Discover Germany | Special Theme | World Architecture Festival
Main: Hanseplatz 1, Korbach. Photo: Cornelia Suhan Bottom left: Hanseplatz 1, Korbach. Photo: Cornelia Suhan Bottom middle: Am Hauptbahnhof 10A. Photo: Christoph Hesse Top right: Hanseplatz 1, Korbach. Photo: Christoph Hesse Bottom right: Lebenshilfe. Photo: Christoph Hesse
ChristophHesseArchitects create sculptural yet earthbound constructions For ChristophHesseArchitects, the truth lies in the ground. Their architecture is marked by an intrinsic knowledge of the connection between nature and human living surroundings, resulting in a profound sense for the inner quality of a space, the ‘genius loci’. Their design, equally dynamic and organic, makes for awardwinning architecture. TEXT: CORNELIA BRELOWSKI
A piece of memory – an intuitive feeling for a place, certain wishes or a personal longing, of such nature are important aspects that for ChristophHesseArchitects come to life in pre-planning talks with builders and investors. They then become the initial spark, influencing the design as a whole and forming a line through the entire process, right up to handover. As rational as construction itself can and has to be, that initial spark is being kept and honored and in the end results in sculptural, earthbound forms and outlines, looking both dynamic and organic at the same time. 104 | Issue 43 | October 2016
A feeling of attachment to his rural home has always been of importance for Christoph Hesse. Though he did not shy away from taking a couple of years away from Europe, he eventually returned to his very own corner of the world in North Hesse where he opened his own office in 2008 in the town of Korbach. This “corner of the world” was recently labelled one of the most innovative parts of Europe. Apart from his studies at the Zurich-based ETH Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, he went to Harvard School of Design for postgraduate studies and subsequent-
ly taught summer school courses there as well. Hesse describes the architecture and design department at Harvard as a multinational place with a great deal of European influence and professors of European descent, including Rem Koolhaas and Jacques Herzog. Here, he deepened his interest in urban planning and design. With the ‘Neues Museum’ project in Berlin, led by David Chipperfield’s office, the architect has also gathered experience in working within a huge team on a unique task in a place ripe with historical reference. Christoph Hesse frequently lectures on the topic of sustainable urban design. He also teaches at TU Darmstadt on international urban design for the Mundus Urbano Master of Science programme. The Cairo university press will publish his new handbook on “green urban design” at the beginning of next year, a follow-up on his “green housing” handbook.