Part urban think tank, part community center and public gathering space, the BMW Guggenheim Lab is a mobile laboratory traveling to cities worldwide. Led by international, interdisciplinary teams of emerging talents in the areas of urbanism, architecture, art, design, science, technology, education, and sustainability, the Lab addresses issues of contemporary urban life through programs and public discourse. Its goal is the exploration of new ideas, experimentation, and ultimately the creation of forward-thinking visions for city life.
The BMW Guggenheim Lab launched in New York, where it was open from August 3 to October 16, 2011. In Berlin, it ran from June 15 through July 29, 2012. The Lab recently closed in Mumbai, where it ran from December 9, 2012 through January 20, 2013.
During the Lab's stay in Mumbai, the Mumbai Lab Team—an international group of experts and innovators—created a series of projects, academic and participatory studies, and design proposals that reflect the unique conditions and challenges of Mumbai. The Lab Team included Aisha Dasgupta, a British demographer based in Malawi whose research lies in the field of international development; China-based Dutch architect Neville Mars, who applies urban research to realize sustainable projects on all scales; Trupti Amritwar Vaitla, a Mumbai architect and urban transport designer currently working with the Mumbai Environmental Social Network (MESN); and Héctor Zamora, a Mexican artist based in Brazil who works extensively in public space. The Mumbai Lab Team was nominated by the BMW Guggenheim Lab’s Advisory Committee.
During its first two years, the Lab is organized around the theme Confronting Comfort—exploring notions of individual and collective comfort and the urgent need for environmental and social responsibility. This exploration will conclude with an exhibition presented at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in 2013.
The public is invited to attend and to participate in free programs and experiments at the Lab when it is open. In addition, the BMW Guggenheim Lab website and social networks provide opportunities for participants around the world to engage with and to contribute to the ideas and experiments generated by the Lab.
Photo: UnCommonSense