Focus of teaching

The complexity of the tasks as well as the experience of the international office activities of gmp have been the inspiration for the selection of priorities for the workshops. The experience has shown that there are primarily three aspects of architecture, which have proven to be of vital importance for all projects of the office. Their interpretation determines the success of architecture and its ability to be exported.

1. Sustainability
Sustainable, environmentally friendly building activity belongs to the most important challenges in the future in regard to contemporary climate awareness. This is particularly valid for the future of the city and urban planning. Sustainability must also be created in aesthetic and social terms. No wellthought-out ecobalance can give a building sustainability if it follows short-term fashion movements or is against any social, historical or cultural context.

2. Transformation of the traditional into the modern
How can tradition, history and cultural memory survive, from an architectural and urban point of view, in this frantic time of social change and technological acceleration? Is the historical and regional richness at risk in architecture? How can the balance between past and future be managed?

How can innovation be generated out of this transformation? Indeed, these questions have always had particularly important meaning the architecture as art in a social context.

3. Icon, metaphor, identity
Buildings represent a symbolism which attaches particular importance to architecture, but also a particular responsibility. Landmarks, monuments, as well as stadiums or government constructions: they stand for themselves and also represent something outside the architecture. The monumental can represent human size and thus become a projected area of positive identification. At the same time it can, like the Tower of Babel, symbolise human weakness and amount to a built curse. Designing in this range is a balancing act and one of the biggest challenges for any architect.