November Talks 2024: Maarten Gielen

Designer and researcher Maarten Gielen has been long engaged in changing the way materials are used in architecture and construction. In 2006, he co-founded the studio Rotor and in 2014, the sister office Rotor DC (Deconstruction). He is currently working at the design studio Halfwerk. For his authorship, design, and project contributions, Maarten received the Maaskant Prize for Young Architects, one of the highest accolades of its kind in the Benelux region. He frequently lectures at architecture and design schools in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

Roadside Picnic
Based on the classic novel by Arkadi and Boris Strugatsky, Maarten seeks to understand a range of alienated material conditions he encounters during salvage operations.
“Roadside Picnic, just like that. Aliens come, stop, and then leave. They leave behind a mess. Except here it’s not just waste - it’s dangerous, it’s incomprehensible. To them it’s like a picnic, but for us... it’s a zone of death, a place where reality is shattered.”

The English lecture will take place on November 18, 2024, at 6:30 PM at Thákurova 9, FA ČVUT in lecture hall 155 – Gočár.
Entrance is barrier-free and free of charge.
Everyone is warmly invited!