Prof. Christiane Sauer
Christiane Sauer is an architect and since 2013 Professor for Material Design at weißensee school of art and design berlin. Her focus lies on developing and designing innovative material systems for the architectural context based on textile structures, active materials and functional surfaces. In 2018 she co-founded the research facility DXM - Design Experiment Material, since 2017 she is appointed Prorector for Networks and Knowledge Transfer.
In her work she bridges experimental research and design practice. Amongst others she has been teaching at SCI-Arc, Los Angeles and at Cornell University, NY. As an architect she worked for international firms like OMA Rotterdam and founded formade – studio for material and architecture. She is internationally engaged as a lecturer, guest critic and author.
Material Form Function (Principal Investigator)
Object Space Agency (Principal Investigator)
weissensee school of art and design berlin
Bühringstraße 20
13086 Berlin
Edited Volumes & Exhibition Catalogues
Sauer, C., Stoll, M., Fransén Waldhör, E., Schneider, M. eds. 2022. Architectures of Weaving. From Fibers and Yarns to Scaffolds and Skins. Berlin: Jovis.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783868598315
Articles in Edited Volumes
Guiducci, L., Schneider, M., Shone, J., Sauer, C. 2022. »Woven Paper Bridge.« In Architectures of Weaving. From Fibers and Yarns to Scaffolds and Skins, edited by Sauer C., Stoll M., Fransén Waldhör E., Schneider M. Berlin: Jovis, 41-43.
Burchert, L., Guiducci, L., Gruber, P., Sauer. C. 2021. »Breathing Skins. Plant Leaves and Architecture.« In Atem / Breath: Gestalterische, ökologische und soziale Dimensionen / Morphological, Ecological and Social Dimensions, edited by Burchert, L., Rešetar, I. De Gruyter, 359-379.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110701876
Schneider, M., Fransén Waldhör, E., Denz, P.-R., Vongsingha, P., Suwannapruk, N., Sauer, C. 2020. »Adaptive Textile Facades Through the Integration of Shape Memory Alloy.« In ACADIA 2020 Distributed Proximities: Proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, Volume I: Technical Papers, Keynote Conversations, edited by Slocum, B., Ago, V., Marcus, A. with Doyle, S., Yablonina, M., del Campo, M. 360-370.
http://papers.cumincad.org/cgi-bin/works/paper/acadia20_360
Sauer, C. 2019. »Design mit Faserstrukturen.« In Materials Research: Inspired by Nature. acatech Discussion. acatech, edited by Fratzl, P., Jacobs, K., Möller, M., Scheibel, T., Sternberg, K.
https://www.acatech.de/publikation/materialforschung-impulsgeber-natur/
Sauer, C. 2019. »Entwerfen. Upscaling Textiles. Experimenteller Materialentwurf im räumlichen Kontext.« In Experimentieren. Einblicke in Praktiken und Versuchsaufbauten zwischen Wissenschaft und Gestaltung, edited by Marguin, S., Rabe, H., Schäffner, W., Schmidgall, F. Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, 51-66.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.14361/9783839446386
Sauer, C. 2017. »Perspektivwechsel: Technische Textilien als Quelle der Inspiration.« In Neue Stoffe – New Stuff. Gestalten mit Technischen Textilien, edited by Fehr, M., Reichel, M., Textilmuseum St. Gallen Baden: hier und jetzt, Verlag für Kultur und Geschichte, 121-129.
Sauer, C. 2015. »Soft matter.« In Sculpture Unlimited 2 – Materiality in Times of Immateriality, edited by Grubinger, E., Heiser, J. Berlin: Sternberg Press, 40-50.
