DGNB exhibition at Aedes

Challenge familiar patterns of thinking and behaviour, and allow yourself to see things from a new perspective by visiting the DGNB-curated exhibition 'What If: A Change of Perspective' at Aedes in Berlin.

What if we weren't allowed to construct new buildings anymore? What if the climate crisis had already caused a 3 °C rise in global temperature by now? And what if we honestly asked ourselves how much space and comfort we truly need? Questions like these were the starting point for the exhibition 'What If: A Change of Perspective', curated by the DGNB.

What was the 'What If: A Change of Perspective' exhibition about?

The exhibition at Aedes invited visitors to question established ways of thinking and acting and be open to new perspectives. In the process, visitors were introduced to the idea at the heart of building sustainably: designing good buildings and neighbourhoods that people feel comfortable in, that are affordable, and that provide answers to the most pressing environmental issues at the same time.

It illuminated how multifaceted the topic of sustainable architecture is, and highlighted the developments in this field over the past few decades. It suggested ways that everyone can contribute to change – without pointing fingers. The exhibition was also a call to learn from good solutions from the past, instead of constantly reinventing the wheel. This was exemplified by the projects that have won the German Sustainability Award for Architecture since it was created in 2013.

In this sense, 'What If: A Change of Perspective' was also a plea for an open, honest look at what's possible if we're prepared to think differently. And an invitation: to rethink, to think over, to think ahead – so that together we can create a built environment that's liveable and future-proof.

On selected days, representatives of the DGNB were on site to answer any questions visitors may have.

DGNB Ausstellung "What If: A Change of Perspective" — In the video, DGNB CEO Dr Christine Lemaitre and Prof. Amandus Samsøe Sattler discuss the idea behind the exhibition.

Das Bild zeigt einen Ausschnitt der DGNB Ausstellung bei Aedes. Zu sehen ist auf der rechten seite ein angeschnittener Zeitstrahl. Der Blick in den Raum gibt die Sicht auf ein großes schwarz-weißes Wimmelbild frei. — © DGNB

Digital visit to the museum

Have you already braved this change of perspective and opened your mind to ‘What if…?’? Here, you can find more information on how to get actively involved in sustainable architecture yourself. Would you like to share your thoughts on the topics or the exhibition in general? Then you will also find matching visuals here that you are welcome to use for your own communication.

Explore now

We want to invite people to return to the central idea of sustainable architecture – connected to the question of how to create good buildings and neighbourhoods that people feel comfortable in, that are affordable, and that provide answers to the most pressing environmental issues at the same time. That may sound trivial, but it isn't, because we've forgotten how to question established ways of doing things. So we need a change of perspective, something we want to motivate visitors to take part in.

Dr Christine Lemaitre

Chief Executive Officer DGNB e.V.

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About Aedes

Aedes Architecture Forum is an internationally acclaimed independent platform and exhibition space for the communication of contemporary architecture and urban design. Established in 1980 as the first private architecture gallery in Europe, it has built a unique international partnership network, which sustains an outstanding cultural platform for the global and public discourse of the built environment. Under the guidance of Founder Kristin Feireiss and Director Hans-Jürgen Commerell, Aedes Architecture Forum has realised hundreds of exhibitions in more than four decades. It is famous for having discovered many of the great names in the world of architecture by continuously supporting the upcoming generations of practitioners and conveying novel, exceptional examples of contemporary architectural and urban visions to a wider audience.

For more information, visit www.aedes.global.