How much influence does an architect have on society - and how much do political systems shape his work? The publication of the first volume of the three-part series "The architect Peter Grund and tradition in modernism" invites you to delve deep into the life and work of one of the most versatile and adaptable German architects of the 20th century. Fachhochschule Dortmund was involved in the project.
Exciting essays, current and historical photographs and critical analyses bring architectural history to life. "At the same time, we also want to initiate a discourse on responsibility, adaptation and continuity," says Stephan Gudewer, research assistant at the Faculty of Architecture.
The volume of essays is part of an interdisciplinary research project between Fachhochschule Dortmund, TU Dortmund University and Philipps University Marburg, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). In the summer of 2024, a previously unpublished book by Peter Grunds was reconstructed and published as part of the series under the title "Der Maßstab im Städtebau".
Volume 1 brings together six essays dealing with biographical aspects, networks, architecture and urban planning. Supplemented by current photographs of selected buildings, the book offers a comprehensive assessment of Peter Grund's work in Dortmund, Düsseldorf and Darmstadt. The essays shed light on his career from the Weimar Republic through National Socialism to the Federal Republic of Germany and show exemplary lines of continuity in architecture and urban planning from the German Empire to the 1960s. Two essays were written by researchers from Fachhochschule Dortmund:
- In her essay "Peter Grund - an ambitious German architect or an opportunist and willing collaborator of the Nazi regime?",Renate Kastorff-Viehmann, former professor at the Faculty of Architecture, poses critical questions about Grund's roles and entanglements in the social context. raises critical questions about Grund's roles and entanglements in the social context.
- In his essay "Peter Grund: Continuity in change - an architect's biography in three political systems",Stephan Gudewer, research assistant at the faculty, focuses on Grund's adaptation strategies across three political systems. Stephan Gudewer emphasizes: "His biography gives us an insight into how architects supported the system and seamlessly adapted to the changing circumstances. This raises questions about the lessons for the present and how to deal with his legacy."
The work is based on the scientific cataloging of Peter Grund's estate, which is distributed among various institutions.