Profile

Erik Reitzel A/S, consulting engineers, founded 1971, has specialized in developing new structures, new materials and combinations of materials. We like developing light structures with a minimum of material consumption. For our engineering designs and calculations we use our special methods of minimizing which we have developed through the last 30 years.

The basis for our work is Erik Reitzel's discovery of the fundamental correlation between the form of rupture lines and minimal structures.

The firm is directed by Erik Reitzel, civil engineer M.Sc 1964 from the Technical University of Denmark. 1967 he became a teacher and a scientist. From 1989 he is professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, and head of its structural department

Erik Reitzel's theories of minimal structures have been proved in many projects. Often they reveal exceptional structures that have called for a different approach than for classical structures.

These solutions have often been found thanks to an inspiring collaboration with architects, engineers, sculptors or contractors. Here follow some chosen examples :

First prize projects :
· Project of a new parliament in Stockholm, 1972 (Gunnløgsson & Nielsen)
· Philosophy and methods of minimizing energy, 1974 (Hans Friis Mathiasen)
· Open telephone box "the question mark", 1980 (Klaus Helweg- Larsen)
· International centre of communication in La Défense Paris, 1983 (J. O. Spreckelsen)
· Husarviken (new town in Stockholm) 1988 (Bystrup & Bregenhøj)
· The Danish pavilion of l'Expo 92 at Sevilla, 1989 (Nordisk Film and KHR-arkitekter)
· Copenhagen Buisiness School at Frederiksberg, 1994 (Vilhelm Lauritzen A/S)
· Stockholm Västra City, 1997 ( Lohan Associates, Chicago and Thurfjellgruppen, Stockholm)

Other prizes :
·Planetarium Denmark
·University in Brussels
·New Royal Theatre at Copenhagen
·Misawa Homes in Japan
·Design of aluminium structure (Ampliform)
·Stadium Denmark
·Museum of modern art, south of Copenhagen
·Bridge in Helsingborg harbour, Sweden
·Greenhouse at the University in Oslo.

Finished projects :
·The Great Arch in Paris ( J. O. Spreckelsen)
·Exterior elevator tower of the Great Arch in Paris (J.O.Spreckelsen)
·Church at Gammel Holte, Denmark (Halldor Gunnløgsson & Jørn Nielsen)
·Reconstruction of long houses of the Viking fortifications in Denmark and France
·Loadcarrying plateaus in the Louvre, Paris (Niels Fagerholt)
·Tent at Kronborg, Elsinore (Andreassen & Lundquist)
·Lattice dome at Cambridge crystallographic institute (Erik Christian Sørensen)
·Glass and steel pyramid in the headquarter of the association of Danish Industry, Copenhagen (Erik Møllers Tegnestue)
·Spiral shaped bridge in Sophienholm, North Copenhagen (Hein Heinsen)
·New meccano system for greenhouse in Virum, North Copenhagen
·Structures for a sculpture monument in Tutlingen, Germany (Torben Ebbesen)
·Quasicrystalline structure in the Administration Hall at the Technical University of Denmark (Tony Robbin, New York and Jens Fredslund)
·The Symbolic Globe at the headquarter of UNESCO, Paris
·The King's Bridge at Fredensborg Castle, Denmark (Mogens Breyen)
·Two kilometres transfer of the Lauritzen terminal from 1939, Copenhagen Airport (Monberg & Thorsen)

Adviser of special structural tasks :
· The international congress centre at Munich (BBP Arkitekter)
· Project for a museum of architecture at Lausanne (François Neyroud)
· Road service stations for SHELL, Denmark (Vilhelm Lauritzen A/S)
· The new railway and airport terminal of Copenhagen Airport (Vilhelm Lauritzen A/S)
· Project for a bridge across the Nidelv in Trondheim, Norway (Arne Eggen)

Erik Reitzel has often been a jury member on architectural and engineering competitions. Chairman of the technical committee for the evaluation of the Øresund Bridge projects.

He has received several prizes and awards in Denmark and abroad for his research and practical work with minimal structures within architectural and engineering fields. From the French president François Mitterrand he received the order "Knight of the Legion of Honour".

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