I recently graduated from a US M.Arch program and have worked in several US and European cities. For various reasons I might end up in Germany in the near future and so I am trying to familiarize myself with current firms in advance. I have worked in Germany before, but now more than ever I am noticing how little German architects try to stake out some sort of POSITION on the field, at least in the way they represent themselves on their websites and publications. I'm not even trying to find the positions that I agree with...but something more than "we build beautiful things on time and on schedule blah blah blah..."
Clearly, my one little example is not meant to be representative - and I am making no judgments whatsoever on the positions themselves. I know this is not a European thing...I worked in Rotterdam and boy, do Dutch architects have positions. I found the culture in the Netherlands to be somewhat more like in the US (if not on hyperdrive).
Where are the MVRDV's and OMA's and SHoP's of Germany? Does anyone with experience in Germany know where all the interesting and provocative German architects are, the ones with an agenda (even if it's not an agenda you agree with)?
I noted the same thing while working in Berlin for landscape architects. Every competition result yielded extremely similar schemes from firms all over the country - it was unreal. (have you looked at competitionline.com lately? :S) Sometimes the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place scheme would match in everything but the color of pavement or chosen light detail. Complexity, curves and color? = HURTING GERMAN BRAINS
Here are some that I think are more 'statement' firms. More statementy than bare, boxy, concrete minimalism, that is.
funny. about 15 years ago i was looking for my first job in the profession and my parents were living in Berlin again so I searched and searched the web, which was def. a little different back then...........versus the US there were a lot less sites....back then Richard Meier had a cheesy geocities page and Peter Eisenman simply had "Eisenman Architects" on it and the late Fred Schwartz was best, some random poodle scurried across the page or something.....either way only one firm had anything more than a statement, it had an actual essay very much like something Koolhaas would write, I think a re-imagination of some former East Berlin plaza etc.....i interviewed there but it was more of a get k ow a non german wanting to work in germany, which was cool. i ended up over at a firm that had a connection with Kansas and I had the professor at Dortmund in an elective. Nalbach+Nalbach. i have stories.........to Stephanies point, Mr. Nalbach had me spend a full day drawing trees in CAD (Allplan Nemetchek actually) one day for a competition entry, he stated in Berlin there are so many entries for a competition if you get the trees wrong they throw you out first round...
In Germany the predominant language is German. There is very interesting work going on here- however it usually ends up in German publications written in the German language. What I find interesting is that the typical German architects that the anglo world knows are not particularly interesting- they just studied at the AA, or princeton etc. Therefore they publish to cater to those circles (think of J Mayer H, Barkow Leibinger or Sauerbruch etc).
If you want to find out who is interesting on this side of the pond- try picking up ARCH+ . Some articles are in English. Or sometimes check out Baunetz.de (in German). The Dutch have to look beyond their borders because its much more difficult to find work in Holland- therefore they must learn English and cater outside their borders.
These German offices do interesting work and have a position (check below). They also happen to teach- IN GERMAN. I know AFF is originally from East Germany therefore their English is not good. Check out the links below notice how the projects descriptions are in German? There are more examples- but I have have to go know.....
Thanks for the comments and the links. You are totally right about the language thing...I do speak german but I guess I have been poking around mostly in english language websites and publications and that would naturally be a limiting factor.
@archinet or others, if you happen to come back to this forum I would love to hear of other provocative firms you are familiar with, especially ones who teach!! (The language is not a problem for me).
German architects with ATTITUDE?
I recently graduated from a US M.Arch program and have worked in several US and European cities. For various reasons I might end up in Germany in the near future and so I am trying to familiarize myself with current firms in advance. I have worked in Germany before, but now more than ever I am noticing how little German architects try to stake out some sort of POSITION on the field, at least in the way they represent themselves on their websites and publications. I'm not even trying to find the positions that I agree with...but something more than "we build beautiful things on time and on schedule blah blah blah..."
