Dominik Philipp appointed to the endowed professorship “ProZirkulär – process innovation and circular construction”
New Endowed Professorship “ProZirkulär”
Process Innovation and Circular Construction at the Department of Building and Design
Starting in June, the Department Bauen und Gestalten will launch the new endowed professorship “ProZirkulär – Process Innovation and Circular Construction.” It will be held by architect Dominik Philipp, partner at DTFLR Dietrich Untertrifaller. The professorship strengthens the focus of the Green Building Lab to conceive architecture as an open, resource‑sensitive process – from material to planning to the building in its urban context.
Focus: Planning and Building in a Circular System
The professorship addresses questions that are central to the current transformation of the construction industry:
• material cycles and the responsible use of resources
• reversible and reusable construction systems
• digital tools such as BIM‑based material data, building models, and digital material passports
• process innovation as a prerequisite for a resilient, climate‑capable building culture
In doing so, ProZirkulär connects expertise from research, practice, and applied teaching – a core principle of the Green Building Lab.
Practice in Teaching
In teaching, the ProZirkulär endowed professorship anchors circular construction processes as part of everyday design practice. Students work with digital material passports, investigate the dismantlability of building components, and test collaborative planning formats such as BIG Room workshops. Experience from ongoing projects flows directly into exercises and studio formats: from handling material data in BIM models to strategies for how components can be reused or further developed over their life cycle. The aim is an understanding of architecture as a process that responds to change – and conceives buildings as systems that move within the cycle of city, material, and use.
