Schlaich Bergermann Partner

Schlaich Bergermann Partner
Name	Schlaich Bergermann Partner
Founded	1980
Founders	Jörg Schlaich; Rudolf Bergermann; Rudolf Schober
Headquarters	Stuttgart, Germany
Industry	Structural engineering; Architecture; Engineering consulting
Notable projects	Stuttgart Airport Terminal 1; Olympic Stadium Munich roof; Jerusalem Chords Bridge; Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky Bridge

Schlaich Bergermann Partner is an international structural engineering and design firm founded in Stuttgart in 1980 that became known for lightweight roof structures, bridge engineering, and inventive use of materials. The practice earned global recognition through collaborations with architects, universities, and institutions across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, influencing projects associated with the Olympic movement, major airports, and cultural landmarks. Its work intersected with engineering research at institutions such as the Technical University of Stuttgart, the École des Ponts ParisTech, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

History

The firm was established by Jörg Schlaich, Rudolf Bergermann, and Rudolf Schober after careers involving projects tied to the Olympic Stadium and interactions with engineers connected to Frei Otto, Ove Arup, Pier Luigi Nervi, Santiago Calatrava, and Eero Saarinen. Early commissions connected the office to collaborations with Stuttgart Airport, Munich, and clients in Berlin, Hamburg, and Düsseldorf while exchanging ideas with researchers at Technische Universität München and University of Stuttgart. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the practice expanded internationally through links with firms and institutions such as Zaha Hadid Architects, Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Renzo Piano, SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill), and HOK. In the 2000s the firm engaged on projects in partnership with teams from Israel, Brazil, China, India, and South Africa, contributing engineering expertise to schemes for municipalities like Berlin Senate, cultural bodies like the European Cultural Foundation, and transport authorities including Deutsche Bahn and Lufthansa.

Key People

Key figures included founder Jörg Schlaich, who shared professional networks with members of the Bund Deutscher Architekten, received awards from institutions such as the Institut de France and engaged with scholars at RWTH Aachen University and ETH Zurich. Rudolf Bergermann and Rudolf Schober managed major projects that connected to clients like Stadtsparkasse Stuttgart and agencies such as the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (Germany). Designers and engineers associated with the firm have included collaborators who previously worked with Foster + Partners, Arup Group, Buro Happold, WSP Global, KPF, Atkins, and AECOM, and graduates from universities including TU Delft, Politecnico di Milano, University of Cambridge, and Imperial College London.

Notable Projects

The practice contributed to the design of the roof for the Munich Olympic Stadium programmatic lineage and later executed lightweight roofing for airport terminals including Stuttgart Airport Terminal 1 and collaborations on terminals associated with Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport. Bridge projects linked the firm to structures such as the Jerusalem Chords Bridge and footbridges in cities including Berlin and Cologne, and to sport venues like the Mercedes-Benz Arena (Stuttgart). Other commissions included exhibition pavilions for events connected to the EXPO 2000 and Expo 2010, lightweight canopies for urban plazas in Paris, Lisbon, and Barcelona, and long-span roofs for stadia associated with the FIFA World Cup and continental competitions overseen by UEFA and IOC. The firm also engineered façades and tensile membranes for museums and galleries in partnership with architects commissioned by institutions such as the Louvre, Tate Modern, and Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

Design Philosophy and Engineering Approach

The firm emphasized lightweight construction principles influenced by the work of Frei Otto, tensile engineering traditions associated with David Boyd, and structural rationalism seen in the practice of Pier Luigi Nervi. Its approach prioritized efficiency in material use, modular prefabrication techniques common to firms like Buro Happold and Arup, and computational design methods that paralleled developments at MIT, ETH Zurich, and TU Delft. Projects often integrated interdisciplinary collaboration with architects from practices such as Herzog & de Meuron, MVRDV, BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), and Santiago Calatrava to reconcile architectural form with load-resisting systems recognized by bodies like the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.

Structural Innovations and Research

The practice pursued innovations in cable-net roofs, grid shells, shell structures, and hybrid composite systems drawing on research trajectories shared with Frei Otto Research Institute, IFB (Institut für Tragwerksentwurf), and laboratories at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Fraunhofer Society. Their development of efficient node connections, slender beam geometries, and membrane anchoring systems paralleled advances at ETH Zurich and research collaborations with TU Munich and RWTH Aachen. Published work and lectures connected the firm to conferences organized by IASS (International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures), IABSE (International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering), and academic journals affiliated with Elsevier and Springer.

Awards and Recognition

The firm's portfolio received awards from institutions such as the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Bundesstiftung Baukultur, Deutscher Ingenieurpreis, and honors connected to the Structural Awards program administered by IStructE (Institution of Structural Engineers). Founders and partners were individually recognized by academies including the Acatech and awarded medals that connected to the legacies of engineers like Ove Arup and Fritz Leonhardt. Projects were shortlisted and awarded prizes at exhibitions and competitions sponsored by EXPO, municipal design awards in Paris and Berlin, and international juries convened by UIA (International Union of Architects).

Business Structure and Global Presence

Originally founded as an office in Stuttgart, the practice evolved through partnerships and international offices that linked workstreams to markets in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. Client relationships extended to public authorities like Deutsche Bahn, municipal governments such as City of Stuttgart, transport operators including Lufthansa, cultural clients like Staatstheater Stuttgart, and private developers engaged with firms such as Hochtief and Bilfinger. Collaborative networks included engineering consultancies Arup, Buro Happold, WSP, and architectural practices such as Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects, enabling delivery of complex projects across continents and informing teaching and research partnerships with universities including Technical University of Munich and ETH Zurich.

Category:Engineering firms of Germany