Summary

Impressive in size, emotional and visual impact, the buildings of Hamburg-based architects Bothe Richter Teherani are also remarkable for their attention to finishing detail, functionality and financial accountability, and have won international recognition. BRT s style is provocative and controversial; it took the city of Cologne 10 years to come to terms with their glass crane structures, predestined to become the heart of the Rhine and Ruhr valleys, and BRT s project to build Europe s highest building in the waters of Hamburg harbour is the subject of heated discussion. BRT s labyrinthine yet systematic concepts to maximize space in office buildings, the futuristic connotations of space shuttles and zeppelins, and their treatment of urban and public spaces are documented in this volume. The accompanying essays and text contributions investigate the aims of the architects, somewhere between pragmatism and vision, between fine detail and the greater complexity of urban life.