My project as a post-doc dual
Josef Paul Kleihues, "bridge builder" at home and abroad
The research aims to investigate the role of Josef Paul Kleihues in the international debate on architecture and the city between the 1970s and 1990s. Josef Paul Kleihues (1933-2004) was one of the most influential German architects in the German and European architectural and urban planning debate from the 1970s until his early death.
He is best known for his central role in the International Building Exhibition Berlin, which took place in West Berlin between 1984 and 1987, where he was planning director and head of the "New Construction" section. He fulfilled this role particularly well thanks to his extensive network of relationships, not only in Germany but throughout Europe.
His ability to weave relationships, to "build bridges" between architects with different backgrounds and sometimes tangential research interests, helped Kleihues to achieve international renown.
Kleihues in turn invited leading foreign architects and theorists (e.g. Aldo Rossi, Giorgio Grassi and Paolo Portoghesi, but also Peter Eisenmann, John Hejduk, Daniel Libeskind, Kenneth Frampton etc.) to design and discuss in Germany, especially within the IBA.
Although many of his projects are well known, the compositional processes that led to their definition and the events that led to the creation of his knowledge network are still little researched today.
The research aims to investigate the role of Josef Paul Kleihues in the international debate on architecture and the city between the 1970s and 1990s. The co-operation with the Baukunstarchiv NRW in Dortmund and thus the possibility of access to the documents and drawings from the architect's estate are an essential prerequisite for the success of a research project that aims to shed light on aspects of his biography and work that have been little known to date.
Essential reference bibliography
Apfelbaum A. / Haps S. / Sonne W. (eds.), JPK NRW. The architect Josef Paul Kleihues in North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund: Kettler, 2019.
Grupo 2C (ed.), "J. P. Kleihues: en la encrucijada de la arquitectura alemana". Monographic issue of the journal 2C Construcción de la Ciudad, no. 9 (July/ August 1977)
Kahlfeld P. / Lepik A. / Sch?tzke A., (eds.), Josef Paul Kleihues. City. Building. Art. Berlin: Nicolai, 2003.
Mesecke A. / Scheer T., (eds.) Josef Paul Kleihues Themes and Projects. Basel: Birk?user, 1996.
Scheer T. (ed.), Josef Paul Kleihues. Works 1966-80. Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2008.
Scheer T. / A. Mesecke (ed.), Josef Paul Kleihues, Works 1981-1995. Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2013.
Schlusche G., The International Building Exhibition Berlin. A balance sheet. Arbeitshefte des Instituts für Stadt- und Regionalplanung (H. 59), Technische Universit?t Berlin (ed.). Berlin: Institute for Urban and Regional Planning (ISR), 1997.
Zohlen G., (ed.) Josef Paul Kleihues. Selected texts. Series of the International Building Academy Berlin. Volume 3. Berlin: Internationale Bauakademie Berlin, 2004.