When the Federal President calls, they come. Rarely before has the registration rate for an event organized by the Office of the Federal President been so high, announced Joachim Gauck on Friday in front of 140 grandees of the German architecture world. The highest-ranking German had invited guests to Bellevue Palace for the “Matinée in Honor of Architecture”. And indeed, they were all there, […]
When the Federal President calls, they come. Rarely before has the registration rate for an event organized by the Office of the Federal President been so high, announced Joachim Gauck on Friday in front of 140 grandees of the German architecture world. The highest-ranking German had invited guests to Bellevue Palace for the “Matinée in Honor of Architecture”. And indeed, they were all there, most of them wearing the obligatory dark suit. Above all, of course, Meinhard von Gerkan, Helmut Jahn and Gottfried Böhm. Their milestone birthdays, as well as that of the late Frei Otto, were the official reason for the invitation. However, behind this was perhaps also a feeling on the part of federal politicians that they needed to do something for the architects, whose image had been badly tarnished.
And that is exactly what happened. Gauck stroked the souls of the sensitive structural engineers(watch the full speechhere ). He emphasized the social significance of architecture. Pleaded for “security and breadth”. Encouraged the young architects, a few of whom were also present. From an architect’s point of view, one must therefore say: Thank you Mister President.
By the way, it’s nice when the clients also get a little presidential grease. Gauck: “No architect can do anything without understanding clients – and against the regulations. I am delighted that the Minister of Construction is here. Minister: I hope that our architects not only build in accordance with regulations, but also have the freedom to experiment. Public building owners in particular could set a good example, try out new approaches, encourage creative solutions and give the unusual a chance.” Now that’s a word.
The architectural community was pleased with Gauck’s words. They were obviously timely. But perhaps just as important as Gauck’s speech is the fact that an event like this is taking place at all. It was probably the first of its kind, although Gauck’s predecessor Johannes Rau, for example, was certainly considered a friend of architecture. However, unlike artists or writers, for example, the architectural world – as an institutionalized driver of the country’s cultural development – had not yet been held much in the hallowed (and yesterday pleasantly well air-conditioned) halls of Bellevue. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that architecture is a hybrid of cultural driver and profession. Architecture is also a source of income for many people. And this is not particularly celebrated by the Federal President. After all, Gauck doesn’t organize a matinée in honour of, say, the bakers’ guild or tilers (at least that’s my guess).
But architecture, and I’m not telling you anything new, is also a culturally influential field – perhaps more influential than the production of bread rolls. And if, in times of real or supposed building scandals, which Gauck also addressed, architecture is then properly paid homage to, then he is also making architects jointly responsible for the socio-cultural state of the country. You can praise that – and you can be happy about it.
