supervised by Frei Otto, Klaus Bach, Berthold Burkhardt
and Eda Schaur, assisted in some subjects, such as foams
vacuum pneus, etc, Eda Schaur worked on the association
 of the photos with brief summaries, as well as on
the editorial preparation of the individual contributions
until summer 1976. The classification became more clear
but also voids showed up. The extensive picture materia|
was divided into Form and Structure of Pneus and Evolution
 of the World of Forms of Living Nature.
The overall picture became more subtle by repeatedly
regarding the individual aspects and overall relationships.
 The work discussions of Frei Otto, Eda Schaur
and Berthold Burkhardt, in the beginning, also served
this purpose. Starting summer 1976, Klaus Bach and
Roberto Raccanello also joined the pneu team, when the
issue on nets was completed. New special findings from
the engagement in the illustrations were compared and
coordinated with the texts by Klaus Bach, Eda Schaur
and Roberto Raccanello. Parallel to this, the final
layout of the texts, sketches and photo tables was created
 by this team. This expenditure is often regarded as
being exaggerated. The editors pursued the task of presenting
 their research results with a great deal of attention.
 The same applies for the literature research work
performed by Rositta Dspel, for the proof reading of
Rainer Graefe in close contact with the pneu team. In
the final phase - Eda Schaur discontinued her col laboration
 until May 1977 as a result of her lecturing activities
 in India-, the last voids of the individual chapters
could be closed by means of new pneu photos and the
pertinent texts. This very comprehensive work was to a
large extent taken on by Klaus Bach. Roberto Raccanello
also participated in this, but his keypoint were the
sketches and cover pages of the individual chapters.
During the final phase of an IL work, all assisted the
team in every required spot. Thus, Gunhild Lubberger,
Wolfgang Blesinger and Rositta Dispel assisted the team
in the final layout and the keyword index. During the
entire research work, Ingeborg Kaiser typed the German
and English texts, Ilse Schmall processed the extensive
number of photos. The work is herewith submitted. With
relief, but also with a knowledge of the shortcomings
and the view to open questions. After termination of the
copy deadline, Frei Otto, Klaus Bach, Berthold Burkhardt,
 Eda Schaur and Jurgen Hennicke compiled unsolved
 problems in a brainstorming process which were
then reviewed by Jurgen Hennicke for this issue. The
work "Pneus in Nature and Technics" has an open end
we will further report on the olanning work and new
results. The editore
"1 Q (1074)

Zum IL 9

Das ist unsere wichtigste Publikation und wird es vermutlich
 bleiben.

Wir sind uns bewußt, daß der Satz "Der Pneu ist die
wesentliche Grundlage für die Formenwelt der lebenden
Natur" einen ungeheuerlich anmaßenden Anspruch enthält.
 Dieser Satz wurde 1972 formuliert und beim Kolloquium
 1973 bekräftigt. Wir waren befangen und gefangen.
 Wie so oft sagten wir uns: Das kann doch nicht
wahr sein, daß die gesamte lebende Natur auf einem
einzigen strukturellen Element aufbaut. Nach vier Jahren
 des Vertiefens sind wir mit dieser neuen Wahrheit
völlig vertraut. Wir leben in und mit ihr als hätte es
eine andere nie gegeben. Es galt, eine uralte Tatsache
zu entdecken. Das heutige Wissen von Form und Struktur
 war dazu die Basis.

Vieles ist noch nicht richtig gesehen. Doch wir wollen
uns bereits bald wieder mit neuen Erkenntnissen und
auch Hypothesen melden.

Vor sechzehn Jahren begann in Berlin die Kooperation
mit J. G.Helmcke zum Themenkreis Technik und
Biologie - Biologie und Bauen.

Seit dreizehn Jahren besteht das IL. Vor vier Jahren
fand das Kolloquium statt, das Grundlage dieses
unseres 13. Heftes wurde,

Wir sind froh, daß wir mit der Unterstützung der
Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft diese Arbeit im
Rahmen des Sonderforschunasbereichs 64 machen kannten

Vieles bleibt offen. Das zeigt der Katalog der ungelösten
 Probleme am Schluß dieses Buches.

Frei Otto
im September 1977

With respect to IL 9

This is and will probably continue to be our key publication.


We are aware of the fact that the statement "The pneu
is the essential basis of the world. of forms of living
nature" contains an enomously presumptuous claim.
This statement was formulated in 1972 and was substantiated
 during the 1973 colloquium. We were prejudicec
and caught. As was often the case before, we told ourselves:
 It simply cannot be true that the entire living
nature is constructed from just one structural element.
After four years of deep engagement, we are now absolutely
 familiar with this new truth. We live in and
with it as if there had never been another one. It mear
to discover a very old fact. The present knowledge of
form and structure was the basis for this.
Many things are not yet viewed correctly. We will
however soon present new findings and hypotheses as
well.

Sixteen years ago, we commenced our cooperation wit
J. G.Helmcke in regard of the topical subject: Technology
 and Biology - Biology and Building in Berlin.

The IL has now been in existence for thirteen years.
Four years ago the colloquium was held that became
the basis of our issue no. 13.

We much appreciate that we could perform this work
with the support of Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
within the scope of Sonderforschunasbereich 64.

Many questions remain unsolved. This is indicated by
the catalogue of unsolved problems at the end of this
book _

Frei Otto
September 1977