Made There, Shaped Here? How Cultural Exchange Shapes Creative Identity

About this event

Creative identity is rarely formed in isolation. For decades, architects, artists, designers, and fashion innovators have moved between Germany and the United States, influencing one another’s ideas, practices, and cultural narratives along the way.Made There, Shaped Here? explores how this trans-Atlantic exchange shapes the way we understand creative identity—and whether that identity can still be meaningfully tied to place.Rather than searching for a singular “German” or “New York” aesthetic, the discussion considers how cultural values, social conditions, and local contexts inform the way designers think and work. Is there still such a thing as a distinct German design language in a globalized world? Does New York continue to define global creativity, or has its role evolved? And if there is no single national style, how do different traditions and cultural narratives continue to shape creative work?At the heart of the conversation is the tension between the local and the global: how design can reflect national identity while simultaneously transcending it. Can creative work preserve a sense of place while embracing international influences? Or is identity itself transformed through movement, collaboration, and exchange?‍BiographyPhilipp von Dalwig received a degree in Architecture from the Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, Germany and graduated from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture and Planning where he earned a Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design degree and was the recipient of the Lowenfish Memorial Prize. Philipp is a licensed architect in Germany since 2005 and working across a range within both Europe and the United States. His experience ranges from large-scale competitions to smaller-scale commercial stores and residential housing. Philipp has taught courses in architecture at Columbia University, Parsons the New School for Design and the University of Pennsylvania School of Design. From 2011-2016, Philipp served as co-chair of the AIA New Practices committee, which was honored with an Award of Excellence for outstanding programs and exhibitions.