Pritzker Prize-winning architect Gottfried Böhm dies at 101

2021-06-11T14:15:00-04:00

The renowned German architect Gottfried Böhm has passed away at the age of 101. In 1986, Böhm became the first German architect to be awarded the Pritzker Prize, recognizing his skilled use of concrete, steel, and glass in church architecture. Böhm won particular acclaim for his sculptural concrete churches, including the Pilgrimage Church in Neviges, Germany, which is regarded as one of the most important church constructions on the 20th century.

Gottfried Böhm in 2015. Image: Elke Wetzig

Born in 1920 near Frankfurt, Germany, Böhm was part of a generation of German architects tasked with rebuilding the country after the Second World War. His work was heavily influenced by the works of early European modernists, including Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe, both of whom Böhm met personally.

Bensberg City Hall, Germany. Image: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas

Böhm’s first building, the Madonna in the Rocks chapel in Cologne, Germany, was completed in 1949 and was incorporated into the Pet...

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Pritzker Prize-winning architect Gottfried Böhm dies at 101