Pierluigi D'Acunto graduated with honors in Building Engineering-Architecture from the University of Pisa in 2007 and received a Master of Architecture with distinction from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London in 2012. In 2018, he completed his PhD with distinction at ETH Zurich. Since 2006, he has gained professional experience in various architecture and engineering offices in Italy and Switzerland, and he has been awarded in several international architectural competitions. From 2012 to 2018, he was a research assistant at the Chair of Structural Design at ETH Zurich and, from 2018 to 2021, a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer. In 2021, Pierluigi D'Acunto was appointed to the Rudolf Mößbauer Tenure-Track Assistant Professorship of Structural Design at the Department of Architecture of the Technical University of Munich.
Selected Awards
2019, Distinction for outstanding doctoral thesis (ETH Medal), ETH Zürich
2016, Award for excellence, Design Competition for Young Generation, IASS Tokyo
2012, Distinction for outstanding thesis, Architectural Association London
2011, Ambassadorial Scholarship, The Rotary Foundation
2007, Distinction for outstanding master's thesis, University of Pisa
Research Interests
The research group of Pierluigi D'Acunto explores the convergence of architecture and structural engineering through computer-aided design and emerging construction technologies. The research focuses on geometry-based methods for structural design, computational design through equilibrium-based modeling, structural form-finding with machine learning, and fabrication-aware structural design using advanced digital manufacturing.
Selected Publications
Bertagna F, D’Acunto P, Ohlbrock PO, Moosavi V: Holistic design explorations of building envelopes supported by machine learning. Journal of Facade Design and Engineering; 2021; 9(1):31-46. https://doi.org/10.7480/jfde.2021.1.5423
Wan Z, Ohlbrock PO, D'Acunto P, Cao Z, Fan F, Schwartz J: A form-finding approach for the conceptual design of air-supported structures using 3D graphic statics. Computers and Structures. 2021; 243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruc.2020.106401
Cao T, D'Acunto P, Castellón JJ, Tellini A, Schwartz J, Zhang H: Design of prestressed gridshells as smooth poly-hypar surface structures. Structures. 2021; 30:973-984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2021.01.047
Konstantatou M, D'Acunto P, McRobie A, Schwartz J: Unified geometrical framework for the plastic design of reinforced concrete structures. Structural Concrete. 2020; 21(6):2320-2338. https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.201900440 ·
Boulic L, D’Acunto P, Bertagna F, Castellón JJ. Form-driven design of a bending-active tensile façade system. International Journal of Space Structures. 2020; 35(4):174-190. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956059920931021
Saldana Ochoa K, Ohlbrock PO, D'Acunto P, Moosavi V: Beyond typologies, beyond optimization: Exploring novel structural forms at the interface of human and machine intelligence. International Journal of Architectural Computing. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478077120943062
Ohlbrock PO, D'Acunto P: A Computer-aided approach to equilibrium design based on graphic statics and combinatorial variations. Computer-Aided Design. 2020; 121:102802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cad.2019.102802
D'Acunto P, Jasienski J-P, Ohlbrock PO, Fivet C, Schwartz J, Zastavni D: Vector-based 3D graphic statics: A framework for the design of spatial structures based on the relation between form and forces. International Journal of Solids and Structures. 2019; 167:58- 70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2019.02.008
Konstantatou M, D'Acunto P, McRobie A: Polarities in structural analysis and design: n-dimensional graphic statics and structural transformations. International Journal of Solids and Structures. 2018; 152–153:272-293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2018.07.003
D’Acunto P, Jasienski J, Ohlbrock PO, Fivet C: Vector-based 3D graphic statics: transformations of force diagrams. Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2017 Hamburg - Interfaces: architecture engineering science. 2017.
A complete list of publications is available here. (Google Scholar)
Bertagna, Federico; Schwartz, Joseph; D'Acunto, Pierluigi: Graphical methods as the key to holistic design: bringing together structural design and solar control strategies. , 2022 mehr…BibTeX
Bleker, Lazlo; Pastrana, Rafael; Ohlbrock, Patrick Ole; D’Acunto, Pierluigi: Structural Form-Finding Enhanced by Graph Neural Networks. In: Towards Radical Regeneration. Springer International Publishing, 2022 mehr…BibTeX
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Guo, Z.; Saldana Ochoa, K.; D'Acunto, P: Enhancing structural form-finding through a text-based AI engine coupled with computational graphic statics. , 2022 mehr…BibTeX
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Guo, Zifeng; Saldana Ochoa, Karla; D'Acunto, Pierluigi: Enhancing structural form-finding through a text-based AI engine coupled with computational graphic statics. , 2022 mehr…BibTeX
Konstantatou, Marina; Ruiz, Miguel; D'Acunto, Pierluigi: Applications of Graphic Statics to the Plastic Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures. , 2022 mehr…BibTeX
Xiao, Yinan; Yuchi, Shen; Hack, Norman; D'Acunto, Pierluigi: A structure-and fabrication-informed strategy for the design of lattice structures with Injection 3D Concrete Printing. , 2022 mehr…BibTeX
2021
Bertagna, Federico; D'Acunto, Pierluigi; Ohlbrock, Patrick Ole; Moosavi, Vahid: Holistic Design Explorations of Building Envelopes Supported by Machine Learning. Journal of Facade Design and Engineering, 2021, Vol. 9 No. 1 (2021): Special Issue Powerskin 2021 mehr…BibTeX
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Boller, Giulia; D'Acunto, Pierluigi: Structural design via form finding: Comparing Frei Otto, Heinz Isler and Sergio Musmeci. , 2021 mehr…BibTeX
Brütting, Jan; Ohlbrock, Patrick Ole; Hofer, Julian; D’Acunto, Pierluigi: Stock-constrained truss design exploration through combinatorial equilibrium modeling. International Journal of Space Structures 36 (4), 2021, 253-269 mehr…BibTeX
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Cao, Ting; D'Acunto, Pierluigi; Castellón, Juan José; Tellini, Alessandro; Schwartz, Joseph; Zhang, Hong: Design of prestressed gridshells as smooth poly-hypar surface structures. Structures 30, 2021, 973-984 mehr…BibTeX
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Pastrana, Rafael; Ohlbrock, Patrick Ole; Oberbichler, Thomas; D'Acunto, Pierluigi; Parascho, Stefana: Constrained Form-Finding of Tension-Compression Structures using Automatic Differentiation. , 2021 mehr…BibTeX
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Wan, Zongshuai; Ohlbrock, Patrick Ole; D'Acunto, Pierluigi; Cao, Zhenggang; Fan, Feng; Schwartz, Joseph: A form-finding approach for the conceptual design of air-supported structures using 3D graphic statics. Computers & Structures 243, 2021, 106401 mehr…BibTeX
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2020
Saldana Ochoa, Karla; Ohlbrock, Patrick Ole; D’Acunto, Pierluigi; Moosavi, Vahid: Beyond typologies, beyond optimization: Exploring novel structural forms at the interface of human and machine intelligence. International Journal of Architectural Computing 19 (3), 2020, 466-490 mehr…BibTeX
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