Pelin Asa
Pelin Asa studied civil engineering at Princeton University and completed her master's at the Integrative Technologies and Architectural Design Research program at the University of Stuttgart in 2022.
As a Pre-Doctoral Researcher in the project Material Form Function and in the department of biomaterials at the Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, she works on reclaiming waste wood for structural applications and the integration of computational design and digital fabrication tools in reuse processes.
Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
Department of Biomaterials
Research Campus Golm
Am Muehlenberg 1
14424 Potsdam
Articles in Edited Volumes
Dimitra Almpani-Lekka, Pelin Asa, Johanna Hehemeyer-Cürten, Rahel Kesselring, Claudia Kudinova, Kaja Ninnis, Anna Schäffner, Emma Sicher, Maxie Schneider, Rasa Weber. 2026. »Testing Un/Common Grounds.« In Matters of Activity. Rethinking Materiality, Rethinking Knowledge, edited by Claudia Mareis, Carolin Ott, Babette Werner. Birkhäuser, forthcoming.
Articles
Asa, P., Dobler, J., Fratzl, P., Farmer, J., Huber, J., Jouy, F., Kang, N., Kesselring, R., Kubelík, A., Krauthausen, K., Mai, I., Noda, S., Neuhäuser, S., Rhein, J., Stock, R., Wolff, K., Dierichs, K. 2025. »Symbiotic Wood.« .able journal, (27)
https://doi.org/10.69564/able.en.25027.symbioticwood
Kwon, J., Asa, P., Jaffar-Bandjee, M., Amini, S., Fratzl, P., Dierichs, K. 2025. »Beeswax Luminaires: Sustainable lighting through materials design.« Materials & Design, 254: 114025.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114025
Asa, P., El Feghali, C., Steixner, C., Tahouni, Y., Wagner, H. J., Knippers, J., Menges, A. 2024. »Embraced Wood: Circular construction method for composite long-span beams from unprocessed reclaimed timber, fibers and clay.« Construction and Building Materials, 416: 135096.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.135096
Asa, P., Krauthausen, K., Stock, R., Dierichs, K. 2024. »Architectures of syntopia: An interdisciplinary speculative model for constructions with insect-infested wood.« In Material transitions in architecture and construction: Social implications, appropriation, and outcomes for sustainability, special issue. TATuP - Zeitschrift für Technikfolgenabschätzung in Theorie und Praxis, 33 (3): 48-56.
https://doi.org/10.14512/tatup.7153
Exhibitions
Diereichs, K. (curator and contributor), Stiegel, A., Banz, C. (co-curators). Symbiotic Wood. Group Show. Exhibition, Symposium, Roundtable and Tour. Exhibition. The final project of the »More than Human« exhibition series of Kunstgewerbemuseum developed in collaboration with the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity« as part of the ＿matter Festival 2025. With contributions by Pelin Asa, Karola Dierichs, Judith M. Dobler, Tarik Goetzke, Başak Günak, Florent Jouy, Nuri Kang, Rahel Kesselring, Karin Krauthausen, Anna Kubelík, Julia Rhein, Siegfried Saerberg, Robert Stock. Kunstgewerbemuseum. 28 June 2025 - 23 November 2025.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/16077/symbiotic-wood;
Highlighted by ARCH+, Tagesspiegel.
Contributions to Exhibitions
Mareis, C., Asa, P., Miodragović, N., Schneider, M. »Making Differently: Women Rethinking Architecture.« Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Architecture. 19 June 2025 - 29 June 2025.
https://www.tu.berlin/makingmatters/news-1/wia-women-in-architecture
Public Engagement
Almpani-Lekka, Dimitra, Asa, Pelin, Dierichs, Karola, Ficht, Johanna, Göngrich, Erik, Kieffer, Lynn Hyun, Kubelík, Anna, Meyer, Vera, Stock, Robert, Wilhelm, Nora. 2024. Symbiotic Futures 1.0. Workshop. Berlinische Galerie, with Philippi, Nils. Berlin. Germany. 5 June 2024.
https://berlinischegalerie.de/veranstaltung/symbiotic-futures-1-0/
Talks & Presentations
Asa, P., Rosen, A., Winstanley, N. Designing with Alternative Resources. Panel Presentation at the EAAE Annual Conference: Less is Must, Resources + Circularity. FH Münster, Münster. 30 August 2024.
https://eaaemuenster.eu/
Kim, H.W. Building with Damaged Wood. Talk at the Bauforschungslabor Studio. Hybrid. 26 April 2024.
Invited Moderation/ Comment
Sicher, E., Weber, R., Kesselring, R., Asa, P. MATTERSCAPES. A Studio Visit. Doctoral Presentations, repair, restore, regenerate, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Moderation by Perraudin, Léa. 27 June 2023.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/11320/matterscapes-a-studio-visit
Events & Workshops
Vera Meyer, Nora Wilhelm, Erik Göngrich (Mitkunstzentrale), Dimitra Almpani-Lekka, Pelin Asa, Karola Dierichs, Lynn Hyun Kieffer, Aarhus School of Architecture, Anna Kubelík, Robert Stock. Symbiotic Futures 1.0. Berlinische Galerie. 5 June 2024.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/13726/?preview
Teaching & Courses
Asa, P., Dierichs, K., Mai, I., Neuhäuser, S., Noda, S., Wolff, K. Digital Design and Fabrication for Timber. Seminar, TU Berlin. 16 October 2024 - 12 February 2025.
Asa, P., Neuhäuser, S., Noda, S., Wolff, K. Digital Design and Fabrication for Timber. Seminar, TU Berlin. 17 April 2024 - 17 July 2024.
Asa, P., Neuhäuser, S., Wolff, K. Digital and analogue form-finding. Seminar, TU Berlin. 18 October 2023 - 14 February 2024.
Asa, P., Wolff, K. M.Sc. Architecture design seminar. Seminar, Rethinking Timber. TU Berlin. 19 April 2023 - 19 July 2023.
Dierichs, K., Asa, P. Materials Design. International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS). Block Seminar, Potsdam. 22 May 2023 - 6 July 2023.
https://www.mpikg.mpg.de/events/34066/133590
Press Articles
Bartels, G. (text), Reichel, M., dpa (image). 2025. »Ehrenrettung für den Borkenkäfer im Kunstgewerbemuseum: Zwischen Baum und Borke.« About the Exhibition »Symbiotic Wood«, part of the ＿matter Festival 2025. Tagesspiegel, 27 June 2025.