Speaker

Closing Words

Gerd Zimmermann

Former President of the Bauhaus University

Gerd Zimmermann (PhD) began his studies of architecture in 1965 at the University of Architecture and Building in Weimar (HAB), today’s Bauhaus-University Weimar. He received a doctoral degree in Architectural Theory in 1974, following which he worked as research fellow in the Department of Theory and History of Architecture of the German “Bauakademie” in Berlin, with research work in the field of Architectural Psychology and Architectural Semiotics, including empirical studies in the psychological impact of architecture. In 1980, he returned to Weimar to take up the role of research and teaching assistant in the Architecture Theory Chair of the HAB, and in 1992 was appointment as University-Professor at HAB for Design and Theory of Architecture. The same year, he was elected as President of the university with a four year term; in 1996, he was re-elected. He has published on architectural theory, and was an editor of VERSO and for a serial publication in international architecture theory. He has led the concept and organization of the International Bauhaus Colloquia in Weimar since 1992, and has led international programs with WASEDA-University Tokyo, IIT Chicago and SCI-Arch Los Angeles, among others. Since the mid-1990s, he has organized an annual architectural design workshop in Rome.
He was repeatedly held the position of chairman of the Conference of University Presidents in Thüringen (1999–2001); Vice-President of the German Rector’s Conference (2003); and Dean of the Architecture Department of the Bauhaus-University Weimar. In 2004 he was once again elected as President of the university with a term from 2005 to 2011. Since 2007, he has been a member of the governing board of the German TV-company ZDF and chairman of the accreditation agency ACQUIN. During 2012–2013, he as Senior Fellow at The International Institute for Research of Cultural Techniques and Media Philosophy in Weimar (IKKM), with contributions to “The Iconic in Architecture”. Since 2013, his design work has been included in architectural projects. In 2015, he was President of the Architectural Foundation Thüringen.