What role do sustainability and energy efficiency play in your work – also in relation to the HELMHOUSE project?

The most sustainable buildings are often the Wilhelminian-style houses in our neighborhood. These buildings are incredibly sustainable and are still very much in demand as living space today. They are not only durable, but also require little repair – only rarely does anything need to be repaired.

Their façades are made of natural materials such as plaster and sometimes natural stone, which makes them particularly attractive. These old buildings are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also very low-maintenance compared to many modern curtain walls, which require constant maintenance. Large glass surfaces are particularly problematic as they require considerable resources not only in the production of the glass as a building material, but also later in cleaning and maintenance.

I have therefore established two main principles for sustainable building, apart from the sourcing of building materials, which is considered standard nowadays anyway:

Firstly, the façade must be solid, i.e. a façade with proportioned window openings and without large panoramic windows, which let in a lot of light but also unwanted heat and require extensive sun protection measures. Instead, natural stone is used for the façade, as it ages very well. Elements such as metal edgings and railings, which develop a beautiful bronze patina over time, also contribute to aesthetic ageing. These materials work very well in the ageing process.

Secondly, true sustainability – and I’m also talking about spiritual sustainability here – lies in the longevity of a residential property. A home should last forever because it is part of our history and the residents feel a strong connection to it. Nobody wants to live in a house that becomes unsightly over time. This form of sustainability is the most important for me. A building that still looks as beautiful after 20, 30 or 40 years as it did on the first day – that’s the real sustainability you have to consider.

How would you describe HELMHOUSE in three words?

High quality.

Sophisticated.

In love with detail.

HELMHOUSE stands for special design and material languages, modern floor plan concepts and exclusivity. What do you value when it comes to your private living space?

How I personally live is perhaps not particularly spectacular, as I travel a lot and don’t have a large family at the moment. That’s why I place less importance on my home undergoing a special development.

However, for a family living in an apartment in such an exclusive and dignified house as HELMHOUSE, it is important that the floor plans are flexible. The way a family lives and develops should not be restricted by rigid room layouts.

Rather, the floor plans should be able to be opened and closed and adapted variably over time. As the children grow up and circumstances change, the home should be able to adapt to these changes effortlessly. For me, this is the most important principle of an apartment floor plan: it must be adaptable and evolve naturally around and with the residents.

You are a role model for many young architects. Who do you yourself admire for his or her architectural work?

To be honest, I don’t have any fixed role models. I think it’s important to look around openly in all directions. It’s perfectly legitimate to like the work of an architect today, whereas 20 or 30 years ago you might have preferred something completely different. Our tastes continue to evolve and that’s why you shouldn’t focus rigidly on a single role model.

Integration played a decisive role in my career and also in the Tchoban Voss house that we developed together. Although I am not a native German, I have lived here for almost 30 years as a German citizen and have been heavily involved in German culture, business and architecture. I don’t see my experience as a role model, but rather as a guide for many people who have come to us from other countries and are now helping to shape life in Germany. This positive approach to the topic of integration is of great importance to me. It is essential that we have examples of people who have successfully integrated into a new culture, because that is always better than isolating yourself.

In this context, I would like to draw your attention to an exhibition that is currently taking place at my foundation in the Museum of Architectural Drawing. It is an exhibition by the important Italian architect Lina Bo Bardi. She began her career in Italy, where she worked with great architects of the Italian post-war period such as Gio Ponti. She later emigrated to Brazil, to São Paulo, where she set impressive accents in a completely different culture with cultural and social buildings that are regarded as role models today. For me, Lina Bo Bardi is an outstanding example of successful integration. Although her Italian roots are strong, she was able to make a significant contribution not only to Brazilian culture, but also to Latin American culture. I see her work as a role model that goes far beyond my own modest work.

 

We would like to thank Mr. Tchoban for this frank interview.

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