The Leipzig city planning officer Hugo Licht had the main building put up at the end of the 19th century. It is a very fine example of the "Historicism" building style.The façade was rebuilt in a more simple manner after the second world war.
In the inner court yard the new building of the concert hall was designed in a very geometric way to build a contrast to the historic building. The city of Leipzig is very receptive to modern architecture. Virtually everything is permitted in Leipzig, as long as it conforms to a high standard.
Just around the corner, in the “Music Quarter”, is the university library. After the havoc wreaked by the war, for many years it could only be put to limited use and by the beginning of the 1990s it was in a desolate state of repair. The reconstructed marble stairwell by Arwed Rossbach is one of the most important late 19th century German architectural works.
German Library
Deutscher Platz 1,
04103 Leipzig 1914-1916 A.: Oskar Pusch, Dresden
The German National Library is central archival library and national bibliographic centre for the Federal Republic of Germany. It was preceded by several institutions: the Deutsche Bücherei Leipzig founded in 1912 and the Deutsche Bibliothek Frankfurt founded in 1947, to which the Deutsches Musikarchiv in Berlin has belonged since 1970. On the occasion of the German reunification these institutions were brought together to form Die Deutsche Bibliothek or, since 2006 named the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (German National Library).
The 120 m long main building borders the Deutscher Platz to the east. Worthwhile seeing is the main reading room (see photo above).
Grassi Museum
Johannisplatz,
04103 Leipzig 1925 - 1929 A.: Carl William Zweck Refurbishing 2001 - 2005 by the Leipzig architects
Ilg, Friebe, Nauber
TheGrassi Museumin Johannisplatz was completely gutted during the war and initially only poorly restored. It was not until the beginning of the 21st century, that extensive renovation work could be carried out. Special attention was paid to Art-deco details, such as pillars, plaster mouldings and lights..
Reclamkarree
Inselstr. 22,
04103 Leipzig 1887 - 1905 A.: Max Bösenberg
Refurbishing 1993 - 1995 by the architects Bunk-Hartung-Partner, Bad Homburg
Until the 2nd World War, Leipzig was regarded as the most important publishing centre in Europe. Many publishing houses and print shops had their headquarters in the so-called Graphic Quarter in which, after extensive renovation work, media enterprises are once again settling today.
The former Reclam Publishing House dates from the 2nd half of the 19th century. Two impressive sandstone projections subdivide the imposing main façade of the yellow brick building.
House of Skilled Crafts
(Brandstätter Haus)
Dresdner Str. 11-13,
04103 Leipzig 1906-1907
A.: Curt Nebel
The House of Skilled Crafts is a building well worth seeing. This building dating from the beginning of the 20th century is quite impressive thanks to its wealth of sculptures taken from the book trade. .
Geschwister-Scholl-Haus
Ritterstr. 8-10,
04109 Leipzig 1910
A.: Fritz Schumacher
In 1910, Fritz Schumacher built the University of Commerce behind the Church of St. Nicholas. Schumacher is one of the most famous reform architects of his day. The three-dimensional effect of the façade and the tower-like side projection are special characteristics of this building. The sculpted figures are by Georg Wrba.
The colourful design of the stairwell, which was restored to its original condition in the middle of the nineties is also worthy of note.
The Gewandhaus is unique in the cultural history of the former German Democratic Republic in two respects. It is the only newly built concert hall at that time, and the organ is the biggest musical instrument ever built in the GDR. In our video you will listen to Michael Schoenheit playing the organ.
The large concert hall in the style of an amphitheatre completed in 1981 can accommodate almost 2000 visitors and has excellent acoustics.
At the end of the 1950's, the earlier Opera House, which was severely damaged in an air raid, was replaced by a new building. 15 years after the end of the war, this is the first new theatre built in the German Democratic Republic and socio-politically fully satisfies its high aspirations.
Its interior décor is one of the most remarkable architectural designs of the 1950's in Germany.
City-Hochhaus
Augustusplatz 9,
04109 Leipzig 1968-1972 A.: Hermann Henselmann Renovation 2000-2001 by architect Peter Kulka
The inhabitants of Leipzig call this building the Incisor, the Wisdom Tooth or simply the University Giant. This contemporary urban tower block, formerly called Tower of Sciences, was built between 1968 and 1972 by Hermann Henselmann, probably East Germany's best-known architect. As a monumental sculpture, it symbolises an open book and demonstrates in this way both the use of the building by the university and Leipzig’s traditional role as the City of Books.
When renovating the building, the architect Peter Kulka replaced the original aluminium façade with a Chinese pale grey granite which, from a distance, has a similar appearance. The observation terrace and panorama restaurant offer stunning views of the old city centre.
Between the Gewandhaus and the university, rehearsal halls to accommodate the Central German Radio Orchestra were built. Thanks to its self-confident, minimalist shape, the building, clad in black glass panels, makes a strong impression.
New University Building
Augustusplatz,
04109 Leipzig 2006-2009
A.: Erick van Egeraat associated architects
After a long drawn-out discussion phase about the future of the university campus, a second competition in 2004 finally produced a result. Erick van Egeraat Associated Architects of Rotterdam won the competition for the design of the façade facing Augustus Square and of the university hall. In a subtle way, van Egeraat's design is reminiscent of the 15th century University Church irreverently blown up on 31st May 1968.
Museum of Fine Arts
Katharinenstraße 10,
04109 Leipzig 2000-2004 A.: Hufnagel Puetz Rafaelian, Berlin
In December 2004, one of the most painful derelict sites in the centre of Leipzig was closed. The new Museum of Fine Arts is built on the site of the former Saxon Square. The original urban development concept of the Berlin architects Hufnagel Puetz Rafaelian was to erect a monolithic, central museum core building to be surrounded in future by four L-shaped satellite buildings.
The building's design concept becomes obvious as one enters the central hall on the 1st floor. Three generous glazed courts extend through the building, opening up exciting perspectives.
Thanks to the use of but few materials, the building is not intrusive despite its enormous space and is even a trendsetter thanks to the surface orientation. Lime-wash panels characterise the wall and floor coverings in the open spaces. The exhibition halls are fitted with oak parquet flooring and have a discreet and calming effect thanks to its warm material tone. In contrast, one views the big glass panes as a shop window on the city.
Please join us in the movie on our tour through the building and listen to Peter Puetz from Hufnagel Puetz Refaelian architects what he says about their architectural concept.
Karl-Tauchnitz-Str. 11,
04107 Leipzig Rebuilding of the villa 1998 by architect Peter Kulka, Dresden, Dependance 2005 by the architects AS-IF, Berlin www.gfzk.de
The demands on a building change in the course of time. New users move in, the need for more space increases. The reactions to these demands can be quite varied. In Leipzig, one frequently comes across contrasts.
The Gallery of Contemporary Artis a good example. An 1893 neo-Renaissance villa was gutted and provided with a clean geometric extension. In 1989, the architect Peter Kulka thus created a space continuum, which is able to adjust to the changing needs of the current exhibitions.
A few years later, the demand for space had already increased to such an extent that an annex had to be built. The innovative exhibition concept of the Berlin architects AS-IF made it possible, to reconfigure the interior again and again by using flexible exhibition partitions.
› These page numbers
reflect to the book „LEIPZIG Architektur von der Romanik bis zur Gegenwart“
