Architecture of Tomorrow. Frei Otto's Legacy in Saudi Arabia

Exhibition of the SAAI in Jeddah

Until April 18, 2020, the seventh edition of the exhibition "21,39 Jeddah Arts" in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, features a special presentation of the pioneering architectural work of Pritzker Prize winner Frei Otto (1925-2015). In Saudi Arabia, Frei Otto was able to realize some of his most innovative projects. The exhibition features architectural models, sketches, and research documenting his work in biomimicry and adaptability, as well as his radical philosophy of "architecture before architecture." Curated by Maya El Khalil and Dr. Georg Vrachliotis, Professor of Architectural Theory and Director of the Southwest German Archive of Architecture and Engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the presentation provides an opportunity to reflect on a vision that has contributed to the urban landscape of Saudi Arabia.

The exhibition "21,39 Jeddah Arts" is understood as a call to action in response to the environmental emergency from the specificity of a local context. At a time when Saudi Arabia is undergoing rapid change, it challenges stakeholders to find alternative and symbiotic ways to inhabit our planet. Frei Otto's architecture in Saudi Arabia stands as an architectural counterexample from a time before the rapid urban development of the last century.

"Architecture of Tomorrow. Frei Otto's Legacy in Saudi Arabia"
21.39 Jeddah Arts
January 28-April 18, 2020

Exhibition Design: Lukas Bessai, Florian Bengert and Marcel Schaaf

More info:
https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/306542/i-love-you-urgently/
https://saudiartcouncil.org


Free Otto's King Abdulaziz University Sports Hall in Jeddah: SAAI.



Opening of the exhibition. Photo: Georg Vrachliotis