Editorship
Elisabeth Blum, Jesko Fezer, Günther Fischer, Angelika Schnell
Not unjustly referred to as legendary, this series of books on the
history and theory of architecture and urban development was founded in
1963 by Ulrich Conrads, who was joined by Peter Neitzke as a co-editor
of the series in the early 1980s. Now numbering over 150 titles, it is
the most comprehensive German-language book series covering these
fields. Following the deaths of the two longtime editors Ulrich Conrads
(2013) and Peter Neitzke (2015), a new editorial committee was formed to
continue their work: Elisabeth Blum, Jesko Fezer, Günther Fischer and
Angelika Schnell. As the future editors of this series, it is our aim to
maintain the course set by our forerunners.
The series has fulfilled its original aim of taking stock of the
constructional and urban planning ideas and realizations formulated and
achieved over the twentieth century in exemplary fashion. The Bauwelt
Fundament series actually represents a history of ideas in the fields
of planning and building that extends from the beginning of the
twentieth century into the present.
The second objective of the series, one that is anchored in its very
name, will also continue to guide the development of the series, namely
the publication of foundational thought - authoritative and
fundamental - rather than passing opinion, of theses and polemics
relating to the burning architectural and urban planning themes of the
time. Penetrating complex interrelationships and probing them with
systematic analysis provides the prerequisite for fruitful discourse and
ongoing debate.
As a forum for such discourses and contributions, the Bauwelt
Fundamente series is maintaining its focus on the areas of architecture
and urbanism, supplementing it with the always necessary historical
investigation of important questions and texts and its extension into
other cultural and social fields.
A strong international orientation and the desire for more female
authors are self-evident in such a context.
The original graphic design approach taken by Helmut Lortz to the series
is being maintained. As is fitting for a working library*, Bauwelt
Fundamente* titles remain simply designed, using black and white for the
logo, the images on the front and back, and the eleven-line summary of
the volume's contents. This is indicative of the broad orientation of
Bauwelt Fundamente to all those interested in the cultural and social
development that provides the context for the creation of cities, houses
and other objects, which in turn create contexts for the world.
"Architects, it is said - or hoped - have always been interested in the
world beyond the boundaries of their profession." (1)
(1) Peter Neitzke, manuscript of his address Nicht mit dem Rücken zur
Gesellschaft (Not with one's back to society) given to mark the
fiftieth anniversary of Bauwelt Fundamente in Berlin, 2013.
