Meet Patrick Fleming, assistant professor of structural and architectural engineering

What do you research and what is your area of expertise?

My main area of research and expertise is related to the structures and materials of existing buildings; how we measure, characterize, and understand them, and also how they can be renovated, reused, repaired, reconstructed, or extended. I focus on structures and architecture built in the twentieth century.

What interests you about this particular subject?

Our built environment plays an important role in our everyday life, and existing buildings can often have significant cultural and historical value. There are also considerable carbon and sustainability issues related to our existing buildings, and understanding how they were built and how they should be renovated can be very challenging. We need to make the best use of our current structures and buildings as we transition towards a sustainable future.

What kind of career path led you to this position?

Both architecture and engineering have played an important role in my career path, as I studied engineering in Canada and architecture in Cambridge, UK. 

After my studies, I worked as a structural engineer with Conzett Bronzini Partner AG in for several years in Switzerland, and gained practical experience in the renovation and reuse of historical structures and buildings. I later used this experience from practice to propose and lead an award-winning research project on the Stockholm Public Library as it undergoes a period of major renovation. Before starting at Aalto, I was also involved in structural engineering research with timber and earth materials. 

Overall, my broad experience in research and practice, in both architecture and engineering, closely matches my new role at Aalto as Assistant Professor of Structural and Architectural Engineering.

What are your expectations for your work here at Aalto University?

I have only just arrived at Aalto University and see immense potential here for my research and teaching. Although every country and construction culture has its own ways of working and building, I expect my previous work and experiences from Switzerland and Sweden will be very relevant here in Finland as I learn and grow professionally through my future work.