Saqib Aziz
Kappe Revisited, 2022 - 2025
With the project Kappe Revisited, the architecture of Prussian barrel-vault ceilings is reinterpreted as a historical and cultural heritage of Berlin. The starting point is the question of how traditional pre-war constructions – particularly the widespread Prussian barrel vaults – can serve as the foundation for sustainable, material-efficient, and contemporary architecture.
The project translates the constructive principles of the barrel ceiling into modern technologies such as robotic fabrication and mineral-based 3D printing. In two experimental prototypes, historical construction techniques are combined with current material concepts: KAPPE MODULAR develops a form-optimised, modular concrete element with integrated acoustic and thermal functions, while KAPPE FOLD explores a thin-walled, folded clay vault as a low-CO₂ alternative.
Kappe Revisited demonstrates how urban architectural history, academic research, and technological innovation can be brought together to create a forward-looking building culture.
Biographie
Saqib Aziz (*1987) is an architect and engineer with a focus on digital design, structural engineering, and robotic fabrication. He teaches and conducts research at the University of the Arts Berlin in the field of digital design methodologies, and as part of his PhD, he is developing a software tool for the intuitive control of additive manufacturing processes with industrial robots.
In his 2026 completed dissertation (Dr.-Ing.), he developed a patented method for additive manufacturing of multi-criteria form-optimised components made from mineral-based printing materials. This work led to the Minimal Mineral project, which explores innovative ceiling constructions with integrated acoustic and thermal functions as monomaterial systems. Prior to this, he was part of a computational design group focused on parametric design, 3D printing, and automated manufacturing processes.
As a co-founder of Jelly, he is responsible for algorithm-based product development, the creation of digital production systems, and strategic material research.