商品簡介
Architects usually try to create finished buildings, i. e. coherent works of architecture for eternity. Butdoes this claim stand up to reality? Should that be the claim at all? After all, it can- not be ruled out thatthe building will change after completion. Inspired by references from architectural history, art andanthropology, the young Kaiser Shen studio developed various theses at the beginning of its practice andtested them on the basis of its own projects. Central to this is the question of how buildings change intheir lifespan due to external influences and what this change means for permanence in architecture andfor the idea of space.In earlier times, it was common practice to build on existing structures. Thus, in most buildings thathave survived for several centuries, countless layers of time overlap. This can be seen particularly clearlyin the additions and conversions of churches for example. Due to new framework conditions andrequirements for use, buildings were always pragmatically developed further in the currently validarchitectural style. Often, only experts are able to distinguish be- tween the different time periods. Only afew buildings are considered so outstanding by society that they are conserved and musealised in afixed time layer. However, such conservation is rather unnatural and can only be justified in exceptionalcases. In this book, therefore, promising strategies are to be pointed out as to how unfinished houses, with rooms lacking special qualities, can be further built and adapted to the present frameworkconditions.For Atelier Kaiser Shen, a good structure means developing a future-proof spatial idea, and this cannotbe reduced to the supporting structure. When building further, it should be possible to build on thisarchitectural-spatial idea. Since a conversion can even destroy it in extreme cases, it is important tocreate a potential that is recognised and taken up by those who continue to build. Ideally, the buildingshould have such a strong spatial idea that it can survive future renovations and still be viable.