Articles
Fratzl, P., Sauer, C., Razghandi, K. 2022. »Editorial for the special issue: bioinspired architectural and architected materials.« Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 17: 040401.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-3190/ac6646
Guiducci, L., Kycia, A., Sauer, C., Fratzl, P. 2022. »Self-organized rod undulations on pre-stretched textiles.« Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 17: 036007.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-3190/ac5b85
Denz, P.-R., Sauer, C., Fransén Waldhör, E., Schneider, M., Vongsingha, P. 2021. »Smart Textile Sun-Shading : Development of Functional ADAPTEX Prototypes.« Journal of Facade Design and Engineering, 9 (1): 101-116.
https://doi.org/10.7480/jfde.2021.1.5539
Sauer, C. 2017. »SteinWeich - Experimentelle Strukturen aus Basaltfaser.« md – Interior, Design, Architecture. 72-75.
Conference Proceedings
Rešetar, I., Sauer, C. 2021. »Fibrous Interfaces for Indoor Temperature Modulation Based on Phase Change Materials.« Proceedings of the 9th PowerSKIN Conference. Edited by Auer, T., Knaack, U., and Schneider, J. TU Delft Open, 187-198.
https://doi.org/10.47982/BookRxiv.27
Architectural Projects
Iva Rešetar, Maxie Schneider, Josephine Shone, Christiane Sauer 2022. Tangled Wall. Architectural Project. Presented in Design Lab #13. Material Legacies. Exhibition. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Museum of Decorative Arts. Kunstgewerbemuseum. 3 November 2022 - 26 February 2023. In collaboration with Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e. V. (STFI). Berlin. Funded by Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«. Since 2 February 2022.
https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/kunstgewerbemuseum/exhibitions/detail/design-lab-13/
Highlighted by TAZ, 15.11.2022.
Research Objects
Guiducci, L., Schneider, M., Shone, J., Sauer, C. 2022. »Structural Paper Workshop.«
Guiducci, L., Schneider, M., Shone, J., Sauer, C. 2021. »Woven paper bridge.«
Exhibitions
Büsse, M. (curator), de Visscher, E. (curator), Dean, M., Dierichs, D., Eder, M., Eigen, L., Guiducci, L., Hehemeyer-Cürten, J., Jalkh, H., Kycia, A., Mareis, C., Nyakatura, J. A., Rasehorn, F., Rešetar, I., Ribault, P., Sauer, C., Sauer, I., Schneider, M., Stock, R., Shone, J., Wenig, C. Design Lab #13. Material Legacies. Exhibition. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Museum of Decorative Arts. Kunstgewerbemuseum. Funded by Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity« and Prussian Cultural Heritage Board of Trustees. 3 November 2022 - 26 February 2023.
https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/kunstgewerbemuseum/exhibitions/detail/design-lab-13/
Highlighted by TAZ, 15.11.2022.
Douny, L. (curator), Krauthausen, K. (curator), Sattler, F. (curator), Thindi, T. (film installation). DAOULA | sheen. West African Wild Silk on Its Way. Exhibition. In cooperation with Séré, A., Sawadogo, S., Dayo, L., Dayo, H., Fofana, A., Sakira, S., Dao, D., Sanogo, B., Séré, M., Konate, A., Ilboudo, M. in Burkina Faso and Bonavia, E., Buch, S., Dierichs, K., Eder, M., Farmer, J., Hathroubi, S., Hengge, R., Hernández Lobato, J. I., Illing-Günther, H., Hassoune, S., Mählmann, J., Panzer, M. M., Rešetar, I., Rosenthal, N., Santos Thomas, C., Sauer, C., Sermonet, J., Shone, J., Schneider, M., Strauß, W. in Germany. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Tieranatomisches Theater. 17 November 2022 - 29 April 2023.
https://tieranatomisches-theater.de/project/ausstellung-ab-17-november-2022daoula-sheenwest-african-wild-silk-on-its-way/
Contributions to Exhibitions
Sauer, C. (project leader), Miodragović, N. (project leader, designer), Beyer, B. (designer), Rešetar, I. (designer), Suarez, D. (designer, video producer), Singer, N. (designer), Hengge, R. (microbiologist), Hathroubi, S. (microbiologist), Eder, M. (materials scientist), Bidan, C. (materials scientist) »Active Curtain.« Humboldt Labor, Humboldt Forum Berlin. Since 29 April 2021.
