May 02, 2025
Zlata Tošić earns doctorate of science in architecture for research on design of modular concrete shells
Doctoral committee with doctoral student Zlata Tošić (from left to right): Marko Jovanović (University of Novi Sad), Vuk Milošević (University of Niš), Dragan Kostić (Mentor, University of Niš)
We are proud to announce that Zlata Tošić, a researcher in the Geometric Modeling and Visualization (GMV) research group at the Institute of Geometry, TU Dresden, has successfully defended her doctoral dissertation and earned the academic title Doctor of Science in Architecture. Her PhD defense took place at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture at the University of Niš in Serbia.
Her dissertation entitled “Design and Optimization of Free-Form Shell Structures for Modular Concrete Prefabrication,” is closely linked to the DFG Research project Adaptive Concrete Diamond Constructions (ACDC) and was carried out under the mentorship of Prof. Daniel Lordick.
The research proposes two design strategies for modular concrete shells, placing strong emphasis on the given prefabrication technologies, so called prefabrication-oriented design. The study combines a pre-rationalization framework with a novel hybrid design approach. A key focus lies in the use of planar modules with no geometric torsion, achieved through original geometric methods by developing different algorithms for grid-shell design.
Using three case studies, Dr. Tošić demonstrates the application of these methods in concrete design projects and prefabrication scenarios of grid-shell structures:
- Application of the hybrid design approach to optimize a modular shell with minimal deformation and reduced material usage
- Design of a minimal surface shell using a so-called ACM method with a special focus on scalability and adaptability
- Optimization of designs based on Dupin's cyclides to improve material efficiency and assembly logic
The work concludes that local control of individual module geometry in combination with prefabrication-oriented design strategies opens up new avenues for efficient and adaptable architectural designs. The results promote stronger interdisciplinary collaboration between architecture, geometry and structural engineering.
We warmly congratulate Dr. Zlata Tošić on this outstanding success and on her significant contribution to the field of architectural geometry.