The Gold Medal is the Institution’s highest individual honour. The 2024 award has been presented to Werner Sobek in recognition of his innovative work on adaptive structures and significant research into the contribution of structural engineering to carbon-zero.
To celebrate this achievement, Werner delivered an address titled Building in a new world, where he examined the critical challenges facing the building industry, including climate change, resource scarcity and demographic shifts. He emphasized the urgent need to radically rethink our planning and design strategies to create a sustainable built environment, highlighting the essential role of advanced engineering in the responsible use of resources.
Watch Werner's address, delivered live at the Institution of Structural Engineers, encompassing a thorough reflection on his career to date.
Building in a new world Werner Sobek, Gold Medal 2024 recipient