Two, three years, Stephan Braunfels was what he wanted to be his own opinion, still probably is – the most important architect in Germany. That was the beginning of the century. 2002 Pinakothek der Moderne was opened in Munich, in the previous year, in addition to the Reichstag on Berlin’s Spreebogen the Löbe-Haus, in the offices of members of Parliament and Assembly rooms of the committees are housed in the following year, finally, on the opposite Bank of the river, the Lüders-house with the library of Parliament. The architecture critics raved about, audiences, and politics, were excited in the majority. Braunfels was also the Pinakothek, he is considered as the best Museum in the world.
Matthias Alexander
editor in the features section.
F. A. Z.
This is not you, but nearly twenty years later, we can say that the Museum and the Parliament buildings have proven their worth, aesthetically and functionally. His key works by Braunfels has his enormous talent for all aspects of the architecture to demonstrate: He has the look for urban contexts, the creativity for a form of their own language, the sense of the appropriate materials, the care for Details and – especially important-and very rare – the imagination for complex spatial consequences.
The axis through the picture gallery, with the large rotunda and the hall of the Löbe-house, with the tower of the meeting rooms as a think-tank, the democracy cylinders, are one of the stunning creations of the Federal Republic of Germany, you are inside the city architecture. And how the spree facades of Lüders and Löbe-Haus dissolve their enormous dimensions in the complex ease and respond to each other, testifies to the enormous design assets. A pity that in all cases, the exposed concrete was not processed marble standard quality, such as Braunfels has it’s presented.
Braunfels, who comes from a artists and art historians of the family, derived his professional shipment from a biographical double-embossing. As a six year old he knew at the sight of Le Corbusier’s chapel in Ronchamp, that he wanted to be an architect.
The urban planner in him was awakened by a lot of stays in Florence. Both inclinations – to the modern, single-effect calculated structure here, and the ensemble spirit of thoughtful Tradition of the European city – he wants to reconcile since then, with each other. In the models of high standards and a penchant for Self-stylization, at the same time the ability to the catchy narrative and the urge for the public effect in this regard. Modesty and diplomacy in dealing with clients and colleagues are not his thing against.
After the triple Triumph of Munich and Berlin Braunfels has a career because of a nearly tragic turn. He argues regularly with state authorities due to the responsibility for construction defects, he takes legal proceedings against competitive tendering in the public sector, also because he of every major competition for cultural buildings sees itself as born participants, such as for a concert hall in Munich and, most recently, for the conversion of the Komische Oper in Berlin.
he often published unsolicited proposals of its own, so for high-rise buildings at Checkpoint Charlie and for the cultural forum in Berlin, even after the decision for the designs of others, from his point of view, less talented architects have long since been made, for example, for the East facade of the Berlin city Palace.