A Swiss firm with what seem to be strong positions: http://www.em2n.ch/office/portraitem2n
A German firm with...no statements at all about what they believe in: http://www.bayerundstrobel.de/
(both taken from this list, admittedly a couple of years old: http://archinect.com/news/article/78310301/winners-of-the-best-architects-14-awards)
Clearly, my one little example is not meant to be representative - and I am making no judgments whatsoever on the positions themselves. I know this is not a European thing...I worked in Rotterdam and boy, do Dutch architects have positions. I found the culture in the Netherlands to be somewhat more like in the US (if not on hyperdrive).
Where are the MVRDV's and OMA's and SHoP's of Germany? Does anyone with experience in Germany know where all the interesting and provocative German architects are, the ones with an agenda (even if it's not an agenda you agree with)?
This is an excellent question, and well-stated. I hope people - especially German 'necters - can be helpful.
I noted the same thing while working in Berlin for landscape architects. Every competition result yielded extremely similar schemes from firms all over the country - it was unreal. (have you looked at competitionline.com lately? :S) Sometimes the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place scheme would match in everything but the color of pavement or chosen light detail. Complexity, curves and color? = HURTING GERMAN BRAINS
Here are some that I think are more 'statement' firms. More statementy than bare, boxy, concrete minimalism, that is.
J. Mayer H
Graft
Sauerbruch Hutton
Behnisch... sort of.
Magma
funny. about 15 years ago i was looking for my first job in the profession and my parents were living in Berlin again so I searched and searched the web, which was def. a little different back then...........versus the US there were a lot less sites....back then Richard Meier had a cheesy geocities page and Peter Eisenman simply had "Eisenman Architects" on it and the late Fred Schwartz was best, some random poodle scurried across the page or something.....either way only one firm had anything more than a statement, it had an actual essay very much like something Koolhaas would write, I think a re-imagination of some former East Berlin plaza etc.....i interviewed there but it was more of a get k ow a non german wanting to work in germany, which was cool. i ended up over at a firm that had a connection with Kansas and I had the professor at Dortmund in an elective. Nalbach+Nalbach. i have stories.........to Stephanies point, Mr. Nalbach had me spend a full day drawing trees in CAD (Allplan Nemetchek actually) one day for a competition entry, he stated in Berlin there are so many entries for a competition if you get the trees wrong they throw you out first round...
pwee
In Germany the predominant language is German. There is very interesting work going on here- however it usually ends up in German publications written in the German language. What I find interesting is that the typical German architects that the anglo world knows are not particularly interesting- they just studied at the AA, or princeton etc. Therefore they publish to cater to those circles (think of J Mayer H, Barkow Leibinger or Sauerbruch etc).
If you want to find out who is interesting on this side of the pond- try picking up ARCH+ . Some articles are in English. Or sometimes check out Baunetz.de (in German). The Dutch have to look beyond their borders because its much more difficult to find work in Holland- therefore they must learn English and cater outside their borders.
These German offices do interesting work and have a position (check below). They also happen to teach- IN GERMAN. I know AFF is originally from East Germany therefore their English is not good. Check out the links below notice how the projects descriptions are in German? There are more examples- but I have have to go know.....
http://www.aff-architekten.com/story/83/schutzhuette-am-fichtelberg.html
http://www.brandlhuber.com/0131-antivilla-krampnitz/
archinet, first thing I thought as well when I saw J Mayer on that list....
reminded me of this
Made in USA-German Architects in New York Exhibition
(years ago I worked in the same office as Matthias Neumann (in NYC) and recently crossed paths again professionally, NYC gets small after a while)
Thanks for the comments and the links. You are totally right about the language thing...I do speak german but I guess I have been poking around mostly in english language websites and publications and that would naturally be a limiting factor.
@archinet or others, if you happen to come back to this forum I would love to hear of other provocative firms you are familiar with, especially ones who teach!! (The language is not a problem for me).
The aff thing looks like a concrete bunker left over from WW II that was recently rediscovered.
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