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EDITORIAL
B ETWEEN CRISIS AND CONFIDENCE
NEW TRENDS IN
ARCHITECTURE IN GERMANY
We’ve never had so much variety. At no other time has there been such a
I
ncreasing pluralization of recession. Planning orders are combined with a drastic demo-
lifestyles, new technological declining, but the complexity of graphic transformation, make it
options, and the search for the remaining building jobs is increasingly difficult to localize
identity in the face of globaliza- increasing. A considerable over- current requirements and trans-
tion with its tendencies towards supply of architects makes the late them into contemporary
cultural transformation have led search for jobs even more diffi- architecture. In the area of habi-
to the creation of a bewildering cult. Additionally, the fee struc- tation, for example, it looks like
variety of architectural concepts. ture for architects and engineers there is a paradigm change in
This means that the contempo- is being seriously questioned. terms of needs; and a transfor-
rary image of architecture in This means that increasing mation in quality requirements
Germany is characterized by a numbers of architects are seeking has been under way for several
condensed intermeshing of con- to expand their range of activi- years. Recent studies of people’s
flicting styles. With a back- ties and shift the emphasis of reasons for choosing an apart-
ground of increasingly complex their work. The result is that ment still confirm many tradi-
technological and economic con- some traditional areas of work tional beliefs, but they also show
ditions, the situation for German are being replaced by new ser- that the living environment, the
architects is already difficult vices from related market seg- atmosphere of the building,
enough. The situation in the ments or that completely new various usage options and energy-
building sector is only improving areas of activity are opening up. related aspects are also gaining
gradually after a long period of importance.
Changing needs
In response to the difficult situa- New forms of living together
tion architects are experiencing A competition seeking a future-
in regard to winning commis- oriented living model for a resi-
sions, experts recommend dential area in Munich was orga-
emphasizing the service aspects nized by the Deutscher
PHOTO: REIMHARD GOERNER/ARTUR
ments of the market and users. tion (see next page), the
But what are these needs? The Deutscher Werkbund competi-
fundamental change in lifestyle tion was not based around family
The Allianz Arena in Munich and the business world in a time life in the suburbs, but around
designed by Herzog & Meuron. of increasing individualization, urban accommodation that fits >>
EDITORIAL
Strategies for difference
PHOTO: FLORIAN HOLZHERR MÜNCHEN/ALLMAN SATTLER WAPPNER ARCHITECTEN
Future scenarios such as the two
apartment construction projects
80 GERMANY REAL ESTATE YEARBOOK 2007 GERMANY REAL ESTATE YEARBOOK 2007 81
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
building owners from the build- requirements. The extremely
ing process. Because of their emblematic basic form of the
exemplary function, publicly new administration building rep-
funded building projects are sup- resents a ‘Y’ shape made up of
posed to adhere more strictly to three mutually bracing wings
quality standards. “Public that give the building a dynamic
authorities must always apply the appearance and simultaneously
standards of building culture to create an image of arms that are
themselves first,” stated Federal outstretched in welcome.
Construction Minister Wolfgang
Tiefensee at last year’s awarding Projects such as the administration
of the German Architecture Prize. building designed by Eike
Apart from prestige projects like Becker_Architekten stand out
the Federal Environment Agency, from the mass of new construction
however, the reality is often very projects because they point in new
different. To save on costs, many directions and stimulate discus-
local authorities decide to assign sion. In concrete terms, it is the
82 GERMANY REAL ESTATE YEARBOOK 2007 GERMANY REAL ESTATE YEARBOOK 2007 83
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
LR
Corporate architecture with tect – in this case Italian-born to a lot of prominent architects, Vitra based in Weil am Rhein. that this strategic marketing ably functional shell. Just like
responsibility Renzo Piano – but rather the new this building could become the Furthermore, it is currently formula is extremely successful. other automobile companies
It’s not just initiatives like the sensitivity and enormous expen- standard for future develop- German automobile manufactur- The Central Building, designed before them (e.g. Volkswagen
Foundation for Building Culture ditures in positioning the depart- ments. ers who are outbidding each by Zaha Hadid, contains 740 with its Autostadt and glass-
that are responding to the ment store amidst existing struc- other with spectacular building workspaces over an area of encased factory), BMW is identi-
increasing public interest in tures. At a location between New work and brand projects. In the face of an acute 26,000 m2, covering all planning fying itself with innovation and,
architectural themes (reflected Cologne’s Schildergasse and the environments location crisis, companies are and administrative functions of in the case of Leipzig, with the
by factors such as increasing tunnel entrance to a major city The fact that spectacular architec- increasingly turning to strong, the Leipzig-based BMW plant. artistic aura of architecture. In
numbers of visitors to events traffic axis, the edifice draws on ture increases the fame and the image-rich architecture as a When well-known architects the specific staging and symbolic
such as the ‘Day of Architecture’ the buildings within its environ- market presence of a company is means of forming a company such as the Pritzker prize-winner upgrading of automobile produc-
or architecture-related exhibi- ment, connecting a lively shop- now a well-known concept identity. A glance at how the new Hadid plan buildings for indus- tion, the building itself becomes
tions). In response to the ping mile and a busy traffic thanks to the commitment of BMW Central Building in trial corporations, financial a typological emblem of adver-
increased public interest in archi- artery while also creating new Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid to Leipzig has been received, and figures take a backseat. Her tising.
