Balz House

Stetton, Germany
1980
Maximum Sphere Diameter: 7.8m

Heinz Isler, and Michael Balz

Social and Economic Context

Completed by Michael Balz and Heinz

Isler in the town of Stetten, Germany in
1980, the Balz House (Figure 1) is a
pneumatic shell structure constructed in
a period during which innovative
structures were designed and built
through the fusion of engineering and
architecture. For the structure’s resident
and architect Michael Balz, the house
symbolized much more than an
innovative structure – it served as a Fig. 1: View of the outside of the Balz House,
validation that organic forms could be showing the domes which cover the upper living area.
built using pneumatic shells.

The 1970s not only saw increasing environmental and political awareness, and the advocacy of
the organic movement, but also major Arab-Israeli conflicts and a worldwide energy crisis. In
this crisis, major industrial countries faced large petroleum shortages, leading to an economic
slowdown.1 The 1973 oil crisis and the 1979 energy crisis, both of which reduced the growth of
major industrial economies,2 also led to the dramatic inflation of oil prices.3 These crises were
caused by petroleum production peaks in the late 1960s - Germany reached its peak petroleum
production around 1966, 7 years before the worldwide oil crisis.4 These events stimulated public
awareness about the reliance on fossil fuels. In response to this growing awareness, a new party
was introduced to the political scene. The Green Party, established in the 1960s, emphasized
environmental awareness and the “green” movement- a movement towards the use of alternative
sources of energy.5 In fact, in the late 1970s, the German branch of the Green Party received
major public recognition, thus vaulting into the public eye.6

In addition, there was a major housing development policy introduced in Germany during that
period. The “Urban Renewal and Town Development Act” aimed to meet housing demands by
the 1990s. This characterized the beginning of large-scale developments with careful attention
being paid to cultural heritage and preservation of buildings of historical interest. Through this
movement, during which over 2.1 million new flats were built, there was great migration to the
urban fringes, such as Stetten on the outskirts of Stuttgart, where the Balz House is located.7

Description of House

The Balz House is a single-family residence designed using a combination of curved surfaces
and rectilinear forms. The upper part of the structure comprises 3 reinforced concrete domes,
with radii ranging from 3.5 to 3.9 m and a thickness of 10 to 15 cm. These domes intersect one
another to create a complex form with a clover shaped plan (Figure 2). This composite shape is
located on an oval base with a maximum length of 17 m, forming the upper half of the house. A
steep spiral staircase connects the more conventional rectangular rooms of the lower part of the
house to the domes above (Figure 3).

Fig. 2: Photograph of the original plan of the house, showing the clover-shaped layout.
Original Plan Courtesy: Michael Balz
 Fig. 3: Section through the Balz House showing the lower rectangular rooms and upper
curved space. Original Plan Courtesy: Michael Balz

An office, children’s rooms, and a sculpture studio that is used by Balz’s wife are found in the
lower part of the house, while a large living space is found in the upper part. The upper space
comprises an open plan relaxation area with plush purple couches, a breakfast bar, kitchen,
bedroom and bathroom alcove (Figure 4).8 The space is filled with handmade custom carved
furniture produced by Balz to perfectly fit the curved form. Vertical sliding glass doors, a
double-glazed roundel window and circular skylights illuminate the space, with the doors also
allowing access to the viewing terrace just outside the house. Continuity is found between the
living space and adjacent rooms, with the main bedroom containing a circular bed and a
spherical bathroom. Even the telephone and television are in keeping with the curved purple and
white interior. The lower part of the house, on the other hand, is not only filled with rectangular
tables, chairs, and workspaces, but also has a contradicting green color scheme. This
contradiction can be felt when one is within the house and gives a feeling of functionality to the
lower studio area juxtaposed with the feeling of leisure in the upper living space.
 Fig. 4: Curved purple and white interior of upper living space
of the Balz House.

