Plant Root Growth for Bioinspired Architectural Design
Petra Gruber
Head of Department, Professor
Petra Gruber is a researcher and educator in architecture and biodesign. She holds a PhD in “Biomimetics in Architecture” from the Vienna University of Technology. She worked internationally on three continents in inter- and transdisciplinary design, research, and education, at the intersection of biology, architecture, and art. She taught CAD, studiodesign, building construction and vernacular architecture at the Vienna University of Technology and the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. She co-designed and taught the “Bionics in Energy Systems” program at the University of Applied Sciences in Villach. She was a research fellow at the Center for Biomimetics at the University of Reading in the UK. In her own office, she has been leading research projects in traditional architecture and on spatial and functional aspects of biological structures for biomimetic innovation in architecture and the built environment.
From 2012 to 2015, she held a long-term visiting professorship at the Ethiopian Institute forArchitecture, Building Construction and City Development (EiABC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During this time, she led the Chair of Architectural Design and designed and implemented the first architecture master’s program in the country. From 2016 to 2021, she held the position of Associate Professor of Biodesign at the Biomimicry Research and Innovation Center (BRIC) at the University of Akron in the US. Since returning to Austria in 2021, she has held two senior research positions: at Hochschule Rhein-Waal in Germany and at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna. She led the “Biocool” project, which focused on self-cooling biomimetic building facades. From 2021 to 2023, she was a program expert for the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG. Her work has been published extensively in books, journals, exhibitions and documentary films. She is a renowned lecturer and workshop leader, held in high regard around the world. She is also a highly respected reviewer for scientific journals and funding organizations. In October 2023, she took up the position of professor and department head for building construction at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna.
Angewandte Profile
Research profile
ORCID
LinkedIn
Research Projects
ROOTARCH
BIOCOOL
Bioinspired Surfaces for Evaporation Cooling of Building Facades
Books
January 15, 2016
Built to grow – Blending Architecture and Biology
Imhof, Barbara and Petra Gruber eds. Built to grow – Blending Architecture and Biology.
Edition Angewandte, Birkhäuser Verlag Vienna Austria, 2016, ISBN 978-3-0356-0920-2
January 15, 2013
What is the architect doing in the jungle? Biornametics – Architecture defined by natural patterns
Gruber, Petra and Barbara Imhof eds. What is the architect doing in the jungle? Biornametics – Architecture defined by natural patterns. Edition Angewandte, Springer Vienna Austria, 2013, DOI 978-3-7091-1529-9
July 6, 2011
Bionics: Materials – Structures – Processes, examples, ideas and case studies
Gruber, Petra, Bruckner, Dietmar, Hellmich, Christian, Schmiedmayer, Heinz-Bodo, Stachelberger, Herbert, Gebeshuber, Ille C. eds. Bionics: Materials – Structures – Processes, examples, ideas and case studies. Springer 2011, ISBN 978-3-642-11933-0
December 28, 2010
Biomimetics in Architecture – Architecture of Life and Buildings
Gruber, Petra. Biomimetics in Architecture – Architecture of Life and Buildings.
Springer 2010, ISBN 978-3-7091-0331-9
May 4, 2009
Traditional Architecture and Art on Nias, Indonesia
Gruber, Petra and Ulrike Herbig eds. Traditional Architecture and Art on Nias, Indonesia.
Verlag des Instituts für vergleichende Architekturforschung IVA Wien, 2009, ISBN 978-3900265120
Articles
November, 2022
Dorze Architecture – Woven Houses
Gruber, Petra. “Dorze Architecture – Woven Houses.” In Architectures of Weaving – From Fibers and Yarns to Scaffolds and Skins edited by Christiane Sauer, Mareike Stoll, Ebba Fransén Waldhör, Maxie Schneider. Jovis, 11.2022, ISBN 978-3-86859-739-4
November, 2022
Biological Entanglements for Bioinspiration
Gruber, Petra. “Biological Entanglements for Bioinspiration.” In Architectures of Weaving – From Fibers and Yarns to Scaffolds and Skins edited by Christiane Sauer, Mareike Stoll, Ebba Fransén Waldhör, Maxie Schneider. Jovis. 11.2022, ISBN 978-3-86859-739-4
July 18, 2022
Survival Perspectives on Cohabitation by Design
Gruber, Petra. “Survival Perspectives on Cohabitation by Design.” In Co-Corporeality of Humans, Machines, & Microbes edited by Barbara Imhof, Daniela Mitterberger and Tiziano Derme, 142-153. Birkhäuser, Edition Angewandte, 2022, DOI: 10.1515/9783035625882-014
February 25, 2022
A case study in biomimetic roofing: Moisture dissipation from leaf-shaped shingles
Ariana I.K.S. Rupp, Petra Gruber. “A case study in biomimetic roofing: Moisture dissipation from leaf-shaped shingles.” In Biomimicry for Materials, Design and Habitats, Innovations and Applications, 467-487 edited by Marjan Eggermont, Vikram Shyam and Aloysius F. Hepp. Elsevier, 2022, ISBN 9780128210536
February 21, 2022
Biomimetic course design exploration for improved NASA zero gravity exercise equipment
Gruber, Petra, Engelhardt, Sebastian, Siman, Kelly, Stachew, Elena and Perusek, Gail. “Biomimetic course design exploration for improved NASA zero gravity exercise equipment.” In Biomimicry for Aerospace, Technologies and Applications, 187-209 edited by Vikram Shyam, Marjan Eggermont and Aloysius F. Hepp. Elsevier, 2022, ISBN 9780128210741
December 12, 2021
Breathing Skins. Plant Leaves and Architecture
Burchert, Linn, Guiducci , Lorenzo, Gruber, Petra, Sauer Christiane. “Breathing Skins. Plant Leaves and Architecture.” In Breath. Gestalterische, ökologische und soziale Dimensionen. edited by Linn Burchert and Iva Rešetar. De Gruyter, 6.12.2021, DOI: 10.1515/9783110701876-020
December, 2021
Architecture in Ethiopia
Giorghis, Fasil, Gruber, Petra et al. “Architecture in Ethiopia.” In Architectural Guide Sub-saharan Africa – Volume 4, Eastern Africa: From the Sahel to the Horn of Africa, edited by Philipp Meuser and Adil Dalbai. DOM Publishers Berlin Germany, 2021, ISBN 978-3-86922-084-0
March 1, 2019
LIWAS – Living Wall Systems Prototype
Gruber, Petra. “LIWAS – Living Wall Systems Prototype.” In Living Architecture Systems Group White Papers 2019 edited by Philip Beesley, Sascha Hastings and Sarah Bonnemaison. Riverside Architectural Press, Toronto, Canada 2019, ISBN 978-1-988366-18-0
March 28, 2018
Towards an agile bio digital architecture – Supporting a dynamic evolutionary and developmental view of architecture
Gruber, Petra, McGinley, Tim, Mühlbauer Manuel. “Towards an agile biodigital architecture – Supporting a dynamic evolutionary and developmental view of architecture.” In Interdisciplinary Expansions in Engineering and Design with the Power of Biomimicry edited by Kokturk, Gulden and Tutku Didem Akyol Altun. Intech Open Publisher, 2018, DOI 10.5772/65987