How Architecture can provoke New Thoughts
The economic impact of buildings with a high ‘wow factor’ on cities like Bilbao, Manchester and Chicago has brought back in vogue the debate on the role of architects in society, and produced neologisms such as ‘starchitect’ with regard to their media relevance. With acclaimed and provocative works like the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the World Trade Center in New York, Daniel Libeskind has quickly gained the attention of not only the world of architecture, but also the general public. With a creative background as varied as that of a Renaissance artist, including music, poetry, and costume and set design for the opera, Libeskind envisions architecture as a reflection and active part of the local culture, where buildings engage in a lasting dialogue with their inhabitants. Sustainability is not only a technological attribute, but also a measure of social relevance. Back in the city that marked his first international success, Libeskind will tell us where his over 40 ongoing projects are headed, and how, he is launching as a Professor at the Leuphana University Lüneburg, an innovative online teaching approach aimed at building an “ideal city of the 21st century”.