Visiting Lecture | Zhu Pei: Architecture of Nature, an experimental approach

Tuesday, March 22, 2022, 6:30 - 8:30pm

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Imperial Kiln Museum, aerial view. Image courtesy of Tian Fangfang. 

Imperial Kiln Museum, aerial view. Image courtesy of Tian Fangfang. 

This presentation will be conducted in-person and through Zoom. Zoom account registration is required, please register in advance here.

In this lecture Zhu Pei will focus on one project, The Imperial Kiln Museum, in order to represent his design philosophy. Pei will cover his approach to contemporary architecture through the lens of ecological and cultural sustainability based on ancient Chinese Nature Philosophy. Rooted in a traditional cultural background and inspired by the rich material traditions of China, Pei's design philosophy and work generates 'material' propositions across different tectonic terrains. The lecture will touch on the breadth of his work by presenting images from various other projects. 

The lecture and discussion following it will be introduced and moderated by Nader Tehrani. 

Zhu Pei founded Studio Zhu Pei in Beijing in 2005, and from there he has produced an extraordinary corpus of cultural works that have made him one of the leading figures of his generation.

His works have been exhibited at world important museums such as MoMA, Venice Biennial, GA Gallery, Centre Pompidou, Victoria and Albert Museum, Kassel, Dresden State Art Museum, Sao Paulo Art Biennial, the solo exhibition at Aedes, Harvard University, Rome MAXXI Museum and so on. His works have been collected by MoMA, Pompidou Art Center, the Victoria and Albert Museum and M+.

He has also been selected as an architecture jury member for Mies van der Rohe Award in 2011.

Marked by his American experience, which includes teaching at Harvard and Columbia, he is the current dean of the School of Architecture at Central Academy of Fine Arts.

The in-person lecture is open to Cooper Union students, faculty, and staff in the 3rd Floor Lobby. This event is accessible to the public through Zoom only. 

Located at 7 East 7th Street, between Third and Fourth Avenues

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