2_2_DiscoverGermany_February15_Issue23:Scan Magazine 1
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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Finest Galleries & Museums Germany
A treasure chest of International architecture Located beautifully along Frankfurt’s Main riverbank, the Deutsches Architekturmuseum (DAM) is Germany’s most significant architecture museum. TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: DAM
The striking building itself is an architectural masterpiece over four floors with a magnificent courtyard. Famous architect Oswald Mathias Ungers, who significantly influenced contemporary German architecture with his rational design based on cubic forms, created a“house-in-a-house” behind the the facade of the neo-classicist villa. “Since its opening in 1984, DAM is not only one of Frankfurt’s finest museums, it is furthermore the German architecture museum with a national claim, making it one of a kind in the country,” director Peter Cachola Schmal points out. The museum’s library comprises more than 30,000 publications on architectural history dating back to 1800 and the museum’s permanent collection includes over 200,000 files of architectural significance including
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works by Gottfried Semper, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Frank O. Gehry, Norman Foster, Christo and many more, plus a stunning 1,320 scale models. Until 19 April the “SKYWARD – Highrise City Frankfurt”exhibition examines the history and architecture of the high-rises which are forming the city‘s skyline. In May more landmark building projects such as the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, the recently opened Musée des Confluences in Lyon, France and China’s Dalian International Conference Centre in China will be showcased in order to celebrate the 47th anniversary of Austrian architect firm COOP HIMMELB(L)AU. An absolute highlight this spring is not to be missed, Schmal recommends: “Until mid-July DAM presents the impressive and amazing works of the currently most sought after architecture photographer Iwan Baan. ‘52 weeks, 52
cities’ is a kind of visual travel diary and demonstrates global citizen Baan’s view of globalised architecture, focusing on the slum as well as boomtown.” For young explorers the museum offers exciting events scheduled throughout the year, and for the architecture aficionados a variety of lectures are part of the DAM event calendar. After having admired the architectural treasures, the DAM café is the perfect place to sit down to let the newly gained impressions sink in while enjoying great river views. www.dam-online.de Main image: Deutsches Architektur Museum. Photo: Uwe Dettmar Top: SKYWARD - Highrise City Frankfurt. Photo: Uwe Dettmar Above: Permanent exhibition. Photo: Norbert Miguletz Right: Director Peter Cachola Schmal. Photo: Lisa Farkas