"What is Green Architecture?" CHRISTOPHE INGENHOVEN May 19, 2008

NEW YORK (April 11)— 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 Monday, May 19, at 7:00pm, with a talk by noted architect Christoph Ingenhoven (www.ingenhovenarchitekten.de), in conversation with Andres Lepik. Admission is free, and no reservations are required. The Goethe-Institut New York is located at 1014 Fifth Avenue (at 83rd Street) in New York; (212) 439-8700 or www.goethe.de/newyork.

One of the world’s leading architects in sustainable and ecological design, Christoph Ingenhoven founded his Düsseldorf-based practice, Ingenhoven Architects, in 1985. His office has won numerous prizes in international competitions. Projects focus on office buildings, company headquarters, high-rises, department stores, industrial buildings, refurbishment, infrastructure and transportation projects, such as airports and railway stations, urban planning, landscape design and master-planning. The work is guided by the principles set out by such bodies as the LEED Evaluation, ASHRAE, the Swiss Minergy Standard, BREEAM and the European Standard 2000. Ingenhoven’s design for the new Main Station in Stuttgart, to be built from 2010 - 2016, was awarded the Europe Holcim Award Silver 2005 and the Global Holcim Award Gold 2006, the highest endowed architectural awards, for its sustainable construction. As a zero-energy station‚ it requires no heating, cooling or mechanical ventilation. Says the architect, “When we started … at the age of 25…it was and it is still our aim to speak a constructive, sophisticated, technically interesting, energy efficient, soft, transparent, ecologically orientated, human, smooth, green architectural language. On a small blue planet with limited resources, there cannot be another answer. So we are still searching day by day for sensible, inspired solutions that make life more easy, beautiful and healthy.”

"’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?” stems from the forward-thinking desire of the Goethe-Institut New York to transform its landmark Beaux-Arts townhouse on Fifth Avenue into a showcase of sustainable design. Notes Dr. Wackwitz, “Over the next two years, we will have lectures and seminars at the institute, politicians will hold public debates, and renowned architects and interior designers will discuss their solutions with the public and exhibit their designs. Philosophers will talk about ecology as a way of seeing the world. Historians will research the history of the building and find out how it can be preserved and made accessible to the public by way of an ‘ecology of the past.’ Artists will interact with the existing structure of the house with sculptures, performances, and research projects and will draw connecting lines to the surrounding townscape, to the museums, the Park, the fashionable shops, the schools, the historical architecture around it. Our dream is an answer to this question that can actually be built.”

“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 in the “What Is Green Architecture?” series include conversations with Matthias Sauerbruch (sauerbruchhutton.com) on June 16. Previous speakers in the series include Jürgen Mayer H. (jmayerh.de) and Matthias Schuler (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. At its uptown Fifth Avenue location, several buzzworthy series debuted this spring, including "KinoTalks" (new films and filmmakers), which, on April 28th at 6:30pm, will feature Heinz Emigholz screening clips from and discussing his film series, Architecture as Autobiography, and "Show/Tell," which, on April 24th at 7pm, presents a screening and discussion of video art inspired by Walter Benjamin's Passages, the intricate and haunting life's work contemplating the arcades of Paris that continues to captivate artists and thinkers today. Downtown, Ludlow 38, in collaboration with Kunstverein München, opened on February 8. For details on upcoming events and to join the mailing list, visit: goethe.de/newyork.
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