It’s always worth making the trip to Vulkanstraße in Lichtenberg, whether for the ultimate Vietnamese shopping experience and a top-notch Bánh Mì at the Dong Xuan Center, or a peek inside the concrete ivory tower of the architecture firm b+, which is now opening its doors to the public. This time, it’s worth visiting for the very first Conceptual Biennale. The event is all about creative practice in the broadest sense. Founded by designer Tina Roeder (behind Conceptual Conversations), Anton Rahlwes (known from the thing and form), and architect Thilo Reich, the Conceptual Biennale aims to be “the first transdisciplinary platform to place contemporary conceptual practices in design, architecture, and art at its center”. Participants were invited and selected through an open call, and as of now, many names are listed on the website. The result is a well-balanced mix of design practices like Soft Baroque, Monika, or Pegasus Product, alongside artists such as Tra My Nguyen and Billie Clarken, and architecture heavyweights like Le Corbusier (who won’t make it to the opening, sadly). The list is long and likely to grow longer by next week.
The official opening is Thursday, October 9, followed by a program featuring familiar names. At the Conceptual Roundtable (Towards a Symposium) led by Nina Sieverding (the other half of the thing), a two-day talk will tackle topics such as power and money. The Studio for Immediate Spaces will introduce participatory formats like the Vicinity Walk and the Postdisciplinary Soup (bring your own bowl and spoon). So, if you want to see how critical reflection, conceptual rigor, and more-or-less barrier-free discourse can be concentrated in a biennale, dare to climb the 199 steps to the top. Admission is free, and time-slotted tickets are available here.
Text: Inga Krumme / Photos: Conceptual Biennale, Pia Henkel, Robert Świerczyński
Am Wasserwerk 22F, 10365 Berlin–Lichtenberg; map
Conceptual Biennale 09.–11.10.2025 10–19h. Free admission, book your time slot here.
@conceptualbiennale
