Introduction to the exhibition opening by Grieger Harzer Dvorak Landscape Architects on May 16, 2024, at the Architekturgalerie Berlin
by Christoph Richter.
From the accompanying text to the exhibition:
What constitutes high-quality open space today? Grieger Harzer Dvorak answer this question with formally undogmatic landscape architecture that takes social, ecological, and economic functions for granted. At the same time, however, their designs also pursue themes that go beyond the formal or functional. These include open space as a repository of history, a forum for public expression of opinion, and a place for immersive experiences of nature. This openness allows them to take “pleasure in designing,” which generates an additional quality in their projects and contributes significantly to their success.
Until a few years ago, landscape architects found it difficult to integrate the formal language and elements of historical garden design into their work. After all, they did not want to limit themselves to the construction tasks of gardens and parks and did not see themselves as gardeners. Grieger Harzer Dvorak, on the other hand, combine the formal language of different styles to create a contemporary expression. Visitors can thus encounter a minimalist design that, just around the corner, can surprisingly escalate into something ornamental and even opulent—or vice versa.
Today, open spaces should be barrier-free, offer opportunities for play and sport, promote biodiversity, and have a positive impact on the climate. In addition, components should be easy to maintain and repair, and building materials should be reusable. Grieger Harzer Dvorak consider these requirements to be self-evident design elements that do not need to be prominently displayed. That is why they place rainwater storage elements inconspicuously beneath the surface of the space, which in turn integrates sports and play elements, barrier-free ramps, shade-providing trees, native plants, and photovoltaic systems in an unobtrusive manner. In their exhibition, Grieger Harzer Dvorak illustrate the themes mentioned at the beginning using a park in Kempten, an experimental garden in Leipzig, and a city square in Hanover. Like the projects themselves, the room-filling installation designed for this purpose is a collage of different forms, media, and materials that complement each other and merge into one another.
Grieger Harzer Dvorak Landscape Architects was founded in Berlin in 2018. Their services include open spaces such as city squares, gardens, parks, promenades, and residential courtyards in urban and rural areas of all sizes, as well as urban planning. Most of their projects are based on competitions they have won, such as Kempten City Park (2017), Bavarian State Garden Show and Papenburg South City Entrance (both 2023). Current projects include the Kelbra Crane Experience Center (architecture: Richter Musikowski), the redesign of Steintorplatz in Hanover, and Franz-Naumann-Platz in Berlin.
pikka pekane
