Daniel Libeskind will celebrate his eightieth birthday

Washington / Prague - The work of American architect of Polish descent Daniel Libeskind, who will celebrate his eightieth birthday on May 12, is characterized by strong and distinctive symbolism, dynamism, abstraction, and an almost ascetic stark geometry. Libeskind, who is among the most esteemed contemporary architects, became renowned for projects such as the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the prestigious commission for the reconstruction of New York's Ground Zero, where the skyscrapers of the World Trade Center (WTC) stood until they were destroyed by terrorists in September 2001. He also engages in design, theater set designs, and costumes.

He has made his mark in the Czech Republic as well. Last year, the development group Sekyra Group announced that it would build 1,650 apartments, offices, and commercial spaces in the central part of the planned Rohan City project in Prague's Karlín, costing 15 billion crowns. A part of the project will be created according to Libeskind's design. In 2023, he received the Jan Kaplický Award for lifetime achievement in Prague.

Libeskind's commissions often involve museums, but he has also successfully tackled retail spaces and a gas station. Notable Jewish museums are located in San Francisco and Copenhagen, the City Museum in Osnabrück, the Imperial War Museum in Manchester, the new wing of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and extensions to museums in Denver and Toronto.

The Jewish Museum in Berlin became a true triumph, making Libeskind a star. The building, opened in 2001, has a floor plan that resembles a shattered Star of David or a lightning bolt. The metal-clad structure appears to be torn apart by sharp angles of irregular axes, windows, corridors, slanted floors, and cold spaces that evoke feelings of loneliness, disorientation, and loss. Libeskind also used railway tracks as a reminder of death transports. However, the museum is not intended to leave only depressive feelings; it aims to be a symbol of hope for the future.

Following this success, the architect was invited to participate in the competition to build a memorial building on the site of the former WTC in New York. After years of delays, changes to the project, and authorship disputes, the One World Trade Center skyscraper was completed for 3.8 billion dollars (about 84.5 billion crowns), which stands at 541 meters, making it the tallest building in the USA. However, the final design was heavily influenced by American architect David Childs. At so-called Ground Zero, in addition to other high-rise buildings, there stands a memorial to the victims of the terrorist attack and a museum.

Libeskind was born in the Polish city of Łódź to a family that survived the Holocaust. In 1957, he moved with his parents to Israel, and after three years, they all relocated to New York. Libeskind initially studied music and made money by playing in bars. His piano artistry even dazzled select audiences at Carnegie Hall.

In 1970, Libeskind graduated from the renowned Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York. After studying in Essex and London, where deconstructivist tendencies were beginning to develop, he fulfilled his dream and established a studio in Milan. He has lectured at universities in North America, Europe, and Japan.

He holds numerous awards and honorary degrees. He has received the Hiroshima Art Prize, which is awarded to artists whose work promotes understanding and peace.

He is married and has three children.