Stuttgart: Architectural History Preserved
Seeing Stuttgart for the first time was an experience I won’t forget. I was always appreciate the opportunity to see a city with rich history but Stuttgart stands out. Unlike many cities in the US, Stuttgart’s history is steeped in tradition. From classic 18th and 19th century homes packed together in a community-oriented manner, to modern glass paneled 20 story buildings, Stuttgart has it all. Upon our arrival to the city, we checked in at the Premier Inn and got some much needed rest before heading out to Wirtshaus Lautenschlager for dinner. At dinner, we had the opportunity to converse with Thorsten Donn, head planner for the city of Stuttgart. Over beer and schnitzel, we delved into the complexities of designing a contemporary city that balances walk-ability with preserving its significant historical character.
After our dinner, we toured the city with Thorsten as our guide where he expanded on the topics discussed at dinner and allowed for questions. I took advantage of this opportunity, asking him about his team of architects and structural engineers that help to bring his urban planning visions to life. I am very interested in both architecture and structural engineering and speaking to him about how these two professions look in Germany was a learning opportunity for me. In the US, architects are often underpaid and underappreciated while structural engineers, similarly, are underpaid for the amount of liability they assume when they oversee projects. Large civil projects like bridges and housing complexes involve a lot of planning and have little margin for error with the potential for catastrophic consequences. In Germany, Thorsten recognized that there may be a shortage of these specialized workers, but that they were critical to his team’s success. Thorsten regularly meets with architects about civil planning projects and remarked that on many occasions, they were of utmost importance in ensuring that the spaces they create blend in well with the structures that have been in Stuttgart for hundreds of years. In the US, we rarely preserve structures and often build over previous buildings when they no longer fit the needs of society. This is unsustainable and is something I have strongly disliked as architectural history should be celebrated and preserved like it is in so much of the rest of the world. While our country is much younger than Germany, we should learn from them about repurposing instead of rebuilding. I’m grateful for the fresh perspective Thorsten offered me and for the time we spent together on my first night in Stuttgart. The conversations we had have motivated me to want to learn more in the future.
Two final questions I have are 1) What strategies and policies can cities in the United States implement to integrate sustainable architecture and enhance walkability, promoting both environmental health and community well-being? And 2) How can urban planners and architects in the U.S. balance the demands of modern infrastructure with the need for sustainable development and walkable communities, especially in rapidly growing or densely populated areas?
Image Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neues_Schloss_(Stuttgart)
