Having a space like Baumhaus has been a dream of mine since my mid 20’s when I was finishing my engineering and industrial design studies at the University of Michigan. I wanted to use my newfound technical and creative skills to help make the world a better place and empower others to do the same.
Even though I had established a career path where I could spread the good word about sustainability and design, I realized that it was not enough to have the kind of deep transformational impact I really wanted to have. I was still involved in the business of making more plastic products, contributing to planned obsolescence and feeding the general problem of material consumption.
I eventually founded my own independent engineering, design and creative production studio headquartered on the downtown Brooklyn waterfront. I expanded my engagements to include residential interiors, art, music, event production, systems design, culture and community building.
My music, art and culture projects provided me with the opportunity to tour Europe where I discovered the magic of Berlin. For 8 years I was bi-continental staying active in both New York and Berlin until 2010 when I relocated to the Wedding district of Berlin. In 2011 I discovered a potential space near to home and developed the basic Baumhaus concept. By 2012 I convinced Karen to help develop the project with me and make the dream a reality.
The experience of creating and using the Baumhaus alongside more than 800 volunteers and partners has renewed my faith in the human spirit to achieve the seemingly impossible. Transformation towards sustainability is an epic and existential challenge that requires epic ideas and actions.
Baumhaus for me is an epic answer to an epic call in the form of a platform and resource that is designed to help inspire and empower people to address the many issues of our time. My constant challenge is to help transform fear and complacency into adventurous courage and action. My methodologies are based on broadly resonant frameworks that help people develop a clearer and deeper understanding of their role(s) and opportunities in our real-life multigenerational epic adventure. I also think its important to help people develop and implement solutions and have the opportunity to experience the results of their efforts in the short and long term.
Over the years my appreciation and love for synergistic creativity and emergent processes has continued to evolve. I feel good that I am spending my time on the planet in valuable ways and I look forward to helping others do the same…