Nikolaus Hirsch is a Frankfurt-based architect, and director of Stadelschule and Portikus.

Previously he has held academic positions at the Architectural Association in London, the Institute for Applied Theatre Studies at Gießen University and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

His work includes the award-winning Dresden Synagogue, Bockenheimer Depot Theater (with William Forsythe), unitednationsplaza (with Anton Vidokle), European Kunsthalle, the Cybermohalla Hub in Delhi, and numerous exhibition structures such as Bruno Latour´s ‘Making Things Public’ (ZKM, 2005) and ‘Indian Highway’(Serpentine Gallery, 2008).

Hirsch has curated ‘ErsatzStadt: Representations of the Urban’ at Volksbuhne Berlin, ‘Cultural Agencies’ in Istanbul, “I knOw yoU” at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, and numerous exhibitions at Portikus with artists such as John Knight, Hito Steyerl, Julieta Aranda & Anton Vidokle, Lutz Bacher and John Knight. He is the author of the books, On Boundaries, Track 17, and co-editor of Institution Building and the Critical Spatial Practice series.

Education / Professional Experience

2015  Director of Master Plan for Seoul, Seong-su Handmade Shoe Town

2011  Designed the Architecture Department Building of Kyonggi University

2010  Visiting School at UCLA, U.S 

2009  Director General, Seoul Design Olympiad 2009

2004  Design, the Headquarters for Noblesse Ad. Seoul, Korea

1999  Guest Designer for TV shows including MBC’s Opening New Restaurants (Shinjanggaeup) and Love House

Philipp Misselwitz is an architect and curator based in Berlin. He was educated at the University of Cambridge and the Architectural Association London. In 2009, he received a PhD from Stuttgart University and was appointed Professor of International Urbanism and Design – Habitat Unit at Technical University Berlin. 

He is a member of urbancatalyst – studio (Berlin) and has worked as a consultant, researcher, project coordinator and curator for a number of German and international organizations including German Development Cooperation (GIZ), United Nations, Bundeskulturstiftung, Goethe Institute, Robert Bosch Foundation and Allianz Kulturstiftung.

His curatorial work includes “Space Time Dignity Rights” (DAZ Berlin, 2012) which will be shown at the World Urban Forum in Naples in September 2012. His curatorial work also includes “Refuge” (2009) commissioned by the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (2009), “Open City Istanbul” (2010) commissioned by Istanbul European Cultural Capital 2010.

He initiated (with Can Altay) and led the international research collaboration “diwan” (2009-2010) connecting Istanbul, Beirut, Amman and Cairo funded by the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development.

Other curatorial work includes “Cultural Agencies” (2008-2010) in Istanbul, “City of Collision” (2006-2008), “Liminal Spaces” (2005-2007), “Models for Tomorrow” (2007).