Daniel Libeskind on the Future: Trauma, Memory, and Imagination

In an interview with Artribune, architect Daniel Libeskind (born 1946 in Łódź) discusses his vision of the future, drawing on his most iconic projects: the Jewish Museum Berlin and the World Trade Center master plan (Ground Zero). He describes these two works as a parenthesis in his career—the beginning (Berlin) rooted in his personal experience as the son of a Holocaust survivor, and the unfinished end (New York) addressing the trauma of the first attack on American soil. Libeskind emphasizes the importance of Genius loci, arguing that every place has a unique cosmic connection that cannot be escaped. He rejects nihilistic views that discard the past, insisting that memory links past and present to create the future. For young architects, he advises disconnecting from social media, thinking independently based on personal experience, and looking up to find wonder. He warns against over-reliance on information, which he contrasts with meaning, and calls for solidarity with humanity and the use of imagination—more important than knowledge. The interview is part of the 'Futuro Antico' series by Spazio Taverna.