Personal profile
Artistic and research interests
Toni Kotnik (born 1969, Germany) received his Ph.D. degree (Dr. sc. Nat.) in mathematics from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, in 1999. After completion of his second degree in architecture he worked as senior researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich and as studio master at the Architectural Association (AA) in London. Dr. Kotnik was Assistant Professor at the Institute for Experimental Architecture at the University of Innsbruck and Associate Professor at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. He is principal of d’HKL, a Zurich-based office focusing on experimental and research-oriented architectural design, and has been lecturing worldwide including Harvard University, Copenhagen Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Princeton University, The Bartlett School of Architecture, Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Sydney University of Technology, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and MoMA New York. His practice and research work has been published and exhibited internationally, including the Venice Biennale, and is centered on the integration of knowledge from science and engineering into architectural thinking and the design process.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
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SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Approaching Heinz Isler
Kotnik, T., 2025, Heinz Isler : Built Experiments – Entrepreneurial Networks. Boller, G., Beckh, M., Schützeichel, R., Schwartz, J. & Stalder, L. (eds.). Zurich: Gta Verlag, p. 176-183 8 p. (Documents on Modern Swiss Architecture).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific
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Folding at the threshold of architecture and engineering
Kotnik, T., 2025, Structures and Architecture: REstructure REmaterialize REthink REuse. Rinke, M. & Frier Hvejsel, M. (eds.). 1 ed. London: CRC Press, p. 1458-1465 8 p. (Structures and Architecture; vol. 3).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference article in proceedings › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure) -
Morphological Insights from Asterolampraceae for the Development of Bio-inspired Shell Structures
Bachir, S., Hamm, C. & Kotnik, T., 2025, Proceeding of the IASS Annual Symposium 2025 . Gerardo Oliva, J., Ignacio del Cueto, J. & Drago, E. (eds.). Madrid: International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS), p. 1-12 12 p. (Proceedings of IASS Annual Symposia).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference article in proceedings › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
Architects Need to Learn to Embrace the Complexity of AI
Fricker, P. D. P. & Kotnik, T., 2024, In: Arkkitehti. 2024, 2, p. 15-18 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Professional
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Leveraging Generative Design for Industrial Layout Planning : SWOT Analysis Insights from a Practical Case of Papermill Layout Design
Borg, K., Sahadevan, V., Singh, V. & Kotnik, T., Apr 2024, In: Advanced Engineering Informatics. 60, 17 p., 102375.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile12 Citations (Scopus)4 Downloads (Pure)
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-: 2024 SA Profi 8
Hämäläinen, J. (Principal investigator), Salo, A. (Project Member), Koli, K. (Project Member), Seppälä, S. (Project Member), Salehi, A. (Project Member), de la Barra, J. (Project Member), Tulkki, I. (Project Member), Amiri, A. (Project Member), Karttunen, A. (Project Member), Caro, M. (Project Member), Miikkulainen, V. (Project Member), Jokinen, V. (Project Member), Gaziulusoy, İ. (Project Member), Karppinen, M. (Project Member), Pouresmaeil, E. (Project Member), Hinkkanen, M. (Project Member), Pourakbari Kasmaei, M. (Project Member), Järvelä, H. (Project Member), Kyyrä, J. (Project Member), Millar, R. (Project Member), Santasalo-Aarnio, A. (Project Member), Vuorinen, V. (Project Member), Keppo, I. (Project Member), Kaario, O. (Project Member), Syri, S. (Project Member), Seppänen, J. (Project Member), Keloharju, M. (Project Member), Mähönen, P. (Project Member), Saleem, U. (Project Member), Halonen, K. (Project Member), Putti, A. (Project Member), Kling, J. (Project Member), Terho, T. (Project Member), Mansouri, S. (Project Member), Lähteenmäki, J. (Project Member), Borenius, S. (Project Member), Kotnik, T. (Project Member), Krokfors, K. (Project Member), Radwan, M. (Project Member), Belahcen, A. (Project Member), Paulasto-Kröckel, M. (Project Member), Toivanen, O. (Project Member), Välimäki, J. (Project Member), Seppänen, M. (Project Member), Singh, Y. (Project Member), Huttunen, K. (Project Member), Malmipuro, I. (Project Member), Mäkinen, S. (Project Member) & Othman, A. (Project Member)
01/01/2025 → 31/12/2030
Project: RCF Profiling
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-: Singapore
Kotnik, T. (Principal investigator)
01/08/2019 → 31/12/2023
Project: Other external funding: Other government funding
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Suomen Akatemian rahoituspäätös - yliopistojen profiloitumisen vahvistaminen kilpaillulla rahoituksella
Mäkelä, K. (Principal investigator) & Kotnik, T. (Project Member)
01/04/2016 → 31/08/2020
Project: Academy of Finland: Competitive funding to strengthen university research profiles
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BelnterBaltic
Kotnik, T. (Principal investigator) & Hudert, M. (Project Member)
01/09/2015 → 31/08/2018
Project: EU: Other research funding
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Suomen Akatemian rahoituspäätös - yliopistojen profiloitumisen vahvistaminen kilpaillulla rahoituksella
Mäkelä, K. (Principal investigator) & Kotnik, T. (Project Member)
01/08/2015 → 31/08/2019
Project: Academy of Finland: Competitive funding to strengthen university research profiles
Prizes
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Aalto University Doctoral Thesis Awards
Mohite, A. (Recipient) & Kotnik, T. (Supervisor), 2022
Prize: Award or honor granted for a specific work
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Best Presentation Award
Mohite, A. (Recipient) & Kotnik, T. (Recipient), Sept 2019
Prize: Award or honor granted for a specific work
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Best Presentation Award
Hung, K. L. (Recipient) & Kotnik, T. (Recipient), 2026
Prize: Award or honor granted for a specific work
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Metex Award - Shortlist
Hernandez Gazga, S. (Recipient) & Kotnik, T. (Supervisor), 2020
Prize: Award or honor granted for a specific work
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NordWest Award 2024
Bachir, S. (Recipient) & Kotnik, T. (Supervising professor), 26 Aug 2024
Prize: Award or honor granted for a specific work
Activities
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Bridges Conference (Event)
Kotnik, T. (Editorial board member)
Feb 2025Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Reviewer of conference article
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Journal of Architecture (Journal)
Kotnik, T. (Editorial board member)
Mar 2025Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Reviewer of scientific journal
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Opponent at Doctoral Defense
Kotnik, T. (Examiner)
24 Sept 2025Activity: Academic assessments › Pre-examination of doctoral thesis or acting as opponent to doctoral students or membership of doctoral thesis committee or board
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International Conference on Structures and Architecture (Event)
Kotnik, T. (Editorial board member)
Feb 2025Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Reviewer of conference article
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Communications in Computer and Information Science (Journal)
Kotnik, T. (Editorial board member)
Sept 2025Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Reviewer of conference article
Press/Media
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11 architecture and interior projects by students at Aalto University
Fricker, P., Kotnik, T. & Krokfors, K.
26/06/2020
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media appearance
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Rethinking the Singapore Hawker Centre
14/11/2019
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media appearance
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Intercellular - Patterns of Interaction, showcased at the Virtual Design Festival
22/06/2019
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media appearance