Summary of professional career
Gernot Minke studied architecture and city planning, got his doctor´s degree in architecture and is retired professor of University of Kassel, Germany. There he founded the Building Research Institute in 1974, where he directed 50 research and development projects in the field of low-cost-housing, sustainable architecture, building with earth, straw bales, bamboo and green roofs. Worldwide about 160 of his ecological and sustainable structures were built. He was invited speaker at 70 international conferences and gave lectures and workshops in all continents. He published more than 300 scientific articles and is author of several text books. Most known are: „Building with Earth“, which was published in 12 languages, „Building with Straw“ and „Building with Bamboo“.
Education and professional experience:
April 1937
Born in Rostock, Germany
1957 – 1964
Study of architecture and city planning at Hannover and Berlin, Germany. Diploma in architecture.
1966
first exhibition of paintings and graphics
1964 – 1968
Research Assistant of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frei Otto at the Institute of Light Weight Structures, University of Stuttgart.
1965 – 1969
Doctoral dissertation on evaluating the efficiency of structures.
Since 1967
Consultant structural architect for light weight structures. Developments: ribbed timber shells; cable-reinforced pneumatic structures; membrane structures for sport activities, street covers, bus stop shelters; self-help light-weight structures for housing and
kindergartens.
1971 – 1972
Director of the „Institut für Umweltplanung“ (Institute of Environmental Planning), Ulm
1974 – 2005
Professor at Kassel University.
Founder and director of the Building Research Institute, department of Architecture, University of Kassel. Research fields: Development of new and refined earth construction techniques. Earth-quake resistant building techniques with loam, pumice and bamboo. Bamboo grid-shell structures. Building with straw bales. Green roofs and vertical gardens. Development of
construction techniques for domes of adobes and straw bales.
Since 1979
Private architect, author, lecturer, consultant in the field of ecological sustainable architecture, earth construction techniques, vault and dome structures from adobes, straw bales or bamboo, buildimg with straw bales, green roofs, vertical gardens, low-cost-housing.
Guest professor / guest lecturer:
Experience as international expert:
Books
„Building with Bamboo“, Birkhäuser Basel/Berlin, third and revised edition 2023, 176 p.
„Dächer begrünen“, Ökobuchverlag Rastede, 6. ed. 2022, 93 p.
„Manual de construcao com terra“, solisluna editora, Brasil 2022, 223 p.
„Handbuch Strohballenbau“ (with B. Krick), Ökobuch Verlag Rastede, 4. enlarged ed. 2022, 168 p.
„Handbuch Lehmbau“, Ökobuch Verlag Rastede, 10. enl. ed. 2022, 228 p.
„Building with Earth“, Birkhäuser Basel/Berlin, fourth and revised edition 2021, 224 p.
„Diseno interior en tierra“, Cable a tierra, Santiago, Chile 2017; Icaria, Barcelona 2015, 46 p.
„Manual de construcción con fardos de paja“ (with B. Krick), Cable a tierra, Santiago, Chile 2017; Icaria Barcelona 2018, 150 p.
„Cúpulas y bóvedas, obras de arquitecto Gernot Minke desde el ano 1975 hasta 2015“, Icaria Barcelona 2017, 62 p.
„Muros y Revoques de tierra“, Cable a tierra, Santiago, Chile 2017. 80 p.
„Cúpulas de tierra optimizadas“, Cable a tierra, Santiago, Chile 2017. 48 p.
„Muros de barro“; Icaria, Barcelona 2015, 48 p.
„Muros y fachadas verdes“, Jardines verticales, Icaria, Barcelona 2015
“Muros de barro”, Bariloche, Argentinien 2014; Barcelona 2015
”Techos Verdes, ( 3. enlarged ed.), Bariloche, Argentina 2014
”Revoques de barro”, Cali, Kolumbien 2013; Barcelona 2014
”Manual de construcción con tierra”, Bariloche, Argentina 2013
„Building with Bamboo – Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architechture“, Cali, Colombia 2012
„Building with Bamboo – Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architechture“, Birkhäuser Publisher Basel 2012
„Muros y fachadas verdes y jardines verticales – Sistemas y plantas, funciones y aplicaciones“,Cali 2012; Bariloche 2013; Barcelona 2014
„Cúpulas y Bóvedas para vivir y trabajar, para hacer música y meditar“, Cali 2011
“Gewölbe zum Wohnen und Arbeiten, zum Musizieren und Meditieren”, Gnevsdorf, Germany 2011
„Dächer begrünen – einfach und wirkungsvoll“, 4. erweiterte Auflage, Staufen, Germany 2010
“Manual de construcción en tierra“,Teruel, Spain 2010
„Techos Verdes“, 88 S., 2. Auflage, Cali, Colombia 2010
“Techos Verdes”, 88 S., Teruel, Spain 2010
“Manual de construcción con bambú“, Cali, Colombia 2010
“Handbuch Strohballenbau”, (with B. Krick) Staufen 2009
“Handbuch Lehmbau”, Staufen, Germany 2009
“Manual de construcción en tierra“ – la tierra como material de construcción y sus aplicación en la arquitectura actual“, Montevideo, Uruguay 2008 (3. erw. Auflage)
“Manual de construcción con fardos de paja”, Montevideo, Uruguay 2006 (with F. Mahlke)
“Building with Earth”, Basel/Berlin 2006
“Techos verdes”, 88 S., Montevideo, Uruguay 2004
“Building with Straw“, Basel/Berlin 2005 (with F. Mahlke)
“Der Strohballenbau”, Staufen 2004 (with F. Mahlke)
“Construction manual for earthquake resistant houses built of earth“, Eschborn, Germany 2002
“Das neue Lehmbau-Handbuch“,Staufen, Germany 2001
“Manual de construccion para viviendas antisismicas de tierra“. Kassel, Germany 2001
“Earth Construction Handbook“, WIT Press, Southampton, UK 2001
“Experimentelles Bauen“, Staufen, Germany 1995
„Passive Building Design – A Handbook of Natural Climatic Control“ (with N.K. Bansal and G.Hauser), Amsterdam 1994
„Building with Pumice“, Eschborn, Germany 1990 (with Klaus Grasser)
„Climatic Zones and Rural Housing in India“, Jülich 1988 (with N.K. Bansal)
„Lehmbauforschung“, Kassel, Germany 1984
„Häuser mit grünem Pelz“, Frankfurt 1982 (with G.Witter)
„Erdbebensichere Low-Cost-Bauten für Guatemala“, Kassel 1980 (with J.Asturias und A. Lau)
„Low-Cost-Bauen“, Kassel, Germany 1980
„Alternatives Bauen – Untersuchungen und Erfahrungen mit alternativen Baustoffen und Selbstbauweisen“, Kassel, Germany 1980
„Zur Effizienz von Tragwerken“, Stuttgart, Germany 1970
„Holzflächentragwerke“, Stuttgart, Germany 1969
Articles:
Invited Speaker at 70 international conferences:
Exhibitions of paintings and graphics