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In the
last few months people in Germany much discussed ‘construction culture’. The
reason for this was the intended foundation of the “Federal Foundation for
Construction Culture” (Bundesstiftung Baukultur).
The important stages of today's official activities concerning construction
culture are:
·
In autumn 2000
the Federal Secretary for Transport, Construction and Housing founded the
'initiative construction culture' and appointed a steering group; Gert
Kähler was commissioned to compile a status report.
·
In November a
text with the title ‘A National Foundation for Construction Culture?’ is
presented and published on the internet in the responsibility of Karl Ganser
and Ulrike Rose. It was commissioned by the Supporting Association of the
Berlin Centre for Architecture (DAZ e.V.) and was compiled from talks with
architects, planners, curators of monuments, and architectural journalists.
In this work – I would like to call it 'memorandum' – 5 basic values are
cited to which everybody will subscribe from our temporary perspective of
today: sustainability, respect for history, identity, regionality, and
beauty.
·
The convention
'Construction Culture in Germany' was held from December 3rd to 5th 2001 in
Cologne. Organisers and partners were the Federal Ministry for Transport,
Construction and Habitation, the authorised representatives of the Federal
Government for issues of culture and media, of the Federal Chamber of
Architects, of the Federal Chamber of Engineers, further organisations and
unions of architects, engineers and planners, the Federal Union of Applied
Arts (which demonstrates the close connection of applied arts in
construction), the German Foundation for Building Conservation, the German
Architectural Museum, the German Centre for Architecture and the Bauhaus
Dessau Foundation; additionally representatives of the ministerial
conference on construction of the federal countries, of the city
municipalities, the construction industry, banking industry, real estate
companies and the regional development companies. There were 8 addresses and
presentations (Ungers, Großmann, Conradi, Schwinn, Welsch, Bodewig, Kähler
and Ganser); the status report was presented.
·
The status report
was published in May 2002.
·
The Federal
Government accepted the report and presented it to the German Parliament for
discussion (summer 2002, autumn 2003)
·
In November 2001
a sponsoring association was founded and four moderators appointed (Peter
Conradi, Federal Chamber of Architects, Prof. Dr. Karl Ganser, Federal
Foundation for Construction Culture, parliamentary undersecretary Achim
Großmann, Heinrich Schwinn, Federal Chamber of Engineers).
·
A founder circle
of 120 persons was convened in spring 2002.
·
For the XXI.
World Congress of the UIA in Berlin in summer 2002 a two volume book was
prepared. In the 1st volume the winners of architectural awards, who have
been convened for the first convent in spring 2003, are presented with
pictures of their premiered works, in the 2nd volume follows a short
description of their positions regarding core issues and tasks as well as a
listing of declarations and of members of the founders’ circle.
·
From April 4th to
5th 2003 the 1st Convention for Construction Culture was held in the former
assembly room of the German Parliament. The circle of participants was
extended to award winners of competitions in the area of construction (in
2003 it comprised a total of 490 people).
·
In autumn 2003,
the convention elected a committee of 20 members who met in November 2003
for the first time.
The aim is the improvement of construction culture, on a practical level it
aims
·
to negotiate a
code of conduct for all parties involved in construction (private and public
clients, architects, city developers and planners, construction industry,
property developer),
·
to align marked
authorities of construction culture,
·
to present
exemplary buildings and
·
to ensure
"quality".
If you have a closer look at the activities, some fundamental questions
arise:
Authority
It is a fundamental problem who is legitimised by what authority to play a
part in the production of construction culture.
The authors talk about a network 'of free spirits' in the first more
detailed publication concerning construction culture, the memorandum of the
DAZ of November 15th, 2001. The first round in a panel discussion in
December 2001 regards ‘the high rank of the participants in a discussion’ as
an important criterion for the emergence of construction culture
(Documentation ‘Construction Culture in Germany’ Berlin/Bonn May 2002, p.
