Interview by Florian Heilmeyer
Why did you move from New York to Berlin in 1994?
I had finished my studies at Princeton. Starting to work as an architect in NYC would have meant staying in the context that I had studied in. Also, in 1994 there was this feeling of a great upheaval in Berlin, that the city was reinventing itself, and that there would be amazing opportunities. To me it seemed much more interesting to bring the architectural approach that I had used during my time at Princeton to Berlin, to test it in a new context. In some way, it would have felt stupid not to do so.
But the hope that after the fall of the Berlin Wall the city would embrace progressive architecture was not fulfilled. What made you stay?
You’re right: In the 1990s it only took one look at the juries for me to know that I needn’t bother taking part in Berlin’s architecture competitions. It was clear from the start that I wouldn’t have a chance, given my approach. The architecture debate in Berlin was rather superficial, focused heavily on buildings and façades. Although the divides between many other disciplines were already beginning to soften at that time, this wasn’t the case in architecture. It was extremely helpful that I could exhibit my work in New York, so I set up my office to have an international scope from the start. It wasn’t until the completion of our first building in 2002 that we were gradually accepted in Germany as architects.
Still, I have never regretted coming here. Berlin is certainly not an exciting place to be in terms of its current architecture – but it is a place where you can meet and work with an incredible amount of interesting people.
That’s true: Berlin is full of interesting people – architects included. But it still has remained a city with a pretty obvious lack of interesting contemporary architecture, with just very few exceptions to this rule.
Of course! After the fall of the Wall, Berlin’s building policy was committed to the reconstruction of an essentially inconspicuous city. Since then, investors have had little interest in unconventional architecture, because they know this means more resistance, which would mean delays – for them it’s simply a greater financial risk. What’s missing here are daring investors and political will.
But I don’t know if this is much different in Berlin than in other cities. You have to look hard to find courageous architecture, no matter where you are.
Jürgen Mayer Hermann is a german architect and artist. Born in 1965 in Stuttgart, he studied architecture at Stuttgart University, The Cooper Union (NYC) and Princeton before moving to Berlin in 1994 where he founded his office J. MAYER H. in 1996. The studio focuses on works at the intersection of architecture, communication and new technology. From urban planning schemes and buildings to installation work and objects with new materials, the relationship between the human body, technology and nature form the background for a new production of space.
What is Berlin architecture missing today? And where do we go from here?
The big projects in particular continue to be driven by 1990s standards. There still hasn’t been a counter-model for a different kind of architecture that can stand up to that. I have never understood why in Berlin, and also in the rest of Germany, there is so much public funding and media support for fashion, art, film, and design, but hardly any for young, avant-garde architecture. Innovative architecture should be a central focus of public interest. It’s not so much a loss for the good young architects in Berlin – they can find commissions elsewhere– it’s a loss for the city and its inhabitants.
So, where do we go? In the last few years, a few examples for new kinds of architecture have been appearing all over Berlin...most of them rather small in scale, but this is encouraging anyway. We’ll have to wait and see what is still possible.
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