Kango (right)
Professorships
contribute to the Institute of Technology in Architecture, that will be your home during your studies
8
Researchers
engage with you during your program, through direct 1-2-1 or group teaching
80+
Our approach to all that we do
Radical thinking
We need bold visionaries, who are skilled in navigating risk, solving complex problems, and harnessing technology’s immense potential to address contemporary societal and environmental challenges.
The collaborative efforts of our faculty (DBT & GKR) epitomize this spirit: directing research to unlock technology’s full capacity, revolutionizing architecture through radical ideas yet achieving practical solutions.
Our pioneering methods have not only reshaped conventional architectural processes but have also redefined the very essence of our profession.
As radical thinkers, we thrive in this ‘high risk - high value’ environment, positioning us at the forefront within our field.
Technological literacy
Technological literacy is the key to developing more intelligent and sustainable approaches to architectural design and construction.
Our program provides expertise in utilizing the latest digital technologies for architecture, covering design, simulation, and fabrication. Focused on computational design, robotic fabrication, and 3D printing, our projects and assignments enable students to foster robust design concepts and create large-scale prototypes using our exceptional robotic and 3D printing facilities.
Our curriculum not only educates students about computation and digital fabrication but also fosters an understanding of how emerging technologies, materials, and processes contribute to an advanced, next-generation way of building.
Research community
The MAS ETH DFAB program is housed within the Institute of Technology in Architecture (ITA), which brings together 8 professorships and 100+ researchers.
ITA’s doctoral researchers bring a wide range of expertise and interdisciplinary knowledge to the program. When complimentary topics or interests are identified, doctoral researchers may take on a mentoring role for one of our MAS students or projects.
Doctoral researchers support the skills development of our MAS students while also providing exposure to our research environment and academic standards, preparing MAS students for a potential career in academia.
Student at work
At work inside ITA.
Here, a design optimation software
has been designed to insure
that concrete usage, structural needs and
aesthetics are interwoven as parameters into a final design.
Photo: Digital Building Technologies
