Short CV
Carsten Ruhl has been a Professor of Architectural History at Goethe Universität Frankfurt since 2013. Previously, he was Professor of Theory and History of Architecture at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (2010–2013) and Professor of Architectural History at Ruhr University Bochum (2003–2010). His work has been recognized with awards from the Gerda Henkel Foundation, DAAD, Getty Research Institute, LOEWE, and DFG.
As co-founder of the Center for Critical Studies in Architecture (CCSA), he led the LOEWE research focus “Architectures of Ordering” (2020–2024). Since 2024, he has been the spokesperson for the DFG Research Training Group “Organizing Architectures.”
Research focus
Carsten Ruhl specializes in the history and theory of architecture, emphasizing interdisciplinary connections between architectural and social history, sociology, urban planning, media studies, legal history, and human geography. His research explores architecture as an organized process, analyzing the societal dynamics inherent in planning and construction.
Recent projects
DFG Research Training Group “Organizing Architectures”
This highly interdisciplinary and international program examines the relationship between architectural production and societal processes. It investigates how built or planned structures shape (public) spaces and societal dynamics, how social processes and discourses materialize in architecture, and how these structures, in turn, influence society. Adopting a broad concept of architecture that includes buildings, urban ensembles, and infrastructures, the initiative combines perspectives from architectural and social history, sociology, urban planning, media studies, legal history, and human geography. Partner institutions include Goethe Universität Frankfurt, TU Darmstadt, University of Kassel, and the Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory. Public engagement is a core aspect of the project, featuring regular lectures, presentations, and publications.