Lucius & Annemarie Burckhardt Professorship

The professorship focuses in particular on the work of Lucius Burckhardt (1925–2003), who, together with Annemarie Burckhardt (1930–2012), researched and taught at the University of Kassel in the Department of Architecture, Urban Planning and Landscape Planning from 1972 to 1997. Since the early 1950s, Lucius Burckhardt has dealt extensively with questions of the design of our environment, moving between the disciplines of architecture, urban planning, landscape design, design, sociology, economics and art history.

His topics included the prerequisites for architecture, design and planning on the one hand, and their consequences for society on the other. In his questions and formulas: Who plans the planning? Why is landscape beautiful? Design is invisible, Destroyed by care, or The smallest possible intervention, he summarised his observations and insights and, in the 1980s, found a name for his field: promenadology or strollology. Annemarie and Lucius opened up new perspectives for many students – not only those studying design subjects. They left their mark on Kassel with numerous projects, such as "documenta urbana – sichtbarmachen" (documenta urbana – making visible) in 1982 and "Die Fahrt nach Tahiti" (The Trip to Tahiti) in 1987 in Kassel's Dönche. Lucius Burckhardt: "Certain perspectives can probably only be conveyed through art, as the limitation of vision is so widespread today that people hardly have the distance to overcome it. Only art can convey this without being didactic or hurtful."

The course in this area conveys the diverse and complex themes of this life's work, questions its significance for design in our present day and aims to further develop the ideas of Annemarie & Lucius Burckhardt in seminars and projects. In addition, a Lucius Burckhardt Convention is convened at irregular intervals, full-day international symposia with lectures by guests who studied with the Burckhardts, have dealt intensively with their life and work, or whose work is conceptually similar and contributes to further development, such as the 1st Lucius Burckhardt Convention on 17 May 2014 and the 2nd Lucius Burckhardt Convention on 17 June 2017 at the Kassel Art Academy.

Further information: www.lucius-burckhardt.org

Schmitz, Martin

Schmitz, Martin

Lucius & Annemarie Burckhardt Professorship

Exhibitions, projects, publications (a selection)

Tramways – The “network reform” in Kassel (2016 summer semester)

Regardless of the relationship that designers have with trams, now or in the future, they should know this: what are the benefits of the most beautiful design for a tram if it does not operate at night? The project focused on how things might deteriorate if a so-called network reform – like the one planned by the Kassel Transport Authority – is introduced. Interviews were conducted with passengers and the history of the relationship between individual and public transport was discussed.

“documenta urbana – sichtbarmachen”. Initiative on the 60th anniversary of “documenta”

A “documenta urbana – sichtbarmachen” exhibition was held in Kassel in the summer of 1982. What was it? Ideas were gathered by international participants – including so-called lay persons – for 15 locations in the inner city of Kassel on how each place could develop or what was missing there. How could this idea be communicated or be made visible to the public 33 years later to mark the jubilee? The project involved a design for this communications process, ranging from the design intervention in the outdoor space to the production/design of other helpful media alongside the Rundgang (guided tour) in July 2015.

2015 Frankfurt Book Fair – new books about design

New books about design. Which books about design were published in 2015? The seminar during the 2015/16 winter semester started with an excursion to the Book Fair in Frankfurt. All the participants made personal contact with publishing houses, selected new publications in line with their personal interests and special focus, presented the books in the seminar and wrote a review.

Our library should become more attractive!

The changes during the last 25 years related to the medium of books, ranging from desktop publishing to Amazon, also affect libraries. Has their role changed? What should the library at our college of fine arts look like in future? The spectrum within this project (2014/15 winter semester) ranged from media theory to specific designs and they have been incorporated in the current library planning work. The photo shows the presentation of the designs.

Lucius Burckhardt Convention

The first Lucius Burckhardt Convention (2014 summer semester). Preparing, designing and completing a full-day symposium at the Kunsthochschule.