The German architecture magazine BAUMEISTER asked long-standing partner at OMA, Reinier de Graaf, to curate the June edition. In this issue he examines the relationship between architecture and capital in an attempt to understand its impact. Under the title ‘For Whom We Build’, the issue addresses the question of the beneficiary of the architect’s work in the 21st century.
There are many reasons for which buildings are being built. Common sense would make one say it is because we need them. But buildings are also a profitable investment. (Worth over US$280 trillion, real estate is today’s most valuable asset, 3.5 times higher than the global GDP). Buildings bring fame (to the city, to the client and sometimes to the architect). Buildings are meant to serve the many but are sometimes enjoyed just by a few. To navigate between the intricacies of today’s architecture production it is perhaps not a bad idea to listen to the ones that initiate architecture projects – commonly known as the clients. With contributions from Erion Veliaj, the mayor of Tirana, Christiane Thalgott, former Planning Commissioner for the city of Munich, and Michael Stern, CEO of JDS Development Group, Baumeister curated by Reinier de Graaf is an architecture magazine without architects speaking to architects.
OMA is one of the most renowned architectural offices in the world. The company founded by Rem Koolhaas — with headquarters in Rotterdam and offices in New York, Hong Kong, Beijing, Dubai, Doha and Brisbane — has had an enormous influence on the international architecture scene since the 1980s. OMA has projects around the world, including the CCTV headquarters in Beijing, the Fondazione Prada in Milan and the Casa da Música in Porto. They also designed the Axel Springer Campus in Berlin, which is currently under construction. In Baumeister magazine alone, OMA’s projects have been published a total of 37 times and have appeared on the cover on six occasions.
The German architecture magazine BAUMEISTER asked long-standing partner at OMA, Reinier de Graaf, to curate the June edition. In this issue he examines the relationship between architecture and capital in an attempt to understand its impact. Under the title ‘For Whom We Build’, the issue addresses the question of the beneficiary of the architect’s work in the 21st century.
There are many reasons for which buildings are being built. Common sense would make one say it is because we need them. But buildings are also a profitable investment. (Worth over US$280 trillion, real estate is today’s most valuable asset, 3.5 times higher than the global GDP). Buildings bring fame (to the city, to the client and sometimes to the architect). Buildings are meant to serve the many but are sometimes enjoyed just by a few. To navigate between the intricacies of today’s architecture production it is perhaps not a bad idea to listen to the ones that initiate architecture projects – commonly known as the clients. With contributions from Erion Veliaj, the mayor of Tirana, Christiane Thalgott, former Planning Commissioner for the city of Munich, and Michael Stern, CEO of JDS Development Group, Baumeister curated by Reinier de Graaf is an architecture magazine without architects speaking to architects.
OMA is one of the most renowned architectural offices in the world. The company founded by Rem Koolhaas — with headquarters in Rotterdam and offices in New York, Hong Kong, Beijing, Dubai, Doha and Brisbane — has had an enormous influence on the international architecture scene since the 1980s. OMA has projects around the world, including the CCTV headquarters in Beijing, the Fondazione Prada in Milan and the Casa da Música in Porto. They also designed the Axel Springer Campus in Berlin, which is currently under construction. In Baumeister magazine alone, OMA’s projects have been published a total of 37 times and have appeared on the cover on six occasions.
