Aesthetics Approach in Frei Otto’s Works

Abstract

Frei Otto was a well-known German architect of the twentieth century whose works focused on the design of lightweight structures with exciting forms.  During his career, he was the pioneer of lightweight structure research and design and the developer of design methods, as well as publishing numerous studies for lightweight structure experiments and research by the Institute of Light Structure Design, University Stuttgart. This research explores aesthetics concepts extracted from Otto's writings and other media such as narration and his interviews. It aims to reveal concepts, philosophies, or aesthetic beliefs for his architectural design, often overshadowed by technical, construction, and engineering issues. The research shows the relationship between Otto's idea and those of the great German philosophers, Baumgarten, Kant and Hegel. The result found is that although Otto's aesthetics concept is inclined to ethics, it lends itself well to aesthetics approach and design philosophy.