Kaiser, F: Unfertige Häuser

Architects usually try to create »finished« buildings, i. e. coherent works of architecture for eternity. But does this claim stand up to reality? Should that be the claim at all? After all, it cannot be ruled out that the building will change after completion. Inspired by references from architectural history, art and anthropology, the young Kaiser Shen studio developed various theses at the beginning of its practice and tested them on the basis of its own projects. Central to this is the question of how buildings change in their lifespan due to external influences and what this change means for permanence in architecture
and for the idea of space.
In earlier times, it was common practice to build on existing structures. Thus, in most buildings that have survived for several centuries, countless layers of time overlap. This can be seen particularly clearly in the additions and conversions of churches for example. Due to new framework conditions and requirements for use, buildings were always pragmatically developed
further in the currently valid architectural style. Often, only experts are able to distinguish between the different time periods. Only a few buildings are considered so outstanding by society that they are conserved and musealised in a fixed time layer. However, such conservation is rather unnatural and can only be justified in exceptional cases. 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 framework conditions.
For Atelier Kaiser Shen, a good structure means developing a future-proof spatial idea, and this cannot be reduced to the supporting structure. When building further, it should be possible to build on this architectural-spatial idea. Since a con- version can even destroy it in extreme cases, it is important to create a potential that is recognised and taken up by those
who continue to build. Ideally, the building should have such a strong spatial idea that it can survive future renovations and still be viable.