MIT graduate student Anouk Fontaine has received the Marvin E. Goody Award to support her thesis project focused on reusing steel studs to build load-bearing steel frame walls, using geometry and multi-objective optimization in a top-down design approach. 

Fontaine is pursuing a Master of Engineering in the Structural Mechanics and Design Track, working under the guidance of Caitlin Mueller, associate professor in the departments of civil and environmental engineering and architecture, and director of the Digital Structures Lab. Previously, Fontaine studied architecture at the ENSA Paris-Belleville in Paris, France.

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry produces 40 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while steel studs, a common material used in construction, can account for up to 10 percent of site waste. By reusing discarded studs within a stock-limited framework, it is possible to construct sustainable and efficient structures. Through her research, Fontaine aims to address the role that AEC industry plays in climate change, while addressing global housing and infrastructure needs and reducing emissions.

“I am delighted that Anouk has been recognized with the Marvin E. Goody Award for her innovative research,” says Professor Caitlin Mueller. “This achievement reflects her commitment to addressing critical challenges in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry. Her work exploring the practice of reuse builds upon the current research and has the potential to transform how we approach material reuse and industry standard practices.”

The Marvin E. Goody Award, sponsored by the Department of Architecture, is given each term to a student in any department at MIT expected to complete their SM Thesis or equivalent at the end of the following term. The award, established in 1983, aims to extend the horizons of existing building techniques and use of materials, to encourage links between the academic world and the building industry, and to increase appreciation of the bond between good design and good building.