HIDDEN PLACES - ORCO Germany

Mr. Becker, you worked for Norman Foster and richard rogers in London before
you set up your office in Berlin. What brought you to Berlin of all places? Was it
the euphoria of reunification?
Not only German reunification but also the expansion of the EU turned a great deal
of things upside down. To experience these revolutions right in the epicentre of
developments, i.e. in Berlin, was, and still is, real living. This openness and inspira-
tion magically attracts creative people. The city is full of wonderful people ... and in
Berlin there‘s still lots of room for something new.
When you embark on your projects you establish that you will keep trying to
find new architectural solutions, even with such supposedly conventional build-
ing projects as building flats.
Our clients and ourselves are constantly looking for better schemes and designs
that find expression in creations full of character. It‘s only with better solutions that
you can stand out from the run-of-the-mill.
How important is innovation for you?
I think, basically, that we can improve people‘s lives by what we do. That is our great
motivation. Here my idea of innovation goes beyond pure innovation of design or
technology and aims at solutions in terms of content. What matters to us is nothing
less than new ideas for urban life.
In what way?
Whether we‘re building offices or residential accommodation, we maintain that
more and more we are creating buildings with a village feel. Where earlier it took
hundreds of years for a village to evolve, today they are being built in a few years. In
spite of that they have a social life and a feeling of community. People feel at ease
with each other and with the architecture surrounding them.
Is there a secret recipe for this?
No. It can only be created if you give a lot of serious thought to what people really need.
Where do people get together, where can they meet each other, where can they share in
other people‘s lives but also where can they retreat to, where can they live their private lives,
where can they work in peace? All our projects take just these questions into account.
ThE ARChITECT
Eike Becker and his partner, Helge Schmidt, run one of the
most successful architects‘ offices in Europe. A large number
of prizes, awards and exhibitions document the success of
Eike Becker_Architekten. With the “Fehrbelliner” Höfen, Eike
Becker is realising his personal dream project. In an interview
he revealed what architecture must achieve today and how you manage to create an
environment where people will also feel at home tomorrow.
INTERVIEW stephan Burkoff PORTRAIT Christian Brox
How do you think the relationship between living, lei-
sure and work will actually develop in future and how
will you react to this in your projects?
We are experiencing more and more the merging of these
different environments. This can be seen already very clear-
ly today particularly with work and home life. One reason for
this is that work today has a different status from what it
had a few years ago. Today people are trying to create more
personal space and to link all areas of their life as sensibly
and inspirationally as possible. In our latest project in Ber-
lin, the “Fehrbelliner” complex, we have the best conditions
for such a modern way of life. Living in a one room 34 m 2
apartment, working from a 400 m 2 house with a view over
Berlin, very high ceilings, large bathrooms, a combination of
a hotel and home – we have developed 80 different types
of residential accommodation suitable for the most varied
requirements with lots of space to sit and think on your own.
Because the people living in the “Fehrbelliner” complex will
be as diverse and varied as Berlin is.