https://www.humboldt-labor.de/en/projects/clusters-of-excellence/active-curtain-project
Talks & Presentations
Beyer, B., Cubasch, A., Fratzl, P., Hengge, R., Mareis, C., Perraudin, L., Sauer, C., Schäffner, W., for the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«. Can Bacteria Spin a Yarn? We Need a New Culture of Materials. Panel Presentation at the »Can Bacteria Spin a Yarn? We Need a New Culture of Materials«, Humboldt Forum Berlin. Hybrid. 29 April 2021.
https://www.humboldtforum.org/en/programm/termin/science-humanities/do-bacteria-spin-a-yarn-20472/
Miodragović, N., Singer, N., Suarez, D., Sauer, C. Fibrous Scaffold: Structural Textile with Active Yarns. Panel Presentation at the »Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference 2021«, New applications/New Markets - Fibrous scaffold: structural textile with active yarns. Stuttgart. Virtual. 10 November 2021.
https://www.aachen-dresden-denkendorf.de/itc/programm/programm/
Rešetar, I., Sauer, C. Fibrous Interfaces for Indoor Temperature Modulation Based on Phase Change Materials. Talk at the PowerSKIN Conference, Environment. Technical University Munich. Virtual. 9 April 2021.
https://www.events.tum.de/frontend/index.php?sub=132/
Sauer, C., Denz, P., Fransén Waldhör, E., Schneider, M. ADAPTEX – shading system with shape memory materials. Keynote at the »Interzum« fair Cologne. Virtual. 5 May 2021.
https://www.interzum.de/event/adaptex_-_smart_textile_shading_system
Sauer, C. Textile Potentiale – Funktionale Flächen für Architektur und Innenarchitektur. Talk at the db+md Zukunfskongress 2021 »Mut zum Experiment. Bauen Leben Arbeiten«, Neue Wege in der Architektur. Virtual. 7 May 2021.
https://www.arcguide.de/themen/themenseite-zukunftskongress/
Guiducci, L., Kycia, A., Bidan, C., Sauer, C., Fratzl, P. Harvesting geometric and contact non-linearities to design programmable materials: an interdisciplinary approach. Poster presentation at the Multifunctional Materials and Structures. Progression from Integrated Multifunctionality to Neuromorphic Networks for Autonomy, Ventura, CA, US. 19 January 2020.
https://www.grc.org/multifunctional-materials-and-structures-conference/2020/
Rešetar, I., Sauer, C. Skin as Environment: Between Softness and Solidity. Talk at the Workshop Material as Environmental Device, Active Skins. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Hybrid. 10 September 2020.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/2249/material-as-environmental-device
Sauer, C., Stoll, M., Beyer, B. Responsive Fibres. Talk at the Colloquium »Experimental Yarns«, From Fiber to Yarn: A Discussion Between Textile, Biology and Design. weißensee school of art and design berlin. Virtual. 16 October 2020.
vhttps://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/2643/from-fiber-to-yarn-a-discussion-between-textile-biology-and-design
Sauer, C. ADAPTEX - adaptive textile for the architectural context. ALL GOOD(S) New Materials in Architecture, Design and Fashion for a Future Circular Economy. The opening event of a new programme by ANCB The Aedes Metropolitan Laboratory, in collaboration with the Netherlands Embassy in Berlin. Hybrid. 9 September 2020.
