HERITACT

Katherine A. Liapi , Professor, former Department Chair
Associate Editor, ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineering)- JAE [Journal of Architectural Engineering] Guest Editor, ASCE-JAE Special Collection «Reconfigurable Structures»

Over 15 years of academic experience at Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering, UT Austin [Assistant – Associate Prof.], six awards for excellence in teaching and outstanding academic performance in the USA. Research in computational design, light building structures, sustainable design, daylight simulation, etc. USA & EU Patens on Tensegrity Structures. Awards & distinctions in Architectural Competitions. Recipient of the 2020 Word Architecture Festival “Water Research Award.” Work exhibited in international exhibitions [FUTURE VISIONS, Amsterdam 2015; 15th and 16TH Biennale Architettura, Venice, 2016 & 2018; STRAND 2016; FORM & FORCE, Barcelona, 2019, etc.]. Invited speaker in International conferences and participation in international scientific committees. Invited expert for NSF (USA) and EU research proposals. Funding for over 10 research projects from EU [HORIZON] & USA [NSF, NIST, DOT] research institutions and 2 state-of-the-art research labs [funded by M. DELL Foundation]. More than 120 publications in archival journals and conference proceedings.

This exhibition presents four innovative architectural pavilions developed within the framework of the HERTACT project. The structures are located in Milan (Italy), Ballina (Ireland), and two Elefsina (Greece)
All four pavilions are conceived as deployable and rapidly assembled space-structures [based on U.S. and European patents developed by Kliapi]. The exhibition documents encompass conceptual design, digital and physical prototyping, fabrication, pre-assembly, and on-site construction. The way each pavilion responds to the specific spatial, cultural, and social conditions of its site as well as the role of local community participation, an integral component of the design process, is also presented.
The architectural concepts, structural principles, construction system, and material specifications are displayed through a curated selection of architectural and structural drawings, three-dimensional digital models, physical scale models, and rendered visualizations. These materials reveal the pavilions as adaptable architectural frameworks that mediate between innovation in construction technology and site-specific urban engagement.