Interview #23 Die Betonisten
Please introduce yourself:
We are an initiative based in Mainz that campaigns for the architecture and urban development of the post-war decades. This means that we want to improve the image of these buildings, which are often disliked by society and are met with little understanding. We do this in the form of various communication formats and media to reach as many people as possible and show them new perspectives.
Die Betonisten 2022, © Die Betonisten
#1 Can you tell us a bit about your mission and how it all started?
It all began when the mayor of Mainz at the time wanted to release the town hall for demolition in the form of a referendum, which we could not accept under any circumstances. Since then, we have taken a stand for several post-war buildings in our city.
#2 You are advocating for the Mainzer town hall, which was designed by Arne Jacobsen and Otto Weitling. What fascinates you about the building? What are you trying to convey to people?
You have to realize that these Danish architects are among the most influential and best designers of the 20th century and that we have one of their major works here in Mainz.
Mainz Town Hall, © Die Betonisten
The architecture of the 1970s is often burdened with prejudices and resentments that are passed down through generations. Very few people take the time to take a closer look and form their own opinion. Those who do will realize that the town hall is a real architectural highlight. Its exterior refers to Mainz's history as a fortified city and inside, high-quality materials have been used in the furniture and fittings, which create the typical hygge feeling and are still design icons today.
#3 What are the biggest challenges regarding the preservation of Mainz town hall?
Today, the town hall is in a catastrophic state, there is no other way to say it. The technical equipment and the façade are in urgent need of renovation, which is essentially due to decades of neglect by the city administration. These past mistakes must now be fixed, which will certainly be a major challenge.
At the same time, citizens must be given greater access to their town hall. The conditions for this are in place, the city administration just needs to make better use of them, for example by using the foyer as an exhibition space again and by organizing events in the town hall square. Jacobsen once designed the building as such a lively and citizen-centered town hall.
Mainz Town Hall Facade, © Die Betonisten
#4 What fascinates you about post-war architecture in general and what are the challenges in communicating this kind of architecture to the public?
80 % of the buildings in our cities in Germany, including Mainz, are less than 80 years old. Post-war architecture is therefore a layer of architecture that we must deal with because it surrounds us every day - when we live, work or shop. However, we try to convey to people that this everyday architecture does not have to be negative but can rather be something that creates identity and that there are also some real treasures in this mass of buildings.
Even if you perceive the buildings of this period as "ugly", that doesn't mean you can't appreciate them. Architectural quality can also be expressed through completely different things, such as sophisticated lighting, strong material contrasts and good spatial concepts. Recognizing this is not always easy, but we try to point it out.
#5 Why did you decide to work in architectural mediation? What kind of positive progress can you observe in the course of your work?
We want to encourage people to open their minds, adopt new perspectives and thus improve their view on post-war architecture. These buildings have such a difficult standing in our society - often quite unjustly. We want to change that. And in many of our campaigns, we actually realize that we can make people rethink. Many have never really taken a closer look at these buildings and when we explain to them what makes them so special and worth preserving, they understand.
architectural tour 2023, © Die Betonisten
#6 What are your future plans and what else do you hope to achieve?
We have already achieved many things in recent years and our campaigns have also significantly increased our profile and influence. We would now like to utilize these achievements for the future. We will continue our small campaigns and are already planning a larger project for the current year; however, we are also considering whether we should reorganize ourselves in the future - but we won't reveal any more details yet.
#7 How do you see the role of an architect in today's society?
Architects have always played an important role in our society, as they are responsible for the design of our daily environment. Although investors are gaining more and more influence, which is also reflected in the design of buildings, architects still shape what our cities look like. They are still a strong voice when it comes to setting clear signals and implementing sustainable strategies.
Climate change will remain one of the biggest challenges for us all in the coming decades and the role of the construction sector is immense. Architects are called upon to make their contribution and repeatedly point out problems, obstacles, and the importance of political debate.
#8 How does your environment influence your work?
As long as there is construction, we will not run out of work, that much is for sure. Specifically, there will always be discussions about what architecture is good or bad, whether buildings should be demolished and what new buildings should look like. All these debates inspire us to act and to take a stand. Both successes and failures naturally increase our wealth of experience and shape our future work.
When people are inspired by us and learn to appreciate previously unloved architecture, this is of course the greatest motivation for us to keep going.
Soundperformance at Ernst-Ludwig-Platz, © Die Betonisten
#9 Three things that inspire you at the moment:
We are of course inspired by the work of other groups in our field: for example, the actions of architects for future or the architecture collective ana. Otherwise, of course, we are inspired by the architecture itself. Many of our actions arise from the existing buildings and the conditions they offer us.
#10 What do you currently read, watch, listen to?
We can particularly recommend the book by a very very good architecture initiative: "Mainz 1945-1970. Die verkannte Epoche des Wiederaufbaus". The new book "Reallabor Nachkriegsmoderne" by Olaf Gisbertz is also currently on our desk.
We enjoy listening to podcasts, for example from moderneREGIONAL or the Mainz-based format "Kaiser Talk". Otherwise, we like the relaxed sounds of the band "cinema nova".
Photo Credits: © Die Betonisten, Interview Caroline Steffen