swiss-alps-come-to-boston-via-logan-international-airport

The Consulate of Switzerland, the Swiss House for Advanced Research and Education (SHARE) Boston and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) announce the unveiling of "Inventioneering Architecture," a public exhibition of Swiss architecture and design at Logan International Airport's Terminal E on Friday, January 20, 2006 at 6:30 PM.

"Inventioneering Architecture" was designed and built by professors and students in Switzerland and features an interactive 130-foot platform of an imaginative cross-section of the Swiss Alps. Boston's Zakim-Bunker-Hill-Bridge, San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art and the de Young Museum along with Minneapolis' new Walker Art Center are just some of the most recent landmarks in the U.S. which have been designed by Swiss architects and civil engineers.

The exhibition will give Logan's passengers and visitors a physical and intellectual opportunity to experience higher education in Switzerland and some of the differences between Swiss architecture pedagogy and American architecture teaching methods. At certain hours, visitors can view the platform with a professional guide. An exhibition catalog will also be on hand, featuring essays and projects by renowned faculty members and students.

"We want to expose the Swiss method of architecture instruction to other cultural contexts," explains Architecture Professor Marc Angilil, ETH Z|rich. "This exhibit provides an exciting opportunity to share our perspectives, gather feedback, and evaluate what we are doing. In Switzerland, architecture and related coursework is taught primarily by practitioners, rather than academics," Angilil adds. "While America leads the industry in crucial theoretical work, our focus extends beyond design to incorporate a variety of integrated disciplines such as sociology, engineering, construction, landscape design and urban planning."

Prominent architects from ETH Z|rich; Universit` della Svizzera Italiana (USI), EPFL Lausanne; and the University of Geneva will illustrate their unique approach to teaching architecture in a lecture series at different local schools of architecture in Greater Boston.

Working closely with Massport, SHARE Boston arranged for the display to be open to the public 7 days a week until the end of March. For guided tours, further information such as the lecture series or a press kit, please consult the Share Boston website at www.shareboston.org.

The exhibit location and schedule is as follows:

Logan International Airport, Terminal E Arrival Hall

January 20 - March 31, 2006

Hours: 8 AM-8 PM - tour guides on site 2-7 PM

Ribbon Cutting & Reception: Friday, January 20, 6:30 PM.

RSVP to

Kati@shareboston.org

Press Availability: Friday, January 20 at 6:15 PM with Swiss Ambassador to the United States Christian Blickenstorfer, Vice President of ETH Zurich Professor Gerhard Schmitt, Massachusetts Port Authority Board Chairman John Quelch, Massachusetts Port Authority Director of Aviation Thomas J. Kinton, Jr.

Massport encourages visitors attending the exhibit to utilize public transportation. Limited parking will be available in short term parking lots 1 and 2 adjacent to Terminal E and in Central Parking. Media is directed to park in the Terminal E limo lot.

The Swiss House for Advanced Research and Education in Boston (SHARE - Boston) is the only official consular representation of Switzerland that is primarily dedicated toScience, Research and Higher Education. SHARE - Boston is, due to its particular mission, a joint operation of the State Secretariat for Education and Research and the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs. SHARE - Boston is part of a global network of science & technology offices affiliated with the State Secretariat for Education and Research, and forms, together with the Office of Science and Technology of the Swiss Embassy in Washington D.C. and the swissnex in San Francisco the official Swiss Science Network in North America. For more information visit www.shareboston.org.

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