INTERVIEW HELMUT JAHN - ArchIdea

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COLOPHON ArchIdea aims to be a mouthpiece for architects that by their work, opinions and ideas have significance for their fellow-architects, interior designers, and everybody with a special interest in the architectural horizon, from all over the world. ArchIdea is a biannual publication and is distributed world-wide. The editors emphatically declare that they are not responsible for opinions and statements expressed in articles. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the Publisher. The Publisher has made efforts to ensure that all obligations arising from the Copyright Act with regard to the illustrations in this magazine have been complied with. Copyright owners of materials used in this issue whom we have been unable to contact and feel they have rights should contact the Publisher. Editorial office: ArchIdea P .O. Box 13 NL-1560 AA Krommenie www.archidea.com Editor: W. J. F. Burmanje News editors: T. Cole, J-C. Iversen, W. Rijkhoff, K. Toner Production coordination: W. Rijkhoff, K. Toner Interviews: E. Mik, Amsterdam 2 3 FRONT COVER: HOTEL KEMPINSKY, MUNICH, GERMANY PHOTO: H.G. ESCH Design & layout: Dedato designers and architects, Amsterdam Architectural & Aesthetical Consultant: J. de Pauw Typeset and colour reproduction: Bloem Digital Imaging, Wormer Print: Kwak & Van Daalen & Ronday, Zaandam Circulation: 89.000 4-11 12-15 16-33 34-35 CONTENTS INTERVIEW HELMUT JAHN The American-German architect Helmut Jahn strives for openness and transparency in his buildings. To him, a building must be like a city, with the interaction between inside and outside, and between private and public space that is so typical of a city. FOCUS ON INTERIORS AIRPORTS Commerce is a new theme in international airport design. Large airports, like Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands, have become complete cities. Other airports, like Seoul’s Incheon Airport in Korea, focus on efficiency and functionality. At Sondica Airport near Bilbao, Spain, form and function go hand in hand. PROJECTS The interiors of several projects involving the use of floors and furniture surfacing from Forbo Flooring are included as a form of inspiration. The projects are located in various parts of the world and show the many possibilities provided by Forbo’s products. SUMMARY The summaries of both interview and article have been translated into 14 languages. Four translations are included in this publication; for the remaining translations please refer to our website: www.archidea.com
‘I STRIVE FOR AN ARCHITECTURE FROM WHICH NOTHING CAN BE TAKEN AWAY’ Photo: Udo Hesse Helmut Jahn: During the interview at his office in Chicago, the architect Helmut Jahn explained why it is so hard to make good architecture in the United States and why he could do such good work in Europe. ‘When I came to America in the sixties,’ he said, ‘it was the place to be. I wonder if I’d come here today.’ SONY CENTER, BERLIN, GERMANY (1999/2000) Glass walls suspended from thin metal structures, office buildings grouped in a triangle with an oval in the middle, a central square protected from the rain by a glass roof which seems to float in the air like a giant umbrella - the Sony Center in Berlin is pivotal in the oeuvre of the German-American architect Helmut Jahn (1940), president of the architectural firm Murphy/Jahn. The Center manifests what his architecture of the last ten years is all about: layering, openness and transparency. Rather than a closed fortress, the Center is a city within the city, with minimal technical provisions and the maximum use of natural resources. Never before has Jahn managed to bring together all these qualities so well, nor to elaborate them so distinctly and consistently. - What promoted this leap forward? ‘The input from engineers. The collaboration with Werner Sobek for the structure and with Matthias Schuler for the environmental aspects. They really made me think differently about façades, about different looks for different buildings, which is not only an aesthetic but also a technical effort. I learned to think about the consequences of our designs on the structure, on the systems. And a good engineer thinks in reverse and asks himself about the stylistic consequences of the components and systems he proposes. I’ve always tried to combine these things; I’ve been wrestling with this for years. And when I think of some of my earlier work, it really seems a fortunate coincidence that I succeeded. I’m lucky to have this dialogue and analysis. Most architects say: I want to use this type of glass, even if it’s too reflective or doesn’t let enough light in. However, the use of a certain type of glass might change the comfort level; the mechanical side might have to be adapted, and maybe more air should be fed in. ‘We want our buildings to work like a machine - a machine that will create a pleasurable environment. To some degree our buildings regulate climate through the way they control the shades, the operable windows, the lighting and the air systems. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. For example, in Germany - where individuals like to exercise their freedom of choice - those who hate to have their sunshades down at 10 in the morning override the systems. They want to look out the window; they don’t care if the sun shines in.’ - So how can one judge whether a building performs successfully, whether it’s really pleasurable? ‘A building is hard to judge. It takes many years to find out whether it works. It’s not as simple as asking the people in the office whether they like it. And I’m not talking about the applause from critics or outsiders. They’re entitled to have an opinion - but how can they judge how comfortable a building is? No critic is smart enough to judge how a building will perform over time. Another problem in evaluating architectural engineering is that every building is a prototype. No two are alike; you’ve to find new solutions each and every time.’ Helmut Jahn 5
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