O.M. Ungers – Architecture as Idea

To mark the 100th birthday of Cologne architect Oswald Mathias Ungers (12 July 1926–30 September 2007), the Museum of Applied Arts Cologne presents the exhibition “Architecture as Idea.” It honors an internationally influential architect, theorist, and university professor who understood architecture as an intellectual concept.

At the heart of the exhibition is his approach to architecture as a discipline of thought—an order in which space, proportion, and art are consciously interrelated. Every design begins with a clear idea and unfolds through the interplay of different levels. Particularly in the dynamic tension between function, sustainability, and design, this understanding remains highly relevant today. The exhibition invites visitors to rediscover Ungers’ work through a dialogue between architecture, design, art, and the environment.