The Dwell Guide to Events in Your City

Wednesday, February 20

The Noguchi Museum and AIA present Discovering the Japanese Modern, a panel discussion with architect Tim Culbert, multi-media artist Mimi Oka, and designer Ayako Takase of Kaiju Studios. The event will be moderated by Phil Patton, design critic and contributer to The New York Times. 6-8 p.m.; Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Pl.; (718) 204-7088; www.noguchi.org

Sharing the Dirt on City Gardening brings together green-thumbed New Yorkers, who’ve been plotting on windowsills, rooftops, courtyards – anywhere they can. 6-8 p.m.; First Presbyterian Church, Parlor 12 West 12th St.; (212) 475-9585; www.gvshp.org/gettingitright

Zach Layton curates a week of performances and sound installations at the Issue Project Room in Brooklyn, where string instruments will squawk, screech and sing in the name of art. Through February 23, expect performances by Ben Manley, Dan Joseph, Rebecca Chery, and Alex Waterman of the Plus-Minus Ensemble. Issue Project Room, 232 3rd St., 3rd Fl.; (718) 330-0313; www.issueprojectroom.org/events.html

Thursday, February 21

Architect Steven Holl discusses his firm's new projects in China and Denmark. 7-9 p.m.; Cooper Union's Great Hall, 7 E. 7th St.; (212) 353-4169; www.cooper.edu/month.html

Friday, February 22

The Guggenheim opens I Want to Believe, an exhibit of art objects by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, including his enormous sculptural installations, gunpowder drawings, and fireworks displays. (You’ll see these theatrics in action at the Beijing Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies this summer). Through May 28. Guggenheim Museum; 1071 5th Ave.; (212) 423-3500; www.guggenheim.org

Saturday, February 23

The Museum of the City of New York hosts a day of discussions on preservation efforts in the city. 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave.; (212) 534-1672; www.mcny.org

The late Johnny Cash turns 76 today, and Southpaw celebrates with a recreation of his performance at Folsom Prison. 8 p.m.; Southpaw, 125 5th Ave.; (718) 230-0236; www.spsounds.com

Sunday, February 24

MoMA opens Design and the Elastic Mind, an exhibit on design's response to new technology like the GPS and Google Earth, with work by designers Janne Kyttanen, Robert Lang, Brendan Dawes, Susana Soares, and Future Farmers, and others. 11 W. 53rd St.; (212) 708-9400; www.moma.org

Tuesday, February 26

Many sustainable Chinese buildings have resulted from the collaboration between Danish and Chinese designers. AIA’s new exhibition showcases examples of this international team effort. Reception tonight, 6–8 p.m.; Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place; 212-683-0023; www.aiany.org

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