StrukturSystem

Struktursystem is a term used in German-speaking contexts to describe the arrangement of elements within a system that determines its overall organization and function. It refers to the set of components and the relations among them that provide stability, capacity, and behavior under various conditions, and it can apply to physical constructions as well as to non-physical systems such as organizations or software.

In architecture and civil engineering, the Struktursystem denotes the building’s structural framework. This includes load-bearing elements (such as frames, skeletons, shear walls, cores) and their connections, chosen to meet performance criteria like stiffness, strength, ductility, and redundancy. Typologies commonly discussed as Struktursysteme include bearing-wall, frame, dual, and truss or cable systems. The selection of a Struktursystem influences form, construction method, cost, and spatial possibilities.

Beyond buildings, the term is used more broadly to describe how a complex system is organized: the arrangement of subsystems, modules, interfaces, and governance that enable function and interoperability. In this sense, a Struktursystem emphasizes modularity, hierarchy, and the distribution of responsibilities, while interacting with processes, users, and environmental constraints.

Historically, the concept is linked to structuralist and systems-theory thinking, which focuses on how structure constrains and enables behavior. Critics of a purely structural view argue that dynamic factors, culture, and user interaction are essential to understanding real-world systems.

See also: structural system, architecture, structural engineering, systems theory.