"Beyond Green" with Matthias Sauerbruch June 16, 2008

NEW YORK (JUNE 1)— The Goethe-Institut New York, a branch of the Federal Republic of Germany's global cultural institution, is pleased to announce the next edition of "What is Green Architecture?", a new series of conversations, lectures and events exploring the cutting-edge developments in the field and their impact on contemporary life as well as implications for the future.

The next event is on Monday, June 16, at 7pm, with a talk, entitled "Beyond Green," by noted architect Matthias Sauerbruch (www.sauerbruchhutton.de), in conversation with Andres Lepik. This event will take place at the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, 871 United Nations Plaza. Admission is free, but reservations are required (please call 212-439-8691).

Matthias Sauerbruch is most famous for his "city-landscapes," as he calls his colorful and energetic buildings, such as the Federal Environment Agency in Dessau or the GSW headquarters in Berlin. Sauerbruch envisions the work of architects and urban planners as a kind of landscape gardening by means of shaping their surroundings with colorful and organic buildings. From 1985-1989, he worked in Rem Koolhaas's London office as a project manager, and helped him build the Checkpoint Charlie Haus Friedrichstraße 214 in Berlin. Sauerbruch founded the company Sauerbruch Hutton in London in 1989 with his future wife, Louisa Hutton. In their own words, "Sauerbruch Hutton realizes tailor-made solutions in the fields of architecture, urban design and interior design. An enjoyment of the sensuality of space is combined with a pragmatic approach to construction and technology. Each building or project exhibits an integrated planning approach which unites function, a high standard of design and ecological sustainability." In 1993, a branch of the office was also opened in Berlin. Matthias Sauerbruch was a professor at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste (Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design) in Stuttgart from 2001-2007. In the spring term of 2008, he and Louisa Hutton were visiting professors at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Sauerbruch has won several prizes, including the Fritz Schumacher Preis für Architektur (2003), the Deutsche Fassadenpreis (2001), the Deutsche Architekturpreis (2001), and the Erich-Schelling-Architekturpreis (1998).

"'What is Green Architecture?' is a real question," says Dr. Stephan Wackwitz, Program Director of the Goethe-Institut New York. "We want to show the American public what German and international architects, designers, artists, philosophers and politicians have to say about the practical task of creating a sustainable future through good design." Adds Andres Lepik, Curator in the Architecture & Design Department of The Museum of Modern Art, "This conversation is more timely than ever given the rising consciousness in the U.S. about environmental issues in architecture and urban planning. Mayor Bloomberg's plan for a 'Green New York' in 2030 (www.nyc.gov/2030) is a perfect local example. While green design may be a relatively contemporary trend in America, ecologically sound practices have been part of the education of architects and engineers in Germany since the first oil crisis in 1972."

"What is Green Architecture?" series curator and moderator Dr. Andres Lepik studied Art History and German Literature at universities in Augsburg and Munich, earning his Ph. D. in Rome on "Architectural Models in the Renaissance." He has curated noted architecture exhibitions, including solo shows highlighting the work of Renzo Piano, Rem Koolhaas and Oswald Mathias Ungers at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, and the German venue for The Museum of Modern Art's Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Die Berliner Jahre 1907-1938 at Altes Museum. He is currently Curator in the Architecture & Design Department of The Museum of Modern Art, as well as author of Skyscrapers.

Future events planned in the What is Green Architecture? series, which began this spring and continues this fall, include conversations with Friedrich von Borries (www.raumtaktik.de/) and Stefan Behnisch (www.behnisch.com).Past speakers in the series include Christoph Ingenhoven (www.ingenhovenarchitekten.de), Jürgen Mayer H. (www.jmayerh.de) and Matthias Schuler (www.transsolar.com).

The Goethe-Institut New York is a branch of the Federal Republic of Germany's global cultural institute, established to promote the study of German language and culture abroad, encourage international cultural exchange, and provide information on Germany's culture, society, and politics. Ludlow 38, created in collaboration with Kunstverein München, is a new art space on the Lower East Side. For details on upcoming events and to join the mailing list, visit: goethe.de/newyork.

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Official Website: http://www.goethe.de/newyork