Denkraum-Architektur
The beginning is always full of promise.............and of course full of responsibility!
I had been thinking about the fact that architectural colleagues do not often get the chance to exchange ideas on themes that they find interesting. This is of course often due to the fact that running your own business, an architectural practice is also a business, is so demanding on an everyday level that very little time is left for family and friends never mind interesting colleagues. So what can one do about this? Where can one meet, grab a converstaion about the big A? In internet forum's? not really... In England where I worked for many years one went down to the local pub, warm and cosy one talked about god and the world, of course apart from the "singles" or very soon to be divorced architects this is eventually detrimental to your health, so also limited as an answer. Other possibilities? Universities perhaps...Architectural lectures hosted by universities are far too often concieved for either a student public or to fullfill a professor's personal wish. The "everyday" working architect dealing with the complexity of thoughts, visions, politics, money and building regulations lacks a lobby within which he or she can exchange ideas on philosophy, creativity and or just practical know-how. A platform free of "glossy mag" inhibitions, political control and very boring "Angst".
Architects work creatively everyday with the universal practical problems of living, working and playing in time and space, the subject of architecture is by nature so broad that all attempts at a narrow specialisation inevitably fail. In fact the beauty of the profession is that it can never be exhausted in its diversity and the unending possibilities that it offers.
This "Denkraum" for "Architektur" is a hommage to this space without borders, architecture without walls. Physical or mental!
I have always felt that somehow the "worth" of architecture could be and should be better communicated to the general public. Over the years I have tried to do this with several "public orientated projects". I have tried to transport the idea that Architecture could be seen as;
"the art and science of building in the Human context of space, time and nature."
There might be a "Gods" architecture outside of this context but this blog is not going to go into that!
It would be nice to be able to raise the expectations and wonder of Architecture in the eyes of the general public and the political bodies so that it would be accepted as an important expression of our cultural identity.
Looking more closely at the definition of architecture, the science of...can be relatively easily understood and accepted, empirical...lenght, width, height, weight, size, chemistry of materials, physical properties, social studies, etc...however regarding the art of........side
One often hears such sentiments as "Art is not architecture and therefore architecture is not art" well... there is no answering that one...! Or the sentiment that serious building projects, of course needless to say can only be built by serious people, and can not be spoken of, or addressed in, such a "art" manner or worse still with humour or poetry . God forbid..! What would the Clients think of us? What would the people say, Das Volk! I have tried performance architecture, theatre projects, public workshops etc. Often one had the impression that a large section of society have a fear of being confronted with such complexities.
Yet Architecture can be simple and complex at the same moment in time.
Architecture can move you to cry, to laugh and I do not mean the architect's fee!
Architecture can enrich everyones everyday life.
This should be communicated!
Last night attending the debate (27.04.2010 in the Kulturrathaus Dresden) on building in the city of Dresden, one felt a little frustrated at the lack of freedom in the development of thoughts and ideas...watching a chess game being played by concensus the level and speed dictated by the "Angst" of players caught up in a web of diffuse social, political and economical interests.
This is part of the reason why I am happy to start this platform of exchange.
However last year I was inspired by the very friendly meetings I had with colleagues during the trade fair presentation of the architectural society of Saxony organised by a commitee chaired by Hans-Hinrich Pein.
It was during these Trade Fair days that the idea came to me to organise talks about
architecture for "Everyman"!
It is a concern of mine that the key to architecture being understood is partly in the communication of the beauty and honesty and fun of great and simple architecture or call it "building" if you prefer.
I think that all men since time began have been architects, good and bad and lets leave some room for the ugly, it makes life so much richer to do that.
The specific theme for these first day of talks were inspired by a conversation
I had with my colleague Andreas Madreiter who is also a Beekeeper!
"Bee's and architecture"
A truely fantastic theme which I thought would give us the chance to get together outside of the "Job" and talk about the "job" in an inspired setting. After talking to Ludger Kilian at the trade fair about how good it would be to develop the communication I decided to combine this idea with the Architectural socities day of architecture to get this up and running fast.
I am delighted that due to my involvement in the Erich Kaestner museum, where I try in my work to link to the idea that literature and architecture are a partnership made in heaven. The museum can offer us the "neutral" ground to begin this series...perhaps with a little luck it will take off and bear fruit!
Ruairí O'Brien. Dresden 2010
The colleagues and friends who will be taking part in this year’s
Day of architecture event
“DENKRAUM-ARCHITEKTUR”
in the rooms and garden of the Erich Kästner Museum in Dresden
are;
Andreas Madreiter:
Dr.-Ing. Volker Benedix:
Dipl.-Ing. Hans-Hinrich Pein:
Dipl.-Ing Ludger Kilian:
Heike Jantur:
