Professorship for Computational Design in Architecture, Head of the Faculty of Architecture
teaching
since 2015 Head of Architecture Faculty, Design Department, Trier University of Applied Sciences
since 2013 Professor of Computational Design in Architecture, Trier University of Applied Sciences
2013-2016 Lectureship Design Studio 9, Architecture at the University of East London
2003-2013 Head of the major in architecture at the University of East London (Diploma in Architecture Programme Leader)
2003-2010 Lectureship at the Vienna University of Technology, Department of Fundamentals of the Digital Design - Algorithmic Architecture, Institute for Architecture and Design, Department of Building Theory, Prof. Wolff-Plottegg
2002-2003 Head of the master program MSc 'Computing & Design' at the University of East London (on behalf of Prof. Coates)
2001-2002 Co-director of the master program 'Virtual Environments' at the Bartlett Graduate School, University College London, Prof. Hillier
2000-2003 Unit Master in Bachelor and Diploma Degree in Design University of East London
1999-2001 Unit Master in intermediate diploma (Design Degree School) Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London
Professional Practice
2008-2011 Clonevine 5, single family house in Lisburn, Belfast, Northern Ireland
1994-1999 Ian Ritchie Architects, London Design Team Crystal Palace Concert Platform, London Design Team Royal Regatta Centre Albert Dock, London
1994 Anthony Hudson Architects, London Design Team 'Baggy House' (Building of the Year 1995)
Education and training
1993-1994 University of East London MSc degree in Computing & Design (Distinction)
1992-1993 Arizona State University, USA, DAAD scholarship
1990-1992 University of Stuttgart, degree course in architecture Diploma 1998 (average grade 1.0)
1987-1990 Vienna University of Technology, architecture degree, intermediate diploma
1977-1987 attendance of the state grammar school Konz, graduation from high school
2018 July "Clubs! More clubs! And as fast as possible", in ARCH+ 232: An Atlas of Commoning: Places of community work with Harald Trapp and Brian Hoy
2018 June Contribution to the exhibition Atlas of Commoning: Places of Community Work Kunstraum Bethanien, Berlin
2018 April Contributing Editor of the ARCH+ 231: The Property Issue - The land question and new common goods
2018 April "The architecture of neoliberalism denies work" Interview with Douglas Spencer, in ARCH+ 231: The Property Issue - On the land question and new common property.
2018 April/May 'capital architecture' - Exhibition on the relevance of Marxist theories to the Analysis of contemporary architecture at the European Academy of Fine Arts Trier;
A collaboration with Dr. Harald Trapp, University of East London. With video interviews with internationally renowned architects and sociologists - Massimo De Angelis, Mario Carpo, Alois Hahn, Anna Minton, Patrik Schumacher and Douglas Spencer -, the photo series "Working Men's Club" by London photographer Immo Klink and the room installation "Akkumulator" (Harald Trapp, Robert Thum).
2012 “Japanese Junction”, Public Exhibition in Tokio
Japanese Junction is an exhibition that celebrates Japanese students studying at overseas schools. In December 2011 to January 2012 UeL diploma unit 9 projects were exhibited together with twenty-two participants from fourteen schools round the world in in the architecture gallery of the Japanese publishing company Shinkenchiku and A+U Publishing in Tokyo.
2011 “Village in City - Migrant Workers and the Civic City”, Workshop with GAFA
In the ‘Guangzhou - Village in City’ Exhibition student projects propose civic programmes for the migrant worker population of the Tianhe Cun village in Guangzhou, China. These dense pockets of crooked allies in a sea of faceless speculative mass dwelling and office towers form the precarious habitat of China’s migrant worker population.
2010 “Off Site City”, Installation and Public Exhibition at the Building Centre London
2005 “Yoshiwara – Construction of Site”, Public Exhibition at the Jerwood Gallery, London
2003 “Interacting Unities: An Agent-Based System”, A. Turner, R. Thum, Generative Art Milan
The paper explores the interaction between pedestrians and their environment by regarding it as a process occurring between the two. It is hypothesized that the recurrent interaction between pedestrians and environment can lead to a structural coupling between those elements.
2002 “Architectural Design and Problem Worrying” in: “Trespassing – Shaping Spatial Practice”, Sezession Vienna 2002, Conference paper presentation and Exhibition
The Trespassing project has approached issues of emerging new forms of spatial practices by establishing a producers’ forum and investigating the potentials of contemporary production conditions. In preparation for the exhibition, strategies, methods and contents were reflected I studio interviews, and discussed in a joint workshop with theoreticians from various fields.
2002 “Dust Plates & Blobs”, Coates, Thum & Derix, Generative Art Milan 2002,
2001 “Self Organising Space”, Thum & Derix, Generative Art Milan 2001,
2000 “Parallel Architecture and Agent Based Modelling”, Coates & Thum Greenwich 2000 University of Greenwich London 2000
2018 Digitization of work and its impact on spatial production using the example of Gig Economy and platform capitalism with Dr. Harald Trapp
2018 Community housing between alienation and resonance together with Prof. Johannes Kopp, University of Trier, Prof. Rüdiger Jacob, University of Trier and Prof. Jan-Henrik Hafke, University of Trier
2018 Spatial production and living conditions under neoliberal urban development (partly published as "capital architecture")
2016 Parametric timber construction: Polymer concrete connecting node systems for complex beam structures Utility model protection No. 20 2016 004 575 and connecting node systems made of polymer concrete for complex beam structures with lost formwork made in 3D printing process - Utility model protection No. 20 2016 004 572
2012 "Higher Education and the Civic City", University of East London
2011 "From Village to City - Conglomerate Growth of Guangzhou's Migrant Workers Urban Quarters", University of East London
2010 "Off Site, Prefabrication from Balloon Frame to CNC Production", University of East London
2007 "Conglomerate Urban, Urban Fields from Beijing's Hutongs to Carabanchel", University of East London
2005 "VIPA EU - Consortium for Virtual Campus for Architects", University of East London, in cooperation with: Aarhus University, TU Vienna, University of Ljubljana
2005 "Contagious Space" AHRB Proposal, University of East London, in cooperation with: Goldsmith College - School of Social Sciences, Media and Cultural Studies
2004 "Urbs II", EU Erasmus, Socrates Programme, University of East London, in cooperation with: FH Trier urb-2 / urban research lab,
2004 "Form to Production", Research CAD - CAM I, University of East London
