Born in 1957 in Cologne, Germany, Simon Ungers was the son of accomplished architect Oswald Mathias Ungers. He moved to the United States in 1968, and he studied architecture from 1975 to 1980 at Cornell University. Throughout his career, Ungers was unique in his ability to bind the two disciplines of architecture and fine art. He maintained his architectural practice and artist studios in both New York and Cologne. During his life, Ungers received critical acclaim for his T-House in Wilton, New York and the Cube House in Ithaca, New York. He won many architectural competitions including first prize for the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany, but his design was not realized. His artistic practice referenced his background in architecture. Ungers' work has been exhibited in such institutions as SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA; MoMA, New York, NY; Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy; Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany; and the Whitney Museum of Art, New York, NY. Ungers died on March 6, 2006.
CV
Born in Cologne, Germany, 1957
Died in 2006
www.simonungers.de
EDUCATION
1975-80
Bachelor of Architecture, Cornell University, New York
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2009
Light Works, Gering & Lopez Gallery, New York, NY
2008
Art-City and More, Architektur Galerie, Berlin, Germany
Heavy Metals, Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany
2007
KÖLN SKULPTUR 4, Skulpturenpark, Cologne, Germany (sculpture)
2005
Autonomy and Dialogue, Vertigo, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
2001
KÖLN SKULPTUR 3, Skulpturenpark, Cologne, Germany (sculpture)
2000
Henry Urbach Architecture, New York, NY
Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, NY
1998
Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, NY
Three Columns – permanent installation, Halle, Germany
1997
9 x 9 x 9, Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, NY
1996
5 x 5 x 5 (with light), Petra Bungert Gallery, New York, NY
Galerie Sophia Ungers, Cologne, Germany
1995
Red Vertical, University at Buffalo Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
1994
Density, Asperity, Intensity, Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, NY
Commission for a "Paravent" for the German Ambassador's Residence, Washington, DC
1993
Red Slab in Space, Galerie Sophia Ungers, Cologne, Germany
XY, Galerie Philomene Magers, Bonn, Germany
1992
Inline, Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, NY
Cologne Art Fair, Foerder Koje (Sponsored Stall), Galerie Philomene Magers, Cologne, Germany
Objects, Kerlin Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
1991
Post and Beam, Galerie Sophia Ungers, Cologne, Germany
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2010
Annual Summer Exhibition, Omi International Arts Center, Columbia County, New York, NY
2009
Einfuhrungen 2006-2009, Architektur Galerie, Berlin, Germany
Austere, SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA
2008-2009
Dreamland: Architectural Experiments Since the 1970s, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
246 and Counting: Recent Architecture + Design Acquisitions, SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA
1999
The Un-Private House, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
1995
Holocaust Memorial Competition, Berlin, Germany (first prize)
Minimal, Galleri for Arkitektur ROM, Oslo, Norway
1994
Europe '94, Munich, Germany
1993
Im Bau, Galerie Sophia Ungers, Cologne, Germany
Sandra Gering Gallery, New York
Martina Detterer, Frankfurt, Germany
Group show curated by Dr. Marianne Stockebrand, Koelnischer Kunstverein, Cologne, Germany
Survival in the Technological World, Blanden Memorial Art Museum,
Fort Dodge, IA
1992
Whiter Shade of Pale, Galerie Sophia Ungers, Cologne, Germany
1991
Unlearning, curated by Kenny Schachter, 142 Greene Street, New York, NY
Art LA, Galerie Sophia Ungers, Cologne, Germany
Certain Uncertainty, curated by Kenny Schachter/Sandra Gering, The Lobby Gallery at the Deutsche Bank, New York, NY
PROSPECTUS, Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, NY
Gullivers Travels, Galerie Sophia Ungers, Cologne, Germany
Home for June, curated by Erik Oppenheim, Home for Contemporary Theatre and Art, New York, NY
From Sculpture, curated by Kenny Schachter, Brooklyn Art Council, Brooklyn, NY
Garden Installation, Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, NY
1990
German Paper, Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, NY
Editing Detroit, curated by Terrence Van Elslander, James Cathcart, and Frank Fantuzzi, Detroit, MI
10 feet, Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, NY
1989
Architects Art, Gallery for Functional Art, Los Angeles, CA
On Subversion, Galerie Sophia Ungers, Cologne, Germany
1988
Art on the Beach, Hunters Point, Queens, NY
Selected Projects/New York Waterfront Competition, Urban Center, New York, NY
1987
Alliance in the Park, Fairmont Park, Philadelphia, PA
The City and River, Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy
1984
Metamanhattan, Whitney Museum, New York, NY
Architecture in Transition, Kunstmuseum, Karlsruhe, West Germany
1983
Ready Houses, Spazio Arte, Mendrisio, Switzerland
BUILDINGS and PROJECTS
1998
King's Chapel, Albany, NY
1997
Bonn (Regierungsviertel) – Urban Design Forum, Bonn, Germany
Weaver Residence, Bloomfield Hills, MI
1996
