Dear Academic Staff and Students,
We cordially invite you to attend prof. Wayne Switzer’s (German University of Technology, Department of Urban Planning & Architectural Design, Sultanate of Oman) lecture “Falling Forward: An Evolution of Building Culture in the Arabian Gulf”.
Summary of the Lecture:
Beginning in the 1960s, a combination of rapid wealth and the embrace of imported resources effectively ended traditional ways of construction in the countries of the Arabian Gulf. Those resources included not only foreign materials but also craftsmen whose skills responded to the whimsical projections of the nouveau riche, rather than the physical and cultural realities of the region. As such, what had been a steady linear progression of building culture was suddenly interrupted and undermined by a specific idea of modernization and progress. The current void in both local materials or local makers poses new questions about the role of tradition, innovation and craftsmanship. At the German University of Technology, a series of design studios and a stakeholder platform is investigating these issues- enabling a new,restorative approach towards building culture to emerge.
Which will be presented at the Lecture Room 001, 27th of April 2023, 3.30 pm, PUT Architecture building.
Lecture under the patronage of the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, prof. arch. Ewa Pruszewicz-Sipińska
Financial support: City of Poznan
Wayne Switzer is an Architect and Assistant Professor at the German University of Technology in Oman. His research and teaching includes the development of earthen construction as central to promoting a “circular” building culture in the context of the Middle East region. In 2019 he established the EBI (Earthen Building Initiative) as a platform for contemporary earthen building in Oman. In February 2020 he organized the first ever Symposium in the Sultanate on this topic. His variety of experience lies at the intersection of construction, material research and academia. Wayne has been invited as a guest critic or lecturer at various institutions, including: EPF Lausanne, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and TU München. Following his studies, he worked at architectural offices in Vienna and New York City. Before re-locating to Oman, he taught at the Swiss Federal Technical Institute in Zürich and worked as a builder on several ground-breaking projects using prefabricated rammed earth. In addition to his teaching, he is professional consultant advising architects and regularly leads hands-on practical training workshops. Recent publications include a contribution to “Thinking-Making: When Architects engage in Construction” (2021, Éditions de l’Université de Bruxelles).
Organization of event:
City of Poznan
Commission for International Relations and English Language Studies, PUT Architecture
Contac info:
Chairman of the Commission prof. arch. Adam Nadolny
adam.nadolny@put.poznan.pl
