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Dr Antiopi Koronaki is an Assistant Professor in Design Computation and Fabrication at the University of Cambridge, specializing in the decarbonization of the built environment through advanced computational design and engineered natural materials, particularly timber
Dr. Antiopi Koronaki is an Assistant Professor in Design Computation and Fabrication in the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge, positioning her work directly at the nexus of architecture, engineering, and materials science. Her core research goal is the decarbonization of the built environment by developing new frameworks for the design and construction of efficient, sustainable structures. She employs advanced computational analysis and fabrication methods to reduce the environmental impact of construction, focusing heavily on engineered timber and modern methods of construction.
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Her research is intensely collaborative and impact-driven, aiming to significantly reduce the gap between academic theory and industry practice. As a key member of the Centre for Natural Material Innovation and a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, she actively leads and participates in multi-million-euro projects like WOODCIRCLES and TIMBER, which focus on circular economy solutions and the use of homegrown English timber. Her work, which includes optimization of complex space-frame structures, has been recognized and exhibited widely, including at the London Design Festival.
Biography
Dr. Antiopi Koronaki is a highly specialized academic with a strong background in structural engineering and architectural computation. She earned her PhD from the University of Bath with a focus on the optimization of large-scale, complex space-frame structures for construction. Prior to her current role, she was a Postdoctoral Researcher (2019-2022) at the Centre for Natural Material Innovation at Cambridge, exploring the potential of engineered timber for off-site manufactured schools.
She holds professional industry experience, including time on the bridge team at Wilkinson Eyre, and is an active member of the Digital Workflows and Computational Design panel of The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE). Since 2014, she has been extensively involved in teaching and leading international workshops on digital fabrication and design computation. Currently, she is a Fellow in Design at Jesus College and leads the Part IB Design Studio 5 and the Part II Architectural Engineering course, cementing her commitment to integrating advanced computational thinking into architectural education.
Core Profile Details
Contact and Availability
Research and Expertise
Dr. Koronaki’s expertise centers on computational design for material efficiency and decarbonization, using data-driven methods to optimize complex building systems.
Key Research Areas
- Design Computation and Fabrication: Developing computational tools and fabrication workflows for practical application in construction.
- Engineered Timber and Natural Materials: Researching the potential of engineered timber for circular and sustainable construction, including off-site manufactured modular systems (e.g., schools).
- Structural Optimization: Advanced computational analysis for optimizing large-scale, complex space-frame structures, focusing on reducing component variability and improving fabrication awareness.
- Circular Economy in Construction: Researching integrated, digitally supported sustainable solutions for waste minimization and carbon capture (WOODCIRCLES project).
- Local Material Supply Chains: Developing novel pathways for using underutilized homegrown timber resources for high-value building applications (TIMBER project).
Supervision and Teaching
Dr Koronaki welcomes PhD students interested in the convergence of computational design, structural optimization, digital fabrication, and sustainable materials (especially timber) with a focus on real-world industry impact.
Teaching Responsibilities
Associated Funding and Opportunities
Dr. Koronaki is a Co-Investigator (Co-I) on several major European and UK-based grants focused on timber and sustainability, demonstrating her strong funding track record:
- Horizon Europe / UKRI WOODCIRCLES (2023-26): Co-I on this project developing integrated, circular, and digitally supported sustainable solutions for timber construction.
- Centre for Digital Built Britain TIMBER (2021-25): Co-I on this project focusing on manufacturing English timber resources into high-value building applications.
- Forestry Commission T3S (2021-23): Co-I on this project, setting up a prototype manufacturing hub and building the Fawcett School extension using precision engineered timber.
- AHRC/PSF AA Rapid Response (2024): PI on “The New Model School” project, culminating in an installation for the London Design Festival.
- Exhibitions: Work exhibited at the London Design Festival and London Design Biennale.
Key Publications
Publications are selected to highlight her expertise in computational design, optimization, and sustainable timber construction:
- 2023: Liu, Y., Lee, T.-U., Koronaki, A., et al. Reducing the number of different nodes in space frame structures through clustering and optimization. Engineering Structures, 284.
- 2023: Koronaki, A., Shepherd, P., & Evernden, M. Fabrication-Aware Joint Clustering in Freeform Space-Frames. Buildings, 13(4).
- 2021: Koronaki, A., Bukauskas, A., Jalia, A., Shah, D. U., & Ramage, M. H. Prefabricated Engineered Timber Schools in the United Kingdom: Challenges and Opportunities. Sustainability, 13(22).
- 2020: Koronaki, A., Shepherd, P., & Evernden, M. Rationalization of freeform space-frame structures: Reducing variability in the joints. International Journal of Architectural Computing, 18(1).
- Policy Briefings: Koronaki, A. (ed). (2020). Towards carbon free construction: Cultivating and manufacturing our homes. Centre for Natural Material Innovation, University of Cambridge.
