Carola Hein

A German native, I have lived in Belgium, France, Japan and the United States for many years and have traveled extensively through Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America. My mental map of my "hometown" is thus composed of bits and pieces from around the world. It includes such monuments as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Palace of Justice in Brussels or the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia as well as Hamburg -- natural landmarks, the Alster central lake, the Elbe river, Mount Fuji or the Tokyo Bay. My city is not only composed of famous landmarks, though; it includes just as much vernacular architecture and everyday neighborhoods. I have been interested in the study of architectural and urban history as much as in urban reality, in citizen movements and transportation systems from around the world.

 My courses on architecture and the city are thus the outcome of a fascination with the built environment since childhood and of walking through numerous cities as well as o