Mobile Museum (Wandelhalle), Cologne, Germany
"Stadtkante Schwerin" – Urban Design, Schwerin, Germany
1995
"Palast der Kuenst," (exhibition architecture), Cologne, Germany
"Chimnitz" – Urban Design Forum, Chemnitz, Germany
1988
Marcelle Residence (T-House), Wilton, NY – completed 1992
1986
"La Citta et'il Fiume" – Urban Design Projects by 30 architects, Florence, Italy
1983
Knee Residence, Caldwell, NJ (PA Award Citation 1984) – completed 1986 Weinstein Residence, Alpine, NJ
1982
Herman J. Wiemer Vinyard Addition, Dundee, NY – completed 1983
Pan Am Building Rooftop Addition, New York (PA Award Citation 1983)
1981
Hobbs Residence, Lansing, NY – completed 1982
COMPETITIONS
1998
Donan Museum Linz – Neve Galerie, Linz, Austria
Leipziger Platz, Berlin, Germany (Invited Competition)
1997
"Juridicum" (Public Sculpture), Halle, Germany – First Prize
"Lichtskulptur" – (Public Sculpture), Cologne, Germany
Kolumba – Archdiocese Museum, Cologne, Germany
German Pavilion, Expo 2000, Hannover, Germany
St. Theodor Church, Cologne, Germany – Honorable Mention
1996
Rauten – Strauch – Joest Museum, Cologne, Germany
Wasserwerk Muelhenscharrn, Schwerin, Germany – Special Prize
University Library, Potsdam, Germany
Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Cologne, Germany
Bucharest 2000, International Urban Design Competition
1995
Prado Museum Addition, Madrid, Germany
1994
Holocaust Memorial, Berlin, Germany – First Prize
1987
City Edge (IBA), Berlin, Germany – Second Prize
1986
Tokyo Opera House, Tokyo, Japan
1985
Hawaii Loa Performing Arts Center, Honolulu – Third Prize
1984
Arizona Historical Museum, Phoenix, AZ – Honorable Mention
TEACHING
1997
Harvard University, Visiting Critic
1996
Institute for Advanced Architectural Studies, Barcelona Workshop
1994
Institute for Advanced Architectural Studies, Venice Workshop
1986-92
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Adjunct Professor
1992
Cornell University, Visiting Critic
1990
University of Maryland, Visiting Critic
1988
Harvard University, Visiting Critic
1981-86
Syracuse University, Assistant Professor
1980
Cornell University, Teaching Assistant
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Un-Private House, exhibition catalogue, Terence Riley, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1999.
The New York Times, "Martin Myers and Simon Ungers," Ken Johnson, 31 July, 1998.
Simon Ungers, GG Portfolio, Gustavo Gili Editorial, Barcelona, 1998.
New Forms – Architecture in the 1990s, Philip Jodidio, Taschen Verlag, 1997.
Contemporary American Architects, Philip Jodidio, Taschen Verlag, 1996.
Monolithic Architecture, Rodolfo Machado and Rodolphe el-Khoury, Prestel Verlag, Munich-NY, 1995.
American Masterworks, Kenneth Frampton, Rizzoli, International Publishers, 1995.
The Buffalo News, "A Place Where Form and Space Meet," Richard Huntington, Tuesday, 13 June 1995.
Archimade, "T-House," Pierre Rouault, March 1995.
The Sunday New York Times Magazine, "Houses as Art," Paul Goldberger, 12 March 1995.
"Simon Ungers: Red Vertical," exhibition publication, Al Harris F., University of Buffalo Art Gallery, 1995.
Quaderns #204, "Cantilevers," 1994.
Installation Art, "Post and Beam," Nicolas Oliveira, Nicola Oxley, Michael Petry, Thames and Hudson, 1994.
The New York Times, "Currents: Where Bauhaus and Richard Serra Intersect," Michael McDonough,
28 April 1994.
L'Architecture d'Aujourd'hui, "T-House of Saratoga, New York," April 1994.
Architectural Record, "Suit to a T," Karen Stein, April 1994.
Kunstforum, "Im Bau," Andreas Denk, January/February, 1994.
Domus, Walter A. Noebel, October 1993.
Flash Art, #172, "Red Slab in Space," Rainer Metzger, pp.90-91, October 1993.
Standards, "T-House," September 1993.
A + U, "T-House," July 1993.
Flash Art, #168, "Inline," February 1993.
Flash Art, Francesco Bonami, p.141, October 1992.
New Observations Magazine #85, "Editing Detroit," September/October 1990.
Arquitectura #285, "Arte Como Arquitectura Como Ciudad," Sandro Mapillero, July/August 1990.
Casabella #541, "L'Ultimo Concorso IBA a Berlino," Hans Kollhoff, December 1987.
Progressive Architecture, "On the Wall," David Morton, April 1987.
La Citta'eil Fiume, Edizeoni Electa spa Milano, Florence, 1987.
Electra Firenze, "La Citta'eil Fiume," 1986.
Progressive Architecture, "Wine in a Manger," Susan Doubilet, April 1985.
Architecture in Transition, Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslantern, 1984.
Casabella, "Knee Residence," November 1984.
Casabella #505, "A Caballo del muro," Pierre Alain Croset, September 1984.
Progressive Architecture Awards Issue, "Knee Residence," January 1984.
Ready Houses, Spazioarte Mendrioso, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY, 1983.
Junge Architekten In Europa, Helge and Margret Bofinger, Verlag W. Kolhammer, Stuttgart, 1983.
Gran Bazaar-Harpers Italia, "La Nuovo Luna," December 1983.
A + U, "Hobbs Residence," November 1983.
Domus, "Hobbs Residence," June 1983.
Bauwelt, "Hobbs Residence," June 1983.
Yearbook for Architecture, "Hobbs Residence and Pan Am Rooftop Addition," March 1983.
Domus #639, "Americana," Maria Luisa Scalvini, March 1983.
Bauwelt, "Hobbs Residence," Klaus Dieter Weiss, February 1983.
The New York Times Magazine, "Hobbs Residence," January 1983.
Progressive Architecture Awards Issue, "Pan Am Rooftop Addition," January 1983.
Progressive Architecture, "Villa Quadrata," David Morton, July 1982.
Progressive Architecture, "Hobbs Residence," June 1982.