Ena Lloret Fritschi

Professor Dr Ena Lloret-Fritschi is an experienced architect specialising in digital concrete, and her research group at the Accademia di Architettura USI (ARC-USI) is dedicated to exploring Fabrication- and Material-Aware Architecture (FMAA). FMAA aims to uncover the architectural design potential of concrete and earth-based materials when combined with digital technologies. This research strives to develop a holistic design methodology that considers material, fabrication, and structural constraints to influence existing and novel architectural designs. The ultimate objective of this comprehensive approach is to employ fewer materials and, in turn, provide the means to create more sustainable structures through regenerative practices in the near future.

Before joining the ARC-USI, Ena Lloret-Fritschi held a postdoctoral position in Digital Fabrication at the NCCR, ETH. Here she was in a bridge position between two research groups, Gramazio Kohler Research (GKR) and Physical Chemistry of Building Materials (PCBM), focusing on shaping concrete with minimal materials using digital fabrication processes.

In June 2016, she obtained her PhD in the Department of Architecture (D-​Arch) at ETH under the supervision of Fabio Gramazio, Matthias Kohler and Robert Flatt. Her thesis, "Smart Dynamic Casting: A digital fabrication method for non-standard Concrete Structures", made her one of the pioneers in cutting-edge processes for digital concrete. In 2012, that project received the Concrete Innovation Award at the Concrete Innovation Conference in Oslo and was one of five finalists for the SPARK award at ETH Zurich. 

Before her work at ETH, Dr Ena Lloret-Fritschi completed a Master's in Architecture at the Design Research Laboratory (DRL) at the Architectural Association in London. Her study there resulted in a successful master's thesis project, "Fluid Cast," which initially sparked her interest in using digital fabrication to shape fluid materials without a formwork.

Ena Lloret-​Fritschi also has several years of professional experience as an architect in practice, working for OMA in Holland, Allmann Sattler Wappner in Germany, and Dietrict Untertrifaller and Querkraft in Austria. In addition, she was the project leader for several architectural competitions and planning projects. 

With the help of an SNSF Eccellenza Professorial Fellowship, "Material Aware Architecture" with Ultra-Thin Formworks," and a recent Innosuisse Grant with Müller Steinag AG," Digital Casting System: Increased Productivity in Prefabrication," Ena Lloret-Fritschi aims to use her years of experience as a practitioner and researcher to establish the foundation for a future professorship at ARC-USI. Furthermore, her group continues to investigate conventional and unconventional construction materials to open up new design possibilities for architecture that use fewer resources, realizing sustainable construction through cutting-edge technologies.