textile architecture and tensile structures design. art, techniques and materials for lightweight and tensile structural systems - ed.i

DIPARTIMENTO DI ARCHITETTURA, INGEGNERIA DELLE COSTRUZIONI E AMBIENTE COSTRUITO

The ecological transition calls for a new design gesture: not to add material, but to remove it. To reduce the weight of constructions, lighten building envelopes, and learn from nature the value of tension, balance and minimal forms. In this perspective, tensile systems and textile architectures are not merely technologies but a cultural frontier: an invitation to imagine buildings that are more adaptive, more reversible, and more capable of responding to climate change. This is why the Master is named Ottavia, after the suspended city described in Invisible Cities: a web that holds space with the minimum amount of matter, a structure made of filaments, equilibrium and lightness. It is a powerful metaphor for our time and the direction in which we aim to guide a new generation of designers. The Master embraces an intrinsically multidisciplinary and multi-scalar approach, since the value of this new way of conceiving systems and structures emerges at different dimensions of the project and requires the coordinated input of architects, engineers, designers and material specialists. Alongside these professional domains, the programme actively involves membrane manufacturers, companies working with the most advanced industrial fabrication techniques, and the new forms of craftsmanship arising from circular economy principles and industrial symbiosis within the technical textile sector. Only through this convergence can meaningful innovation in lightweight architecture truly take shape.

The Master aims to train highly qualified professionals in the field of textile architecture and lightweight tensile structures, capable of integrating design, engineering and cultural competences within a rigorous and interdisciplinary framework. The programme is structured through lectures, specialist seminars, individual study activities and an internship in professional offices or companies, guiding students through all phases that lead from the initial concept to the construction of the work. A central component of the curriculum is devoted to the legacy of the early pioneers who, through research on form, the behaviour of flexible materials and the principles of tension, established the theoretical and technical foundations of contemporary lightweight architecture. This historical perspective is intended to foster a solid understanding of the origins, transformations and construction logics of membrane systems. Building on this heritage, students will engage with internationally recognised experts and practitioners who will present current best practices in design, production and technological innovation, offering an updated overview of emerging dynamics in the sector. The programme is further enriched by modules dedicated to industrial processes, fabrication techniques and opportunities for innovation within current construction systems, together with advanced software training for modelling, structural analysis, detailing and digital project management. A specific component is dedicated to environmental impact assessment through LCA, enabling students to understand how the lifespan of buildings and lightweight materials represents a decisive variable in the overall sustainability of a project, particularly during the early design stages. Field visits to construction sites, production facilities and relevant international events complete the educational experience with direct and applied exposure to the profession.

The admission is open to applicants holding Master of Science or equivalent degrees. The admission is also open to Italian and foreign citizens with foreign degrees as far as equivalent in their respective university systems.

Milan

Director: ALESSANDRA ZANELLI

Co-Director: ROBERT ROITHMAYR

CONSORZIO CIS-E - POLITECNICO DI MILANO

PIAZZA LEONARDO DA VINCI 32

20133

MILANO

Prof.ssa ALESSANDRA ZANELLI

+39 0223995135

master-tensart-dabc@cise-polimi.it