The Form

Inspiration and Evolution

The inspiration behind the house’s unusual form, according to Michael Balz, was his mother. An
avid sculptor, she once asked the young Balz why people could not simply “blow up houses”.9
To carry out this idea, Balz used a wooden carton and carved a hole in one side. A rubber
balloon or PVC membrane was placed beneath this hole and was then blown up, such that a
protruding surface was created through the carton. Gypsum (or plaster) was then cast on that
inflated form to produce a plaster model of that shape. This shape is also known as a pneumatic
shell shape, where pneumatic refers to its blown up construction. This method led to the
development of the clover-like shape we see in the plan of the Balz House, “an absolute
pneumatic, organic form which can be used for many ideas”, that is, adapted to create many
different shapes and forms.9

Balz was keen to pursue this pneumatic form as not only was it cheap but the method allowed
him to explore a variety of forms for the house. The open floor plan allowed for a variety of
interior configurations, and the exterior form made it possible to cut out a number of openings.
Thus at the IASS Colloquium in 1967, Balz approached Frei Otto to ask whether it would be
possible to back up this form with calculations. While Otto said this would be extremely
difficult, Heinz Isler, who was at the same colloquium, said that it was indeed possible.8 In fact,
Isler had been conducting his own research on organic shapes and pneumatic form finding
(‘bubble shells’).

Isler and Pneumatic Form Finding

Isler’s experiments with pneumatic forms date back to 1954 when he noticed the shape of the
plumped-up pillow on his bed.8 The continuously curved surface of the pillow made him realize
that physical models were the key to solving the problem of organic, free-form structures.

Isler’s simple yet elegant solution comprised a rectangular wooden frame placed on a wooden
baseboard, with the latter having a small hole drilled into it. Isler then placed a pliable rubber
sheet between the baseboard and the frame, with its perimeter restrained by clamping the two
wooden boards together. A sealed flexible pipe and a hand pump could then be used to inflate the
rubber membrane to produce a double-curved synclastic surface.8 This ‘technical pillow’
provided Isler with the opportunity to experiment with this form, and a similar apparatus was
also used by Balz when designing his home.

Balz and Isler

In collaboration with Isler, Balz designed a theater complex in Stetten between 1976 and 1979,
whose form was derived using a hanging membrane technique. The Balz House was constructed
after this, adjacent to the theater complex. While the shapes at the theater complex differ from
the pneumatic form of the Balz House, they nevertheless have an unconventional structural form.
Thus, in a rather unusual move, the local planning authorities actually prescribed that Balz’s
house resemble these adjacent shells in order to maintain a sense of uniformity in the area. Today
however, as shells differ dramatically from the rectilinear forms most commonly used in
residential housing today, these same regulations have prevented structures similar to the Balz
House from being built.

Balz and Isler’s working relationship evolved into a firm friendship that was to last more than 20
years. Not only did they work on numerous projects together, but also frequently consulted each
other when they were working on other projects. Balz recalls, “If somebody asks [Isler] which
ideas he has, he often came to me and asked how I would do it”.9

In addition to pneumatic form finding, the two worked together on multiple projects involving
concrete shells inspired by botanical shapes- another passion of Balz’s. This ties back to the
architect’s belief that human beings themselves grow according to the laws of nature. He
believes that human living spaces should thus be modeled on natural forms such as orchid
blossoms. According to Balz, these organic building forms take into account human living needs
much better than purely orthogonal forms.10

Derivation of Final Form

The final form of the Balz House was derived using the pneumatic form finding method
described above. Balz first built a model at a scale of 1:20, with the construction occurring in
parts. A wooden clover form was used as the restraining boundaries for the membrane, which
was inflated using a bicycle pump. Balz first cast the basic shape on this form, and once this had
set, he made openings in the surface under which he placed balloons and used these to produce
the cantilevering forms. He finally added the upper cupola, which had been made independently
of the basic form and cantilevers, to the model.9 This final form is shown in Figures 5 and 6.
Fig. 5: Final form of the Balz House (Model). Fig. 6: Final form of the Balz House (Model).
Original Drawing Courtesy: Michael Balz. Original Drawing Courtesy: Michael Balz.

Strength Testing and Structural Integrity

The unusual form of the house makes it difficult to test the structure analytically, and thus the
final form had to be physically tested for structural integrity. Deflections and stresses were
induced in the scale models through the application of evenly distributed loads using a specially
design wooden framework. The results were then measured through the use of electronic strain
gauges located on the surface of the models.