41). For the benefit of construction culture Federal President Johannes Rau
looks for people, “who have the ability and the personal authority to set
points of reference for buildings of excellence and to define criteria of
quality, which no one should fall short of.” (point VII of his speech of
April 4th, 2003). One counts on people with "obvious achievements in
construction culture" (Vol. 1 of the publication of the UIA World
Convention, p. 10).
However, how do I find spirits who are free? How do I find the ability to
set standards? How do I find obvious achievements?
The initiators have decided to choose prize-winners from the area of
architecture (more on that below).
However, don't we have to discuss to what extent an award has something to
do with construction culture? Shouldn’t we then first examine, if a building
which has received an award by the corresponding industry for the excellent
usage of the material X has anything to do with construction culture or just
makes excellent use of the material X (which is already something excellent
in itself)?
The prices are awarded according to certain aspects, don't we have to
discuss – if we have decided in the end that it has something to do with
construction culture – in which aspects it has achieved construction culture
and in which aspects it hasn’t yet? Is it a given necessity that a
structure, which has won the construction material X award, has also
realised a ground plan which is valuable in terms of construction culture?
Don’t we have to discuss, if the addition of all factually given awards
really covers all aspects of construction culture, or don’t we have to
examine if there are also areas, where there is no award, but which would be
central for a comprehensive realisation of construction culture?
Don’t we have to think about the connection of an award for a building and
who wins the prize? Prize winners are not exceptional people (if you don’t
count those who receive an award for their lifetime achievement), but have
rather built an exceptional building. And just one to be precise. Many of
their other projects have received no awards and are consequently – if you
follow the logic through – not construction culture. Or should the buildings
which have received no awards become construction culture nonetheless?
Because its author has achieved construction culture once? This would cast a
doubt on the appointment because of having won an award. And it would lead
to some kind of strange genetics.
Don’t we rather have to think about the connection of an award winning work
and the awarding members of the jury?
I think it would be more justified to appoint the members of the jury as
knights of the round table than the authors of an award winning work.
Because in the end it was them who have realised what construction culture
is and why this one work of an author is construction culture and why
another isn’t. According to the understanding of the initiators of
construction culture a jury can’t fail (award=construction culture). So why
not bring together their members in a meta jury for construction culture? Or
can it fail in the end? But what should we to do then with award winning
works and prize-winners?
Don’t we have to see the ability to set points of reference rather under the
issue of social power? Because in the end it is not the ability to set
standards, but rather the ability and the skill that the set standards are
seen and accepted by everyone else as points of reference.
The initiators long for unique (but tame) people, why isn’t then “that Swizz
guy” – like Ganser says referring to EXPO 2000 – “who stole all the others
the show with a couple of wooden boards” appointed? Or that Dutchman who is
actually a trained journalist?
Does construction culture end at national frontiers? Is this true in Europe
of the 21st century?
On one hand everyone agrees that things have to be done for construction
culture, that things are thus not running that smoothly, on the other hand
hardly anyone beats against his own chest (or the one of their institution).
The president of the Federal Chamber of Engineers states this particularly
clearly, who proudly stresses the publication of the newest yearbook with
these words ‘that we would like to prove [with this book] the contribution
of engineers to German construction culture’. The 3rd panel discussion of
December 2001 as a whole has this tendency, Sauerbruch thinks, that German
building production is better that its reputation, Mönninger feels that the
“howling and complaining” is an incomprehensible self humiliation.
Shouldn’t we think that improvement always implies a detailed and analytical
self criticism – even if the situation was already satisfactory / even if it
would be very good – but before even that would have to be the willingness
(and ability) for analysis.
Institutionalization
Already the memorandum details the process of how construction culture shall
be developed, in that the important role of competitions and citizen
participation is emphasised.
The president of the chamber of engineers demands for the protection of
construction culture (!!!) that more opportunities for competitions for
engineers are offered with attractive prizes (Documentation 'Construction
Culture in Germany’; Berlin/Bonn May 2002, p. 22).