Sauer, C. Future Talks 019 - Keynote Lecture Design. Keynote at the Future Talks 019, Pinakothek der Moderne, Neue Sammlung Future, Munich. 12 November 2019.
https://dnstdm.de/en/future-talks-019/. https://dnstdm.de/en/program/
Events & Workshops
Held, M. (co-chair), Kimpel, K. (co-chair), Mareis, C. (co-chair), Perraudin, L. (organization), Sauer, C. (co-chair), Winkler, C. (organization). »Material Trajectories. Designing with Care«, 17th Annual Conference of the German Society for Design Theory and Research (DGTF). Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, weißensee school of art and design berlin. Virtual. 6 May 2021 - 8 May 2021.
https://materialtrajectories.dgtf.de/
Petruschat, J. (leader, organizer), Wiesener, H. (organizer), Glaser, J. (organizer), Sauer, C. (guest critic), Stoll, M. (moderation). Forschungskreis: Magic Circle – Symposium. Including 13 research objects exhibited at the »Kunsthalle« weißensee school of art and design berlin. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, weißensee school of art and design berlin. Hybrid. 25 February 2021.
http://forschungskreis.com/event/magic-circle/
Sauer, C., Stoll, M., Beyer, B., Fransén Waldhör, E., Schneider, M., Petruschat, J. (organizers). Architectures of Weaving. A Symposium. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, weißensee school of art and design berlin. Virtual. 2 July 2021.
Rešetar, I., Sauer, C., Stoll, M. (organizers) Material as Environmental Device. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Hybrid. 10 September 2020 - 11 September 2020.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/2249/material-as-environmental-device
Sauer, C. (organizer), Stoll, M. (organizer). From Fiber to Yarn: A Discussion Between Textile, Biology and Design. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. weißensee school of art and design berlin. Virtual. 16 October 2020.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/2643/from-fiber-to-yarn-a-discussion-between-textile-biology-and-design
Sauer, C. (organizer). »MoA Talks«: An interdisciplinary lecture series at weißensee school of art and design berlin to foster an exchange between Gestaltung, Natural Sciences and the Humanities. weißensee school of art and design berlin. With contributions by Prof. Fratzl, P.; Friedman, M.; Hengge, R.; Nyakatura, J. and others. 30 April 2019 - 19 November 2019.
Teaching & Courses
Sauer, C., Fransén Waldhör, E., Schneider, M., Illing-Günther, H., Scaling Fiber: Experimental Yarn. Design Research Studio., With contributions by Bastian Beyer, Michaela Eder, Iva Rešetar, and Daniel Suarez. weißensee school of art and design berlin. 12 April 2021 - 9 July 2021.
Sauer, C., Stoll, M., Schneider, M., Fransén Waldhör, E., Beyer, B., Rešetar, I. Scaling Fibre. Invited Critic, weißensee school of art and design berlin. 14 April 2021 - 6 July 2021.
Dierichs, K., Sauer, C., Eder, M., Guiducci, L., Razghandi, K., Fransén Waldhör, E., Schneider, M., Stoll, M. Scaling Nature (3) - Growth. MoA Design Research Studio, weißensee school of art and design berlin. 14 April 2020 - 17 July 2020.
https://www.kh-berlin.de/projekt-detail/Project/detail/scaling-nature-3-growth-i-moa-design-research-studio-3216.html
Sauer, C., Guiducci, L., Razghandi, K., Fransén Waldhör, E., Schneider, M. Scaling Nature (X). MoA Design Research Studio, weißensee school of art and design berlin. 5 October 2020 - 5 February 2021.
