03 Architekten Bilder bauen Bilder

Opening

The exhibition presents a series of pictures developed from the ideas and design of Munich architectural office 03 Architekten. Images illustrating architecture from the architect’s point of view (in general), and images that find their way into the most diverse media.

The fact that 03 Architekten’s planning process is shaped by the almost obsessive collection and production of images in the form of sketches, photo models, renderings and associative themes, serves as the basis of this exhibition concept. When these pictures are published in public or by a building contractor, they operate – depending on the form of interest – as a political, economic or creative tool. For the architect it does not only imply presenting a project in his own way and holding the anticipated discourse. One cannot rule out the possibility that images mutate into a purely decorative vehicle, since they do not only serve as communicative support between architect and builder, but rather are used for project marketing. To address customers with purchasing power, the spectrum reaches from professional journals to so-called “builder-leaflets”. In this balancing act of receptivity, one cannot eliminate the possibility that a completely different image will end up in the public than the architects originally intended.

Reflecting on their own experiences, 03 Architekten are interested in the following issues: Does society’s trust in images ultimately lead to the prevalence of fictive images over real constructed objects? To what extent is architecture not only defined by space or facade, but rather by its image? And finally: How does the architect deal with the situation, if he, as the composer, can only control the way images of his work are handled to a limited extent? Then as varied the handling of the image might be, it always signifies the profession’s self-expression as the image of real, constructed objects. With this exhibition, 03 Architekten focus on how they deal with this circuit and also make an essential part of their mode of practice clear. The simultaneous projection of four images is completed by an installation by artist Matthias Männer. His oversized showcases direct the view from the street into the gallery and back.

Parallel to the exhibition in Berlin, 03 Architekten are showing how space is dealt with in their native city with the exhibition “Könnte München sein” (“Could be Munich”) at the Architekturgalerie München (March 11 – April 24, 2010).