Architekturmuseum der TUM in the Pinakothek der Moderne presents from March 13, 2025 the exhibition Trees, Time, Architecture! Design in Constant Transformation. Trees are among the largest, oldest and most complex living things on earth. They grow slowly and often take decades or even centuries to reach their full size. As such, they exceed the standards of human life and their temporality contrasts with the constantly accelerating pace of social, technological and ecological change. At the same time, we need trees today more than ever to find answers to climate change. With their large crowns, they contribute significantly to lowering temperatures in urban heat islands and maintaining the quality of life of a growing urban population through shade and evaporation. But trees are also increasingly exposed to climate change, threatened by drought, storms, hail or the spread of new diseases.
Image above: Lebende Brücke der Khasi People, Indien, 2019, © TUM/ Photo: Ferdinand Ludwig.
“Trees, Time, Architecture!” examines the potentials and contradictions of ‘building on trees’ in architecture and landscape architecture. For the first time, an exhibition project addresses the complex of themes: tree – time – architecture from a holistic, multidimensional perspective. Specific project examples from different cultural contexts and climatic zones make it clear that a fundamental paradigm shift from designing finished objects to designing processes is required in order to establish a fruitful and sustainable relationship between trees and buildings.
The aim of the exhibition is to highlight this fascinating relationship – because only in this way can we recognize and use the opportunities to create a future worth living for ourselves and the majority of animal and plant species. This requires transdisciplinary cooperation that combines scientific approaches with artistic practices, indigenous knowledge and new technologies. The investigations, test structures and experiments of the Building Botany research area at the Technical University of Munich illustrate what this can look like.
Project management/curatorial direction: Ferdinand Ludwig, Kristina Pujkilović
Co-curation: Andjelka Badnjar Gojnić
Project coordination: Andres Lepik
Scientific and curatorial advisory board: Noël van Dooren, Sonja Dümpelmann
Graphic design: strobo B M
Exhibition design: Buero Kofink Schels
Publication
Exhibition-accompanying magazine with architectural case studies and research approaches, essays, conversations and photographs. “Trees, Time, Architecture!: Entwerfen im Wandel”, edited by Andjelka Badnjar Gojnić, Kristina Pujkilović, Ferdinand Ludwig and Andres Lepik, published by Park Books Verlag, Zurich (German ISBN 9783038604242, English ISBN 9783038604310, retail price 35 euros).
Mini-symposium at the Oskar von Miller Forum
In dialog with architects, landscape architects and artists whose works are presented in the exhibition, we would like to explore the exciting relationships between trees, time and architecture in a state of constant change.
WHEN?
Mini-Symposium: Tuesday, March 11, 2025, 5 – 7:30 pm
Opening: Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 7 pm
Exhibition dates: Thursday, March 13 to Sunday, September 14, 2025
Opening hours:
Daily 10 am – 6 pm
Thursday 10 am – 8 pm
Closed on Mondays
WHERE?
Mini-Symposium:
Oskar von Miller Forum
Oskar-von-Miller-Ring 25
80333 Munich.
Exhibition:
Pinakothek of Modern Art
Barer Street 40
80333 Munich
COSTS?
Mini-Symposium:
Admission free, please register: anmeldung@architekturmuseum.de
Exhibition:
Regular: 10 Euro
Reduced: 7 Euro
Sunday admission: 1 Euro
Combined ticket: 12 Euro