tecture, companies are also spaces within the city. With this the furniture manufacturer not just in the trade press, shows terrace-shaped space continuum
increasingly looking to this area intervention in urban space, has triggered talk of an “office Today, nothing seems to provide
for attractive ways of promoting which considerably improves a revolution” and of the “social- the automobile industry with a
their image. Companies such as previously inhospitable location utopian character” of the build- better stage for product advertis-
the Hamburg-based fashion shop and which could act as an ing. With its non-territorial, ing and corporate image promo-
chain Peek & Cloppenburg have impulse for further developments openly structured workspaces tion than modern architecture.
long been using architecture as a in the area, the new P&C branch and the social networking of all Avant-garde designs involving
marketing factor to improve their differentiates itself from other function areas, the Leipzig plant image-creating elements of
image and acquire customers. corporate architectural designs. really does seem like the proto- company strategy are not only
Since the branch designed by This is because the unusual plug- type for a future world of work. intended to transfer value mis-
RKW was opened in Frankfurt in ging of a gap in the city’s struc- But despite the purely functional sions, but they also stand for
1988, cooperation with famous ture means that the builder has design parameters, strictly ori- innovative thinking and the mas-
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EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
PHOTO: ISOCHROM.COM, VIENNA
BMW-Welt in Munich, a ‘sensational’ building by BMW AG designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au.
due to their complexity. Whether companies are looking to archi- of services extends from urban
it is Zaha Hadid’s Leipzig tecture for incisive branding or planning – examples are the
Central Building or her Science when city marketers want to use current master plans for entire
Center in Wolfsburg, Ben van architecture as their main cities as from Albert Speer und
Berkel’s Stuttgart Mercedes medium – whether in Munich gmp in China – to ecological and
museum and Porsche museum by with the Allianz Arena or in technical know-how and the
Delugan Meissl or the BMW Hamburg with the planned ability to fully review projects
World building in Munich by Elbphilharmonie concert build- and develop integral concepts.
Coop Himmelb(l)au – all are ing. The main quality is extrava- In times of increasing variety in
carefully staged in order to provide gance and spectacle. It seems as architectural concepts and strate-
the greatest possible sensation. though German architects are not gies, precisely these qualities
expected to be able to meet these could be a crucial decision-
Quality as difference requirements. making factor and a differentiat-
A conspicuous aspect of this list New sensational projects such as ing criterion for success. <<
is not only the strong connection the conversion of the Berlin
of automobile companies to the Olympic Stadium taken on by
avant-garde designs of star archi- the Hamburg-based architects of
tects, but also the complete Gerkan Marg und Partner (gmp) About the author:
absence of German architect or the Berlin main train station Johannes Busmann
offices from these projects. It is designed by the same office, are Dr. Johannes Busmann
difficult to find a German name admired mainly for their preci- is professor for media
amongst the Who’s Who of inter- sion and engineering finesse – in design at the University
nationally active, notable archi- keeping with the international of Wuppertal and owner
tects. Although Germany has the perception of German building. of the publishing house
largest construction volume and Initiatives such as the Müller+Busmann KG in
the most architects in Europe, it Architecture Export Network, Wuppertal. At this
imports the avant-garde from founded in 2002 by the Federal publishing house,
Britain, the Netherlands, Chamber of Architects, empha- specialized in architecture and real estate,
PHOTO: ZAHA HADID
Switzerland or Austria. The size these specific qualities in Dr Johannes Busmann is the publisher of
designs of world stars such as order to better promote German the architecture magazine ‘build Das
Swiss-based architects Herzog & planning and construction ser- Architekten-Magazin’ and of the city
de Meuron are used wherever vices internationally. The range building magazine ‘polis’.
< The BMW building in Leipzig designed by Zaha Hadid. GERMANY REAL ESTATE YEARBOOK 2007 87