Philipp Oswalt

Philipp Oswalt is Professor of Architectural Theory and Design at the University of Kassel, where he has been teaching since 2006 (with a leave period from 2009-2014 when he served as Director of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation). He previously held visiting professorships at Brandenburg University of Technology and has been deeply involved in architectural research, curation, and practice. His work bridges architectural theory, historical research, and practical urban interventions, with notable projects including the Volkspalast cultural use of the former Palace of the Republic in Berlin and the critical learning site at Potsdam's Garrison Church.

Oswalt's research spans architectural theory, urban development (particularly shrinking cities), Bauhaus history and legacy, ecological building practices, and memory culture related to historical trauma. He has led major research projects including 'Shrinking Cities' for the Federal Cultural Foundation (2002-2008), research on the Bauhaus Dessau under Hannes Meyer, and more recently investigations into rural mobility and ecological building history. His work often intersects with political and social questions, particularly regarding national identity in architecture and the relationship between historical memory and contemporary building practices, as evidenced by his critical examination of reconstruction projects like the Berlin Palace/Humboldt Forum and Potsdam Garrison Church.

His publications reveal a consistent engagement with the relationship between architectural form and socio-political contexts, with recent works focusing on rural mobility transitions, the political dimensions of architectural reconstruction, and the critical examination of Bauhaus legacy. His research demonstrates how architectural projects can serve as sites for negotiating historical memory, political identity, and future-oriented planning.

• European Prize for Urban Public Space 2006 (Special Prize) for Volkspalast project
• Hessian University Prize for Excellence in Teaching 2021
• Hessian State Prize for Architecture and Urban Planning 2023
• German Environmental Foundation Prize 'Für die Umwelt lesen'
• Hans-Schaefer Prize 2001
• German Photo Book Prize Silver 2014

Oswalt has supervised numerous doctoral students through the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation's doctoral college and continues to mentor students at the University of Kassel. His research has been supported by major funding bodies including the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Federal Ministry for the Environment, and the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning. He has also been instrumental in founding the Research Center for the History of Ecological Building at the University of Kassel (2024) and the critical learning site 'Lernort Garnisonkirche' in Potsdam (2020).

He maintains an active public presence, frequently contributing to major media outlets and participating in critical debates about architecture, urban development, and historical memory. His work demonstrates how architectural theory can engage directly with pressing contemporary issues including energy transition, rural depopulation, and historical reckoning.