ISLER PRIZE

the ISLER PRIZE TROPHY is awarded every two years by the ‘international association for structural and spatial shell constructions’ - IASS.

it’s design celebrates the form finding methods used by Swiss engineer and architect Heinz Isler (1926-2009) who is acknowledged for his extraordinary experimental approach to the design of shell structures. the physical models in all their different scales and materials represented the core of his engineering practice.

thanks to Isler’s original documents stored at the gta archives (ETH Zürich), the trophy was conceived and manufactured by carefully following his methodology.

the form finding method of the hanging membrane was used to define its shape, which resembles on of his famous tennis shell structures in the scale of 1:300.

as in Isler’s physical experiment, the membrane found its equilibrium form under the weight of the gypsum mixture poured on it.

2021-2023 / ETH Zürich

Stefan Liniger
Dr. Giulia Boller
Prof. Dr. Philippe Block