GLOBAL LECTURE
Melbourne
2018
Dr. Petra Gruber is an architect with a strong interest in inter- and transdisciplinary design. Apart from her professional work as an architect she holds a PhD in Biomimetics in Architecture from the Vienna University of Technology in Austria and collaborated as a research fellow at the Centre for Biomimetics at The University of Reading, UK. She taught Biomimetics in Energy Systems at the University of Applied Sciences in Villach, Austria and held lectures and workshops at universities worldwide. As a visiting professor for Architectural Design and Building Science she set up a master program in Advanced Architectural Design at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. Her research spans from projects for the European Space Agency on lunar base design informed by folding principles from nature to arts-based research on the translation of growth principles from nature into proto-architectural spatial solutions. Since 2016 Dr. Gruber is based at the Myers School of Arts and the Department of Biology for the Biomimicry Research and Innovation Center BRIC at The University of Akron.
Education
2008 PhD in Biomimetics in Architecture, Vienna University of Technology in Austria
1999 Diploma in Architectural Design at Vienna University of Technology in Austria
Selected Publications
- Imhof, B., Gruber, P. (Eds.) 2015. Built to grow -? Blending Architecture and Biology. Edition Angewandte, Birkhäuser Verlag Vienna Austria. www.growingasbuilding.org
- Gruber, P., Imhof B. (Eds.). What is the architect doing in the jungle? Biornametics ? Architecture defined by natural patterns. Edition Angewandte, Springer Vienna Austria. www.biornametics.com
- Jeronimidis, G., Gruber, P. (Eds.) 2012. Special Issue on Bioinspired Architecture / Construction in: Bioinspiration and Biomimetics.
- Bruckner, D., Gebeshuber, I. C., Gruber, P., Hellmich, C., Stachelberger, H. (Eds.) 2011. Bionics: Materials ? Structures ? Processes, examples, ideas and case studies. Springer. ISBN 978?3?642?11933?0
- Gruber P. Biomimetics in Architecture ? Architecture of Life and Buildings. Springer. ISBN 978?3?7091?0331?9
- Gebeshuber, I. C., Gruber, P., Drack, M. 2009. A gaze into the crystal ball ? biomimetics in the year 2059. Proc. IMechE Part C: J. Mech. Eng. Sci. 223(C12), 50st Anniversary Issue: 2899?2918. doi: 10.1243/09544062JMES1563