As a civil engineer, Heinz Isler freed himself early from the constraints of pure mathematics. Nature knows no such constraints and builds according to different laws, such as the myriad of shells constructed with a minimum of material and volume. In search of solutions for new forms, Isler conducted numerous unconventional experiments. For instance, a down-filled pillow showed him a way to engineer buckled shells. Fabrics and membranes led to new hanging forms, and in winter, his garden became a testing ground for ice experiments on various objects. This publication provides insight into the extraordinary work of the Swiss engineer, whose distinctive buildings have been visible in numerous locations both domestically and abroad since the early 1950s. The book is based on material from an exhibition developed by the University of Stuttgart in the mid-1980s, which was shown both nationally and internationally. In 1995, the Society for Engineering Art took over this exhibition.