Das halbrunde Zimmer

lehmbruck museum// duisburg

architect: manfred lehmbruck

completion: 1964/1987

the museum dedicated to the sculptor wilhelm lehmbruck was designed by manfred lehmbruck, one of the artist's sons, to house his father's collection. in addition to his works, other modern artists are exhibited and socio-political themes are addressed.

das dem bildhauer wilhelm lehmbruck gewidmete museum wurde von manfred lehmbruck, einem der söhne des künstlers entworfen, um die sammlung des vaters aufzunehmen. neben dessen werken werden auch weitere moderne künstler:innen und gesellschaftspolitische themen ausgestellt.

film: agfa apx 400

liebfrauenkirche duisburg // duisburg mitte

architect: toni hermanns

relief on the front facade: "moses und der brennende dornbusch" karl heinz türk

completion: 1961

during my visit, i didn't realise what a pearl of modern church architecture duisburg has to offer. i think that even the few photos i took show the building's uniqueness. the church has been deconsecrated for a few years now and is used as a cultural centre. in any case, i have yet to visit the interior, because i hear it's fantastic.

bei meinem besuch war mir gar nicht bewusst welche perle des modernen kirchenbaues sich in duisburg befindet. ich finde selbst die wenigen aufnahmen die entstanden sind, zeigen die besonderheit des bauwerkes. seit mehreren jahren ist die kirche profaniert und kulturort. auf jeden fall muss ich das innere noch besuchen, denn der innenausbau soll fantastisch sein.

roonstraße // köln kwartier latäng

fish is not always inside where fish is labelled.

nicht immer sind fische da zu finden wo fische draufsteht.

mauritiuswall // köln mauritiusviertel

time and again you come across hidden gems of modern architecture in cologne. it's worth wandering through the side streets and discovering them.

immer wieder stößt man in köln auf versteckte kleinode der modernen architektur egal welcher stilrichtung. es lohnt sich durch die nebenstraßen zu streifen und sie zu entdecken.

uni-center // köln sülz

completion: 1973

architect:  werner ingendaay

the uni-center in cologne sülz is the defining building for the surrounding districts and an omnipresent landmark when you walk around it. it offers different views at any time of day or night, be it through the colourful awnings or illuminated windows.

das uni-center in köln sülz ist das prägendste Gebäude für die umliegenden stadtviertel und eine omnipräsente wegmarke wenn man drumherum unterwegs ist. zu jeder tages- und nachtzeit bieten sich unterschiedliche ansichten, sei es durch die bunten balkonmarkisen oder erleuchtete fensterfronten.

kettengasse // köln apostel viertel

architect: karl band

built in the 50s

the simple post-war modernist building made of brick with concrete elements not only impresses with its design, which makes optimum use of the built-up area, but also with the integration of old building elements to give it a new, valuable use.

das schlichte gebäude der nachkriegsmoderne aus backstein mit betonelementen besticht nicht nur in seiner gestalt in der es optimal die bebaute fläche ausnutzt sondern auch in der integration alter bauelemente um dieser wieder einer neuen wertigen Nutzung zuzuführen.

heute ist das haus ein reines geschäfts- und bürohaus ohne wohnnutzung.

gisbertstraße // köln stammheim

the times when you could smoke everywhere are thankfully over, but the advertising from back then is still there. i love this typography from the 50s very much and hope that it will be preserved for a long time to come and that it will be made to shine again.

buschgasse // köln südstadt

a successful post-war development on a street corner in cologne's südstadt. the white clinker bricks at the base level form a perfect unit with the natural-coloured clinker bricks and the balconies. only these scooters are a nuisance. they now spoil the architecture in the city more than any cars.

karl-schwering-platz // köln lindenthal

stained glass window and sgraffito on the house of a catholic student fraternity. the fraternity moved into the post-war modern house in 1959, around which time it is estimated that it was built. the house thus belongs to the large number of buildings in lindenthal that were built in the mid-century era and still characterise lindenthal today. it is one of the simpler buildings, with the only decoration being the small sgraffito and the windows.

city hall stolberg // stolberg (rhineland)

completion: 1977

stolberg town hall is a prime example of brutalism in the rhineland. a solitary building in the old town whose special feature is the stilts on which the front of the main building rests. unfortunately, the building was damaged during the flood of 2021 and is to be demolished. An unparalleled disappointment.

dagobertstraße // köln eigelstein

shape and colour determine the design of the shop front of the glaziery. the craftsmanship practised here is reflected in even the smallest details. hopefully they will never consider redesigning the façade, which really is a total work of art.

gildenhaus // essen innenstadt

architects: wilhelm & hans eggeling

completion: 1955

the essen gildenhaus is a fine example of post-war modernism in the ruhr region and of international style. high-rise buildings had finally arrived in the city centres of german cities, helped of course by the destruction of the war and the resulting new spatial planning that was carried out in most cities.

europahaus // essen innenstadt

former amerikahaus ruhr

architect: herman gehrig

completion: 1952

relief by herbert lungwitz

the former amerikahaus ruhr, which is now called europahaus and houses a cabaret, was built as an information centre to bring democratic culture and political education to the population of post-war germany. the building is in a very good state of preservation and continues to be the focal point of the square in the centre of essen.

stammstraße // köln ehrenfeld

the little tiled gap filler. simple but at the same time varied due to the many small stones in different shades of green and brown in the socle. one can only hope that, despite the (necessary) energy debate, such façades are not simply insulated away, as so often happens in the meantime, or that other solutions are found, because uniform grey or white streets are the consequence.

waldecker straße // köln buchforst

a playful solution with these colourful tiles that was only used in the area of the windows and doors and makes the ground floor something special.

theodor-heuss-ring // köln eigelsteinviertel 

the only decoration of this house is the large abstract glass window that dominates the entrance. this is precisely what makes it so special, as nothing about it repudiates it.

theodor-heuss-ring // köln kunibertsviertel

architects:  paul doetsch & johann herbert klaucke

completion: 1936

and once again the theodor-heuss-ring. for me, the street of representative post-war modernism in neustadt-nord. what i particularly like here is that the buildings, with the park in the middle of the ring, have a completely different effect than similar ensembles in the densely built-up inner city. not to mention the special quality of stay for the residents.