The Center for Architecture, Deutsches Haus at NYU, and the Pratt Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment are partnering to further the dialogue among architects, urban planners, and policy makers about the similarities and differences between the contemporary evolution of Berlin and New York.

The symposium in New York in November continues the dialogue launched at the Center for Architecture in February 2006. Discussions will focus on Berlin and New York as cultural capitals and will trace the resulting impact on the physical city and local arts and design communities. The Berlin / New York Dialogues program coincides with Carnegie Hall’s Berlin in Lights festival taking place in the fall of 2007, celebrating the cultural connectivity between Berlin and New York. During March 3 – 6, 2008, the third symposium in the series will be held in Berlin at the Akademie der Künste (Academy of the Arts).  A related exhibition at the Center for Architecture will open on November 8, 2007 and will travel to the German Architecture Center (DAZ) in Berlin in March 2008.

Cultural Kapital / Capital Kultur will examine the factors that contribute to the identities of Berlin and New York and, particularly, how do the forces of culture and capital coexist, compete and shape these cities? Discussions will consider: how culture is supported (what processes and funding exists and what needs to change); what is the role of policy in relation to culture (how do artists, artisans, and architects affect a range of issues from zoning to job creation); and how does a city ensure that creative individuals and groups who re-use spaces and spur community preservation are able to survive once neighborhoods are re-vitalized.

The ambition of the Berlin / New York Dialogues program is to provide a platform for architects, urban planners, and policy makers to understand and share lessons-learned concerning the circumstances and approaches that define how forces of culture and capital affect the physical fabric of our cities.