We tend not think about the waste created by our modern consumer society: millions of tons of garbage, slag, and tanks filled with waste oil left over after the refining process. But for more than thirty years, artist and social activist Winfried Baumann has encouraged us to think about just these things by making them the focal point of his sculptures and other large-scale installations.

            With Cathedrals for Garbage, Baumann presents an extensive series of cutting-edge concepts for the construction of waste-disposal plants and other solutions for dealing with the crushing volume of waste that could grow to threaten the survival of civilized society. Focusing on large urban spaces and drawing on his dual knowledge of architecture and art, Baumann makes a compelling argument for why urban planning must incorporate social responsibility.