Inspirations Numerous publications on Frei Otto’s research and development work sometimes led to his ideas bearing fruit before he himself even had an opportunity to realise them in larger projects. In the 1980s for example, the branched support structure became widely known through Meinhard von Gerkan’s passenger terminal at Stuttgart Airport. Twelve tree-like supports branch out into 4 thick and subsequently 12 thinner arms, with 48 branches ultimately carrying the roof. Branched supports can also be found in the wood rib shell of the saline spa in Bad Dßrrheim by Geier + Geier with Wenzel Frese PÜrtner Haller and Barthel, the terminal roof at Stansted Airport by Foster + Partners and Ove Arup & Partners, or the roof over the train platform of the Estação do Oriente in Lisbon by Santiago Calatrava built in the 1990s.
Solebad Saline spa, Bad DĂźrrheim, 1987 (Geier + Geier/ BĂźro fĂźr Baukonstruktionen Wenzel Frese PĂśrtner Haller/ Rainer Barthel)
Flughafen Airport, Stuttgart, 2004 (gmp Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner / schlaich bergermann und partner)
Estação do Oriente, Lissabon Lisbon, 1998 (Santiago Calatrava)
Stansted Airport, London, 1991 (Foster + Partners / Ove Arup & Partners)
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