Project Rebirth, Daniel Libeskind

The Jewish Museum Berlin, the redesign of the World Trade Center in New York City, and The Military History Museum in Dresden, Germany reflect Daniel’s approach to architecture that transcends basic consciousness. Through interviews with Nina and Daniel Libeskind, Carla Swickerath, Yama Karim, and Stefan Blach we learn how his work creates spaces of empathy and caring for others. In this architectural film we see how Daniel’s personal experiences have built strength of the human spirit and learn how we can thrive in the aftermath of tragedy. Born in Poland shortly after the end of the second world war, Libeskind's parents were Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. As a child, Libeskind was a talented musician, but after his family moved to New York when he was 13, Libeskind set out on the path toward architecture. He received a degree in architecture from The Cooper Union in 1970 and a postgraduate degree from the School of Comparative Studies at Essex University for History and Theory of Architecture. In his early career, Libeskind was a theorist and professor, however his career as a practicing architect began in the late 1980s, as he started entering competitions while living in Milan. He finally started his own firm in Germany soon after winning the 1989 competition to design the Jewish Museum in Berlin, which—after a decade-long development period—became a runaway critical success and the platform for a hugely successful career.