The double-curved synclastic shape of these shells proved to be extremely stable- something that
is attested to by the fact that after 30 years the building still has shown no signs of damage or
cracks.11 As Balz observes, “as long as we have a cupola under compression, the house has no
problem of cracking’’.9

Structural Analysis

As seen in Figure 2, the structure of the Balz House comprises 3 domes intersecting each other in
order to create a complex form. As this form is rather difficult to analyze mathematically, it
actually had to be physically tested for structural integrity using hanging weights. However, by
breaking up the shell into components and approximating each component as a spherical dome, it
is in fact possible to analyze the form mathematically. Assuming every dome is going to behave
in roughly the same way, it is only necessary to analyze one of the domes.

The dome analyzed in this case was the one over the living room (Figure 4), which has a radius
of 3.90 m, roll down angle of 82.6° and assumed pinned supports. This concrete dome was
analyzed using analytical methods and the Finite Element Method in SAP2000.12
Loads applied on the spherical
dome generate bi-directional
forces and stresses. These
comprise hoop forces/stresses
and meridional forces/stresses,
as shown in Figure 7. The hoop
and meridional forces can be
calculated analytically using the
following formulae:

Nϕ = -GR/(1 + cos
ϕ) (1)13

Nθ = -GR(cos ϕ – 1/(1 + cos

ϕ)) (2)13

Where:
Fig. 7: Hoop and Meridional Forces/Stresses in a Spherical
Nϕ = Meridional force Dome.
Nθ = Hoop force
G = Gravity load, which is this case is the density of the concrete multiplied by the thickness of
the shell
R = Radius of the shell (3.90 m)
ϕ = Roll-down angle (Figure 8)
Plotting these equations as functions of
the roll down angle, graphs for
meridional and hoop forces can be
found, as shown in Figure 10. It can be
seen that the meridional forces are
always compressive, while the hoop
force changes from compression to
tension between the top and base of the
dome . The two forces have the same
value at the top of the dome (~7 kN per
m length compression). While the
Fig. 8: Schematic drawing showing radius and roll- meridional force gets gradually more
down angle. compressive, with a maximum value of
12.33 kN/m at the base, the hoop force
changes from compression to a maximum tensile force of 10.65 kN/m at the base, crossing from
compression into tension (and hence being 0) at 52° from the vertical (Figure 9).
 Fig. 9: Distribution of hoop and meridional forces over selected dome of the Balz House.
Adapted from original drawing provided by Michael Balz.

Applying dead load only to the pinned dome, it is possible to compare the results from the SAP
analysis with the analytical model. The force distribution obtained for the dead load case is
shown in Figures 10 and 11, for the hoop and meridional forces respectively. From these
distributions, it was found that the meridional force distribution is the same for both the
analytical and SAP models, while the hoop force distribution varies. In the analytical model the
force changes from ~7 kN/m (compression) to ~11 kN/m (tension). In the SAP model the force
distribution changes from 7 kN/m (compression) to 6 kN/m (tension) before decreasing and
becoming close to 0 near the supports. This difference is due to the fact that the analytical
method assumed that only membrane forces existed in the shell, while SAP accounts for the
horizontal reactions produced at the edges due to the pinned supports.

Fig. 10: Hoop Force Distribution (kN/m). Fig. 11: Meridional Force Distribution (kN/m).
SAP2000. SAP2000.
As houses are subject to external loads, it is important to understand their reaction to these. The
Balz House is subject to snow and wind loads and so a combination of the dead and snow load,
and the wind load have been tested for both pinned and fixed supports. The maximum and
minimum stresses and bending moments (M) obtained for each case are listed in Table 1:

Table. 1: Stresses and Bending Moments for a 3.9m span spherical dome with Pinned and
Fixed Supports

From Table 1 we see that the largest compressive stress (240 kPa) occurs under the dead and
snow load in the meridional direction in the dome with fixed supports. The dome with fixed
supports also experiences the largest tensile stress (140 kPa), again in the meridional direction,
under the wind load. The maximum compressive stress is much smaller than the compressive
strength of concrete, which is 20-40 MPa.14 The system is therefore structurally capable of
coping with these compressive stresses. The maximum tensile stress is also less than the tensile
strength of concrete, which is 2-5 MPa.14 However, reinforcement is still put into the structure in
order to prevent cracking.

Examining the bending moment distributions, it was also found that the area of the dome with
the greatest negative bending moment has the most bulging. The maximum negative moment of
the pinned dome was found to exceed that of its fixed counterpart. Under the dead and snow load
however, the dome with fixed supports was found to have the greatest positive bending moment
at the supports, while the dome with pinned supports had no bending at the supports. This is due
the fact that pinned supports have no moment.