The first round of panel discussions in December 2001 regards the
"cooperation of everyone involved in the process of 'construction culture'
and participation of the municipal authorities as confident partners" as
well as fair conditions for everyone as a precondition for the emergence of
construction culture.
Peter Conradi thinks that construction culture establishes itself, if the
federal parliament discusses the matter and if the government and all its
subsidiary enterprises call an open public competition for all their
building tasks (Conradi speaks as the president of the Federal Architects’
Chamber) (Documentation for ‘Construction Culture in Germany’ Berlin/Bonn
May 2002, p. 19). On top he would like to see a German School of
Architecture again, as well as regional centres for architecture, in which
the architecture of our times is presented and mediated to the public.
It won’t be the case that he envisages that architects discuss with each
other, nor that they learn from their users or their audiences (it is known
that architects are reluctant towards Post Occupancy Evaluations and
aesthetic reception analysis), the architects seem to know quite clearly and
without doubt and without the necessity for internal professional discourse
what construction culture actually is. The question arises now, though, why
there wasn’t enough construction culture until now.
So obviously it isn't all about the discussion and the joint development of
suitable methods for the emergence of construction culture but rather a –
bureaucratic institutionalised – self-presentation and therefore
self-affirmation.
One doesn’t discuss. One doesn’t want to study but to instruct. The topic is
not how to think construction culture or how to win others for it; the
meetings serve for the self affirmation of one’s own construction culture.
It is only to be discussed how it could be taught to others, as especially
the president of the Chamber of Engineers remarks: “... it has been realised,
that nobody denies the essential contribution, which the engineers make with
their work, their creativity, and their expertise towards our built
environment and thus to construction culture in Germany.” (Documentation for
‘Construction Culture in Germany’; Berlin/Bonn May 2002, p. 21).
Culture
Of which culture are we speaking in construction culture? What has
“construction culture” to do with different "cultures" in a city?
Is culture understood in terms of cultural studies? How can we talk about
aesthetic and normative standards then?
Are we talking about culture in the 19th century’s delimitation concerning
and contrasting civilization? Is culture depth of soul?
Is it all about a construction culture in Germany or all about a German
construction culture?
If this should be the case (see preface by Bodewig in the Status Report p.
3), is there actually a cultural identity of building, of a construction
culture in Germany? As it was the case in the Lower Saxon naved house and in
the South German late Baroque?
What defines German construction culture? How can we achieve it?
Is it all about everyday culture (such as in Großmann) or about high
culture? Or is it about both? How do we have to think about their relation
then? Is everyday culture a ‘seeping’ phenomenon?
Can we leave such an important concept undefined today so that we may bend
it for policies in the arts, guilds, professions, and in federal politics?
Does construction culture mean the quality of a structure, the actions which
produce the structure or the usage of the work?
How can the dissonant demands on the city and quickly changing social
conditions be put in relationship to “construction culture”, how can and
should “construction culture” interact with democracy, how shall
“construction culture” interface with the appropriation of the city as a
living space, what can and shall “construction culture” achieve in terms of
living quality?
History
Construction culture is said to be a journey of discovery into the 21st
century (Memorandum 2001, p. 14). However the authors of the memorandum note
that people turn to the culture of the past more and more. This should be
accepted and people should also be shown that one respects their longing
(cf. p. 21), because you would also start to build confidence for the new,
if it only was developed with sensitivity, if it was explained and
implemented without pressure. This would have been the deficit of modernity
as Ganser continues – while shifting the perspective a bit – on the congress
in December 2001 and complains (the same as Welsch) that modernity hadn’t
accepted any historical rooting. This stance of the Initiative for
Construction Culture is also emphasised by Jörg Haspel in the 2nd volume of
the publication of the Initiative on occasion of the XXI. World Congress.
Like Hermann Lübbe who states that the efforts to visualise the past
increase due to the modernity of life (cited in Haspel), Haspel asserts that
holding on to the past becomes a necessary corrective. He demands 'respect
for history' and 'respect for a historical construction culture'.
The positions in the inner circle are thus divergent, the direction of
construction culture undecided. A decision would be necessary.
