Modern architects give exhibition a strong foundation

Edward O'Daly

6 October 2006: An international exhibition of designs by leading architects of the 1920s has stopped at the University of Canberra on its world tour.

The design gallery in building 7 is the only place in the country the works can be seen before the exhibition moves to New Zealand later this month.

HE Mr Lutz, pictured with the Goethe Institute's Nicky Novy, took a close interest in the designs as he's in the process of building his own home Photo: Kimberly Douglas

The exhibition is a recreation of an original 1927 exhibition, the International Planning and Model Exhibition of New Architecture that toured 17 European cities and showcased works by the most famous architects of the day.

"All you can see in these two wonderful rooms was planned or built before 1927. It was the beginning of modern architecture all over Europe," curator Karin Kirsch said.

The exhibition was officially opened by German Ambassador, HE Martin Lutz, who - speaking after Professor Kirsch, University of Newcastle professor of architecture built environment Peter Droege and head of the School of Design and Architecture Craig Bremner - joked he was the "least qualified person" to talk on the subject.

"But I take a strong interest in architecture because I'm in the process of building my own family home in Germany," he said.

Professor of architecture Stephen Frith said back in the 1920s the buildings featured in the exhibition made waves across Europe with their striking modernist designs.

"In the early 1920s, the German Government sponsored the creation of a model 'village' of contemporary modern housing near Stuttgart," he said.

"The buildings proved to be highly controversial."

The architects responded by taking their designs on the road with the 1927 travelling exhibition, which has now been recreated.

" The exhibition displays reproductions of drawings and models of buildings of some of the most famous architects of the twentieth century, including Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius, Mies van der Rohe, including his glass highrise project in Berlin of 1921," Professor Frith added.

"This is a unique opportunity to view an excellent exhibition."

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