This pattern is reversed under the wind load- the pinned dome was found to have the greater
positive moment in the meridional direction (the moments in the hoop direction were the same),
while the dome with the fixed supports was found to have the greater negative moment. This is
most likely due to the fact that direction of the wind load resulted in a greater negative moment
being generated at the supports.

Construction Process
The construction of the actual shell occurred over a formwork comprising transverse wooden
frames. A woven steel net was then placed over this formwork, and a ‘rabbit’s net’, commonly
used in Germany to carry the gypsum lengths, was placed on top (Figure 6). The first layer of
concrete was then cast, with a second layer of steel and a layer of foam insulation being placed
on top of it. Pipes serving as passive solar energy collectors were also placed on the inner layer
of the shell. Using a crane, the second layer of concrete was poured on top to produce the final
form (Figure 7).9

Balz recalls that the construction of this apparently complex form was actually relatively easy.
The construction workers, who were Turkish, were extremely familiar with this cupola or domed
form as it is very commonly used in their home country.9

Fig. 12: Wooden formwork and woven steel net used in Fig. 13: Casting of final concrete
the construction of the Balz House. Photo Courtesy: layer using a crane. Photo Courtesy:
Michael Balz. Michael Balz.

Energy Efficiency of Structure

Despite its unusual appearance, the design of the Balz House is actually extremely sophisticated
and energy efficient. The amount of conventional heating required is minimal due to the
innovative heating system present in the structure. Balz explained that the surface of the house
absorbs heat from the sun, with surface temperatures reaching almost 45° C in the summer. Since
heating is not required in the summer, the passive solar energy collectors transfer this heat
underground for storage. This heat transfer occurs through the tubes and pipes embedded within
the concrete, each with a diameter of 20 cm. The pipes circulate through the structure, with about
2500 m of piping in the surface, which continue into the earth, under the house and into the
garden.9 In the winter, cold water enters the warming pump and is heated up by the outside soil
temperature- this is then used to heat the base and walls of the house. Thus this system only
requires electrical energy for the warming pump to heat the house. Balz also installed a fireplace
in the house as a supplementary heating system, but said that they normally do not need it. Given
the high price of electricity this heating system works out to be extremely cheap. In fact, during
the heating period of 1980-1981, the heating cost of the system was found to be a mere 10
DM/m2.8

Its rounded form further augments the energy efficiency of this structure. This form makes it
easier to absorb the solar energy, and the lack of angled corners prevents self-shading. The
rounded form also limits the interior volume that requires heating and the surface area that
requires insulation- thus further reducing the energy costs of the structure.8

Experience

Inside the house, one is overwhelmed by a feeling of coziness, which is exactly what Balz hoped
to realize with this form. Balz wanted to limit orthogonal entities in the house and instead mimic
the curved movement of the human form. The pneumatic method was found to lend itself well to
such curved and rounded shapes. These shapes create not only an open plan but also a form that
Balz suggests meets the psychological needs of its inhabitants. Residents feel protected within
this space as the curved features and furniture enhance the feeling of being embraced, thereby
providing a sense of continuity between the structure and its inhabitants.

Why Pneumatic Shell Houses are not Commonly Found

Although the Balz House was a great structural and aesthetic success, pneumatic shells are not
common or preferred methods of home design and construction. While Balz believes that many
people would like to live in such homes and wants to be able to provide people with them,
zoning restrictions in Germany today have prevented such houses from being built. Furthermore,
Isler’s methods, though apparently simple, are actually rather complex and require a high degree
of precision.15 While Isler himself was very meticulous in methodology, the same is not
necessarily true of all designers today and thus the complexity of these methods do not lend
themselves to easy replication.

However, despite their applications being limited at a residential scale, these shells have the
potential for industrial and large-scale applications. By producing them in a series, the
fabrication cost decreases as the same formwork can be used repeatedly. This makes them an
attractive option for low-cost emergency housing as they are cheap and can be prefabricated.
Their lightweight nature also makes them easy to stack and transport.11 Therefore, although these
pneumatic shell houses have not had much success on an individual scale, they have the potential
to become an extremely attractive option for large-scale projects and should certainly not be
overlooked.