Chair Professor Emeritus | Technical University of Munich | Germany
Prof. Dr. Thomas Bock, emeritus professor at the Technical University of Munich, is a leading expert in construction automation, robotics, and digital transformation in the built environment. With an academic and professional background spanning automated prefabrication, robotic on-site construction, circularity, demographic upgrading, and robot-oriented design, he has played a pioneering role in advancing socio-technical solutions for future-ready cities. His early work includes programming the first digital diploma thesis at the University of Stuttgart and conducting award-winning research on multipurpose high-rise systems at IIT Chicago, followed by groundbreaking doctoral studies on the world’s first generation of construction robots at the University of Tokyo. He contributed to digital engineering innovations through NASA Tech House projects, integrated insights from the Toyota Production System into on-site automation strategies, and established Europe’s first construction robotics commission at CNRS France. He served as professor of automation in construction management at Karlsruhe University and later as chair professor for building realization and robotics at TU Munich, while leading numerous research initiatives bridging academia and industry. His career is distinguished by memberships in academies of sciences, international fellowships, honorary doctorates, and professorships, complemented by a strong research impact including 2,749 citations, 201 publications, and an h-index of 22.
Featured Publications
1. Bock T., Hu R., Towards inclusive smart cities. Smart Cities, 2025.
2. Marzani G., Tondelli S., Kuma Y., Cruz Rios F., Hu R., Bock T., Linner T., Embedding circular economy in the construction sector policy framework: experiences from EU, US, and Japan for better future cities. Smart Cities, 2025.
3. Shen Z., Hu R., Wan D., Bock T., Fit Islands: designing a multifunctional virtual urban community to promote healthy aging for Chinese older adults. Smart Cities, 2024.
4. Wang Z., Mei Q., Lee G., Bock T., González V.A., Multi-dimensional mapping of confined areas using a hexapod robot with integrated sensor data and SLAM. ISARC Proc. Int. Symp. Automat. Robot. Constr., 2025.
5. Pan M., Linner T., Pan W., Cheng H., Bock T., Influencing factors of the future utilisation of construction robots for buildings: a Hong Kong perspective. J. Build. Eng., 2020.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Bock’s work advances the global transition toward automated, sustainable, and human-centric construction, integrating robotics, circularity, and digital innovation to address future urban challenges. His research enables smarter, healthier, and more inclusive cities by bridging engineering, design, and socio-technical systems. His vision fosters a transformative built environment where automation enhances quality of life, resilience, and long-term societal wellbeing.