Even though we have to remark that the criticism on modernity’s lack of
history is a common accusation. On the other hand it doesn’t prove the
accusation wrong. In a certain sense it is even correct. But it is not an
accusation, because the lack of history is one of the great positive
achievements of modernity with respect to the common reduction of history to
the past. The modernists have put an end to the flight of architects from
the present into functionally, socially and aesthetically obsolete pasts,
they have sought an integration into contemporary social movements and
developed architectural solutions for the future which others have neglected
for several decades. The modernists have realised that history has two
dimensions. Respect for history thus not only means respect for past
history, but also respect for the possibility of future history, of the
future. Of course future needs the past, but only in so far as it needs a
starting point, not as a home, but rather as a harbour where to equip
oneself to discover new countries. What future needs is above all future.
The discussion about history is marked in the initiative on 'construction
culture' even by historical unawareness. The history of the discussion of
construction culture – concerning issues of the ‘querelle' or of ‘German
Practice and Art' and of the ‘works of culture’ or of the search for a
German democratic construction culture – is displaced. The result is a
devoid concept of (construction) culture.
The de-historification of the discussion about construction culture can also
be seen in the merely superficial reference to present social (economic,
social, everyday cultural) changes.
Aesthetics
Which concepts of art and beauty are to be discussed by 'construction
culture'? Are the modern ideas of the 20th century’s arts integrated? How
can a contemporary aesthetics of architecture and the city be formulated?
How do ‘architecture’ and ‘construction culture’ distinguish themselves?
People would agree (cf. the first panel discussion in December 2001) that
there are "no longer any valid definitions and – for intellectual honesty’s
sake – there shouldn’t be” (Documentation ‘Construction Culture in Germany’;
Berlin/Bonn May 2002, p. 39)
What is actually lamented there? That there shall be no validity, or rather
that there shall be no more definitions? But what is different now? Aren’t
there also valid definitions in the procedures suggested by the
‘Initiative’, only that they are no longer laid open and explicitly referred
to as definitions.
Karl Ganser pleads for a black and white book in which the good examples are
contrasted by the bad cases, “which people refer to as a disgrace” (p. 67).
Aren’t these the criticised ‘valid definitions’ coming in through the
backdoor of the individual case? Can you develop an obligatory aesthetic on
the basis of individual cases at all?
Architecture
What kind of architectural concept does 'construction culture' imply? Which
relations of art, function, field of action, infrastructure, materiality and
virtuality of architecture are here relevant? In which signs, languages,
codes, symbol systems can 'construction culture' express itself, how is it
the basis for and how does it enable communication?
The understanding of architecture (and here we shall only deal with what
they present as their understanding of architecture in the framework of
activities concerning construction culture and what they thus contribute to
the understanding of construction culture) varies considerably in those who
are participating in the activities for construction culture.
Some of them define it as built environment, some as form of the built
environment.
Johannes Rau understands architecture in terms of function for the user. For
Peter Conradi architecture is primarily an instrument for the liberation of
people and for a beautiful and good life (Documentation “Construction
Culture in Germany”; Berlin/Bonn May 2002, p. 19).
Isn't construction culture then in each case something completely different?
Actually how about habitation?
However, without wanting to quote the great philosopher, habitation isn't
(in a broader sense acquiring the creative and aesthetic practice) the
meaning of architecture and thus the aim of the building. Shouldn't those
who live in it justify and determine what is construction culture in the
end?
But are they able to do this? In how far are they able to? Are they enabled
for this?
A suggestion for goodness sake
The guiding principle for the place and institution of construction culture
shouldn't be a school of architecture, but a café, as it was envisioned by
Habermas as an ideal: in principle, the discourse must be accessible for
everyone, it must be led independent of the social identity of the
participants, there should not be any exclusion or taboo concerning its
topics.
And if the 'café' wasn’t the rooms of an inn but the spaces of the city, we
could get started.
And: Those should discuss about construction culture who ”still – not yet”
know what it is.
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