Cecil Balmond, the creative talent behind some of the most innovative structures in existence will give a lecture entitled ‘Informal Networks’ on many of his unusual structures. He will also explain how music, maths and geometry are powerful tools in his design concepts. His recent projects include the CCTV building in Beijing, the 2002 Serpentine Pavilion in London, and the Battersea Power Station redevelopment.
A structural engineer and writer, Balmond studied civil engineering at Imperial College, London, specialising in advanced structures. Appointed Deputy Chairman of ARUP in April 2004, he has worked with some of the world’s most influential architects, and continues to promote engineering as a totally creative activity. He is also a director of a multi-disciplinary group of architects and engineers called the Advanced Geometry Unit that practises and researches in non-linear organisation.
Balmond lectures and teaches at architectural schools all over the world. He is the Crét Professor in Practice at the Architectural School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also an external examiner at the Architectural Association in London, and Senior Design Fellow at the London School of Economics.
Balmond is also the author of several books and has written editorials for a wide range of external publications. His work explores the creative approach to engineering using pattern, mathematical reasoning and advanced technology to create unconventional design.
Notable books include Number 9, a story about the hidden world of numbers, and Informal which explores structure as catalyst in architecture.
The lecture takes place at 5.45 pm on Thursday, 1 December in the Pugsley Lecture Theatre, Queen’s Building, University Walk, Bristol. Admission is free.