Albert Einstein Discovery Center Ulm Association is releasing a limited-edition fine art collection featuring four hand-drawn sketches by the architect
Every building by Daniel Libeskind begins with a drawing. The planned Albert Einstein Discovery Center in Ulm, too, first took shape on paper—in a few quick strokes. The Albert Einstein Discovery Center Ulm e.V. is now releasing four of these design sketches as a limited-edition fine art series titled “Study I–IV – Einstein, Ulm.” Each of the four designs is available in a limited edition of 100 numbered copies, each hand-signed by Daniel Libeskind. The edition is being released in a year of special significance for the architect: In May, Libeskind celebrated his 80th birthday, and in early September, he was also awarded the Praemium Imperiale—the Japan Art Association’s prize, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of the Arts.” All proceeds from the edition will go toward the realization of the Discovery Center. “Architecture is a drawing that comes to life”.
Libeskind’s sketches are the origin of structures such as the Jewish Museum Berlin and the master plan for the new World Trade Center in New York. They embody the initial idea—raw, dynamic, and full of energy. Libeskind’s expressive drawing style transforms these sketches into standalone works of art that go far beyond the nature of mere planning documents. For the Albert Einstein Discovery Center Ulm e.V., Daniel Libeskind created a design that combines science with Albert Einstein’s new understanding of space in a distinctive architectural style. The four studies capture the moment when this vision takes shape.
The edition was initiated and organized by Harald Frey, who served on the board of the Albert Einstein Discovery Center Ulm e.V. until the beginning of the year, with the support of association member Petra Boeger. He highlights the architect’s working method, noting that he still puts his ideas on paper without a computer: “Daniel Libeskind continues to draw everything by hand. This is not a quirk, but his true craft. He taught himself this skill—not through an apprenticeship, but through practice and the accumulation of knowledge. He often refers to the Renaissance theorist Leon Battista Alberti, for whom architecture is a drawing that comes to life. It is precisely this moment that the four sheets capture: here, the Albert Einstein Discovery Center takes shape for the first time, from just a few strokes.”
An Award in a Special Year
On May 12, 2026, Daniel Libeskind turned 80. A few months later, on September 8, 2026, the Japan Art Association announced that the architect would receive this year’s Praemium Imperiale in the Architecture category. Awarded under the honorary patronage of Prince Hitachi and endowed with 15 million yen, the prize is internationally regarded as the most prestigious art award of all and is often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of the Arts.” The jury honored Libeskind as an internationally renowned architect and urban planner who succeeds in making cultural memory tangible through emotionally powerful and original architecture. The award ceremony will take place on October 28 in Tokyo.
Art with Meaning—and a Contribution to the Project
The fine art prints are more than just aesthetic objects: they are a statement in support of science and innovation in the spirit of Albert Einstein, a collector’s item with cultural value, and a visible commitment to supporting the Discovery Center in Ulm. The edition is aimed at collectors, architecture enthusiasts, and patrons alike. “Anyone who purchases one of these prints is not only hanging a work of art on their wall but is also directly contributing to the creation of a space that highlights Einstein’s scientific achievements and his revolutionary ideas beyond the realm of physics—entirely in the spirit of Albert Einstein,” says Harald Frey.
Specifications, Limited Edition, and Purchase
The four designs are produced as high-quality fine art prints on museum-quality paper (Hahnemühle William Turner, 310 g) in a 40 x 40 centimeter format. Each print is individually numbered, hand-signed by Daniel Libeskind, and framed in a solid wood shadow-joint frame in white or black. The edition comprises a total of 400 copies—100 per motif. An official certificate of authenticity documents the print’s inclusion in the authorized edition, the individual edition number, and its connection to the Albert Einstein Discovery Center Ulm e.V. The unit price is 1,350.00 euros net or 1,444.50 euros gross, including 7 percent value-added tax; worldwide shipping and the frame are included in the price. The edition is now available exclusively through the Discovery Center and is distributed directly by the Albert Einstein Discovery Center Ulm e.V., Bessererstraße 13-15, 89073 Ulm. Orders and inquiries can be sent by email to art@einstein.center. The order form and further details are also available in the association’s online shop: https://einstein.center/shop/?lang=en.
