Lecture by Nadim Karam

NADIM KARAM “The Fisherman and the Cloud” Nadim Karam established Atelier Hapsitus in Beirut 1996, channeling his architecture, art and design work into one creative force. Atelier Hapstitus could be defined as the satellite grouping of young architects and designers around happenings and situations. They are engaged in an experimental field of work that blurs the edges between art, architecture and urbanism. One of his current projects, The Cloud, is inspired by the city of Dubai. Standing at a height of approximately 300 metres, it is a huge floating garden in the sky resembling a cloud. Conceived as an ethereal horizontal antithesis to the rocketing of skyscrapers into Gulf skylines, it evokes the nomads, whose travels followed the borderless movement of clouds, and offers a dream-like public space to counteract the exclusivity of Dubai’s plethora of private leisure areas. Nadim Karam has taught at the University of Tokyo and the American University of Beirut, and was Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Art and Design at Notre Dame University in Lebanon from 2000-2003. His 1997-2000 urban art project for central Beirut was selected amongst five urban projects worldwide by the Van Alen Institute in New York in 2002 for their exhibition and publication Remembering, Renewing, Rebuilding, on the role these urban projects played in the rejuvenation of city life and morale after a disaster. Nadim Karam has exhibited his work in the Liverpool, and Kwangiu Art and the Venice Architecture Biennales. FRIDAY 9 APRIL 6:30PM Rose Auditorium The Cooper Union 41 Cooper Square New York City Free and open to the public For more information: 212.353.4220