1964 - Born in Wiesweiler / Germany.

1984 - Graduated from high school (Gymnasium) with a diploma (Allgemeines Abitur), Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler / Germany.

1984-1998 - Study of architecture at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences, at the Städelschule (Academy of Art), Frankfurt, and at the University of Stuttgart with two graduations (Dipl.-Ing.) / Germany.

1991 - Guest student of architecture at the University of Montevideo / Uruguay.

2013 - Doctoral degree (Dr.-Ing.) at the University of Essen / Germany about adaptive and smart materials and structures and their use in the field of kinetic architecture.

Since 1990 - Research and development of experimental buildings and advanced materials.

Since 1992 - Guest lectures, e.g. at the Alanus University in Alfter / Germany (2006, 2011), at the  Material Xperience in Den Bosch / The Netherlands (2008), at the Green Building Fest in Toronto / Canada (2008), at the Green Building and Design Conference in Melbourne / Australia (2009), at the  Energy Forum in Bressanone / Italy (2009, 2012), at the European Conference on Energy … / Spain (2010), at the red dot design museum / Germany (2012), at the 2. Passivhaus-Kongress RLP / Germany (2013), at the Fachhochschule Erfurt / Germany (2014), at the BCS 2017 / Sweden (2017), at the Ausbildungszentrum der Bauindustrie Kerpen / Germany (2020).

Since 1992 - Several articles, e.g. in Intelligente Architektur (Germany, 2002), Wallpaper* (GB, 2002), Metropolis (New York / USA, 2007), Engineering (GB, 2007), medAmbiente (Germany, 2008, 2010), BPN (Australia, 2009), Architecture & Design (Australia, 2009), VBRI Press (Sweden, 2017), Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (Germany, 2018), Kölner Rundschau (Germany, 2018) about experimental buildings and advanced, especially smart materials and adaptive structures.

Since 1995 - Several awards, e.g. textile prize for a convertible airship hangar by Techtextil (1995), "RIBA Book Award" ("Runner-up") for the book "smart materials in architecture, interior architecture and design" (2007), "Ausgezeichnetes Projekt" by the Energieagentur RLP (2013, 2014), "Young Scientist Award" by the IAAM (International Association of Advanced Materials) (2017), "Gestalte deinen Barbarossa" and "Urkunde der Möglichmacher" by the city of Sinzig (2017), "BUILD Architecture Award“ for ritter architekten: „Best Architect & Interior Designer - Rhineland-Palatinate“ by BUILD magazine (2019), "Zukunftspreis Heimat" by Volksbank RheinAhrEifel (2022).

Since 1995 - Several book and internet puplications, e.g. of an energy self-sufficient kinetic building structure through the Kinetic Design Group of the MIT (1999), of the books "smart materials in architecture, interior architecture and design" (Birkhauser, 2006), "Multidisciplinary know-how for smart-textiles developers" (co-author, Woodhead, 2013), of the books "smart und kinetisch! ..." / "smart and kinetic! …" (dissertation, Shaker, 2014), "Active Coatings for Smart Textiles" (co-author, Woodhead, 2016).

Since 2004 - Several collaborations with different types of Universities, e.g. with the Technical University of Darmstadt (2007), Städelschule (2012), RWTH Aachen (2013), Fachhochschule Erfurt (2014) / Germany.

Since 2007 - Several interviews, e.g. with employees of journals, magazines and think tanks, students, postgraduates.

Since 2008 - Invited expert in the fields smart materials and kinetic structures, e.g. invited expert in smart materials for the IBA Hamburg (International Building Exhibition) / Germany (2009); invited speaker and chair of one Session I until the BCS 2017 / Sweden (2017).

Since 1998 - Own office for architecture, engineering, design and research (ritter architekten) in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler / Germany.

Since 1989 - Member of the Architektenkammer Rheinland-Pfalz / Germany.

Since 2015 - Member of AhRTISTS / Germany.

Since 2017 - Member of the IAAM / Sweden.

Since 2011 - Two patent applications in the fields adaptive structures and smart actuators.

Since 2023 - One patent in the field adaptive structures. 

Since 2024 - One patent in the field smart actuators. 

(Foto 1: G. Ritter, Foto 4: Fachhochschule Erfurt)