Knippers Helbig

knippershelbig
Company type	GmbH
Founded	2001
Headquarters	Stuttgart, Germany ; New York City, United States ; Berlin, Germany
Key people	Thorsten Helbig ; Boris Peter
Products	Structural- and Facade Engineering; Geometry Optimization
Website	www.knippershelbig.com

Knippers Helbig is an engineering company based in Stuttgart, New York City , and Berlin.

It was founded in 2001 and specializes in structural design and facade engineering of German and international construction projects involving high-rise buildings, steel and timber constructions, bridges, and airports. The company has worked in collaboration with architects such as Massimiliano Fuksas, Grimshaw Architects, Steven Holl, Renzo Piano, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Barkow Leibinger, and Stefan Behnisch.

It focuses on development and programming related to complex parametrical or generated geometries of roof constructions as well as façades comprising steel and glass structures. An example of this manner of work by Knippers Helbig is the façade of the Shenzhen International Airport, which features 60,000 different façade units.^[1]

Knippers Helbig was responsible for the design and development of the largest membrane roof worldwide, which appeared at the 1,000 m long and 100 m wide main entrance building on the World-Exposition in Shanghai. The steel and glass structure of the shopping mall MyZeil in Frankfurt on the Main and the roofing of the shopping mall Westfield near London were both also the work of Knippers Helbig.^[2]

Outside of its designs in roofing and facades, Knippers Helbig has also experimented with alternative materials in construction and is responsible for Europe's first road bridge consisting of fiber-glass-reinforced plastics.^[3]

Selected projects

2017: Trumpf Smart Factory, Chicago (USA)
2013: Shenzhen International Airport, Shenzhen
2013: Convention Center, Kigali
2012: Theme Pavillon Expo 2012, Yeosu
2010: Facades Dubai International Airport Concourse 2 + 3, Dubai
2010: Jüberg-tower, Hemer
2010: Expo Axis, Shanghai
2010: Norwegian Pavillon, Expo Shanghai
2010: Youth Center Stuttgart Bad-Cannstatt
2009: Freeform Nutshell Westfield, London
2009: United Nations Conference Center, Bonn
2009: Centre des Sports et des Loisirs, Luxembourg-Belair
2008: MyZeil, Frankfurt am Main
2008: FRP Brücke, Friedberg
2007: Commercial and Apartment building, Mainz
2005: Flagship Store Peek & Cloppenburg, Köln
2005: Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto

Competitions

2011: Quartier M Highrise in Düsseldorf with Jürgen Mayer H.: 1. Prize
2011: Berlin Trade Fair with Wulf Architects: 2. Prize
2011: Lansberg Pedestrian Bridge: 1. Prize
2010: Kaohsiung Marine Gateway, Taiwan with Asymptote Architecture: 2. Prize
2010: IBA Building Complex in Hamburg with Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten: 1. Prize
2010: Exhibition Hall and Station in Kirchberg, Luxembourg with Pohl Architekten Stadtplaner, and SteinmetzDemeyer, architectes urbanistes: 1. Prize
2010: Central busstation, Kiel, with Giorgio Gulotta Architects: 2. Prize
2010: Footbridge 'Margaretengürtel' in Vienna with Knight Architects: 1. Prize
2010: Karlsplatz Stuttgart with Behnisch Architekten: 1. Prize
2010: Wilhelmspalais in Stuttgart with Lederer+Ragnarsdóttir+Oei: 1. Prize
2009: Train station Cessange, Luxembourg with Pohl Architekten und Steinmetzdemeyer: 2. Prize
2009: Pedestrian Bridges, Opladen with Knight Architects: 1. Prize
2008: Head office Wala Foundation with H4A Gessert Randecker Architekten: 1. Prize
2008: Shenzhen International Airport with Massimiliano Fuksas: 1. Prize
2007: Gewandhaus Dresden with Cheret Bozic: 1. Prize
2004: Frankfurt International Airport Terminal 3 with Foster and Partners: 2. Prize