Michael Schwarz
Full Faculty Member “Ajman University of Science and Technology”, Guest Editor of 2A Magazine Issue 5, Spring 2007
A Note From the Guest Editor,
The theme of the current issue of 2A magazine is Nomadism in the 21st century. Having dominated single spaces in the past, in the era of globalization our life tends to cross endlessly new spaces. A new nomadic culture has been born. This new culture develops a new kind of architecture, an architecture which does not take up the relation to a place as a matter of fact, but which is interchangeable in terms of function and form. Interchangeable structures involve the non-existence of identification. On the other hand the missing of this condition, could lead to a new identification which is not related to a certain space. An identification with the fact of change and in that relation with cultural exchange. The demarcation to the field of tourism is partly flowing, a big difference however exists in the length of the stay of the Nomads and in the relation to the own and to existing cultural issues at different places.
When accepting the invitation for being the guest editor of this issue, the basic idea was to show projects and ideas about architecture for the Nomads of the 21st century. Interestingly this idea was shifted during the process partly in another direction, from “Projects for the Nomads” to “Projects of the Nomads”. Many of the work in this issue is done by architectural Nomads which left their native country for studying,
moved to another place for working and will continue in moving to other places in the world. For most of them it is not a matter of economical issues, for most of them it is about the possibility to create special ideas which support the cultural exchange mentioned above. I am sure, this will lead to another kind of identification in a world getting more and more globalized. Some of the projects show different ideas to the same project, mostly competitions. Others show surgerylike operations into an existing environment using abstract conceptual ideas which are translated int architecturefor that reason. Again others observe the Nomads at their working- and living places. The realized projects improve the ability to follow the idea to the final project.
I want to thank all the participants which have contributed to this issue. Their work enhanced the idea of this issue dynamically and sometimes surprisingly.
Michael Schwarz *1958
1988 Graduation at “University of applied Sciences Darmstadt / Germany”
1991 master of Arts, “Staedelschule Frankfurt / Germany, masterclass Peter Cook”
1992 – 2005 self employed
2005 / 2006 part time faculty “American University Sharjah”
2006 – full faculty member “Ajman University of Science and Technology”,
