Welcome to our Second Virtual Conference on Brutalism Via Zoom
 

Wednesday, June 29,  2022 
10:00 am to 16:00 pm (cest)     
11:00 am – 17:00 israel time

In January 2022 we learned about the genesis of brutalist architecture and debated its accaptance and handling in Israel and North Rhine-Westphalia and received great feedback.

Brutal Change – a conference on the conservation, renovation and climate-efficient use of brutalist buildings.

is a binational project between Israel and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that deals with the brutalist building typologies of modernism.

Both Israel and North Rhine-Westphalia have an extensive heritage in the Brutalist style. However, these buildings and urban planning schemes are highly controversial. Experts in both countries have therefore begun to raise public awareness of the historical, aesthetic and social significance of these buildings and to engage in an open exchange. The handling of the objects for preservation and repurposing is also being investigated. What questions, requirements and opportunities arise in the course of redevelopment?

• What makes a brutalist building worth protecting or why should it rather be demolished?
• What criteria must Brutalist architecture fulfill for preservation and conversion?
• How does the conversion of brutalist buildings proceed and succeed

The sustainable use of raw materials and resources, as well as of the building fabric in general, is a very current and important topic that is of enormous concern to the entire professional world, but also to building owners and users. Experts will report from the perspective of building research and restoration, conversion culture as well as material research and preservation of historical monuments. The aim is to draw attention to an architecture that is often criticised and whose conversion and restoration often seems to be resisted. But why is this the case and what opportunities are there in addressing it?

Exciting experts from Israel and Germany will share their expertise with us. In discussions, lectures, and roundtables we will learn more about similarities and differences of German and Israeli Brutalism.

The Conference will be the sequel of a multi-year exchange program on building culture in both countries.