Sauer, C., Guiducci, L., Razghandi, K., Fransén Waldhör, E., Schneider, M., Scaling Nature (1) – Wrinkles. MoA Design Research Studio, With contributions by Kycia, A., Bidan, C., Fratzl, P., Friedman, M., Hengge, R. and Stoll, M.. Student projects from Scaling Nature (1) were presented at NuThinkers during Domotex Tradefair in Hanover, 10-13 January 2020. weißensee school of art and design berlin. 15 April 2019 - 20 July 2019.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/1130/moa-design-studio-scaling-nature-1-wrinkles
Sauer, C., Guiducci, L., Razghandi, K., Kycia, A. Scaling Nature (2) – Fibers, Muscles & Bones. MoA Design Research Studio, With contributions by Fratzl, P., Dean, M., Nyakatura, J., Rešetar, I. and Stoll, M. weißensee school of art and design berlin. 15 October 2019 - 11 February 2020.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/1142/moa-design-studio-scaling-nature-2-fibers-muscles-bones, https://kh-berlin.de/projekt-detail/Project/detail/scaling-nature-2-fibers-muscles-bones-3102.html
(Co)Supervisions of Qualification Theses
Sauer, C., Petruschat, J. 2020. Supervisors of Nelli Singer. »Living Beings«. Master thesis, weißensee school of art and design berlin.
Prizes & Competition Awards
Sauer, C., Schneider, M. at weißensee school of art and design berlin, Priedemann Facade-Lab, Germany 2022. Zumtobel Group Award Nominee Special Prize for Innovation. »Adaptex.« Zumtobel Group.
https://z.lighting/en/group/company/zumtobel-group-award/
Singer, N. 2021. ein&zwanzig Design Newcomer Award. Award for product and project ideas in the area of product design and lifestyle. »Living Beings.« For »Living Beings« Master thesis by Nelli Singer, supervised by Sauer, C. with consultation by Eder, M., at the Department of Textile and Surface Design, weißensee school of art and design berlin.
http://www.ein-und-zwanzig.com/awardees/living-beings/?search=nelli
Singer, N. 2021. Materialica Design + Technology Award 2021. Winner of the category Student. »Living Beings.« MunichExpo, eMove360°. For »Living Beings« Master thesis by Nelli Singer, supervised by Sauer, C. with consultation by Eder, M., at the Department of Textile and Surface Design, weißensee school of art and design berlin.
https://www.emove360.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Materialica_Yearbook_2021_WEB_211109.pdf
Eichler, S., Neyenhuys, J., Sauer, C. 2020. Raumprobe Materialpreis 2020 (Kategorie: Studie) Anerkennung / Recognition. »Hydroweave.« Raumprobe. "Hydroweave" was designed by Stefanie Eichler and Juni Neyenhuys at weißensee school of art and design in the context of MoA Scaling Nature (1): Wrinkles under supervision of Prof. Christiane Sauer, and others.
https://www.raumprobe.com/de/material/quellende-u.-schrumpfende-naturfasern-papier--22083-01-11458
Schedler, R. (designer), Sauer, C. (supervisor) 2019. Airdapt. 1. prize in category micro-architecture (1. Preis in der Kategorie »Mikroarchitektur«). »Airdapt.« 15. Studierendenwettbewerb Techtextil, Frankfurt/Main: „Textile Strukturen für neues Bauen“.
Finndottir, B. (design), Sauer, C. (supervision) 2016. Solar Curtain. Fraunhofer-Ideenwettbewerb 2016. »Solar Curtain.« Fraunhofer Institut IWU, Dresden. Cooperation Partner: Innovationsnetzwerk smart³.
http://blog.smarthoch3.de/smart³-idee-gewinnt-fraunhofer-ideenwettbewerb/
Press Articles
Molitor, N. 2022. »Ausstellungsempfehlung für Berlin: Am Knotenpunkt des Materials. Das 13. Design Lab im Kunstgewerbemuseum geht den Geschichten diverser Bau- und Designmaterialien auf den Grund. Befragt werden Werke aus der Sammlung.« taz, 15 November 2022.
https://taz.de/Ausstellungsempfehlung-fuer-Berlin/!5892190/
Guiducci, L., Sauer, C., Krauthausen, K., for »Matters of Activity«. 2020. »Wir Gestalten. Material World.« »We Are Humboldt«, the New Image Brochure of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 17 May 2020.
https://issuu.com/humboldtuni/docs/wir_sind_humboldt