TATLIN NEWS #50

Мы придумали групповое имя Coop Himmelb(l)au, что означает «Кооператив синее небо», не из-за цвета неба, а потому что мы хо- тели создавать архитектуру, способную видоизменяться подобно плывущим по небу облакам. | We came up with a team name Coop Himmelb(l)au (Cooperative Blue Sky), not as a color of the sky but because we wanted to create architecture that would change like clouds.

successful example that fulfills the architect’s lifelong ambi- tion to create architecture that would appear to be floating and perpetually changing like clouds. The practice won numerous awards and currently maintains several international offices to keep up with the steady de- mand for daring experimental projects all over the world. Even in the midst of the economic downturn, just during the days I was writing this article, the architect has won several new in- ternational commissions, including 50-storey Headquarter of China Insurance Group in Shenzhen. In 2008 Coop Himmelb(l) au celebrated the work of its astounding 40 year career with a major retrospective called «Beyond the Blue» at MAK Cen- ter in Vienna. My conversation with Mr. Prix took place on the day of his in- spiring presentation to a large diverse audience at the Cooper Union in New York. – Was architecture something you always wanted to do? – When I was 18 and ready to go to university my father sent me to see Le Corbusier’s Monastery of Sainte Marie de La Tourette near Lyon, France. It is an extraordinary building. When I saw the monastery’s chapel I was speechless. I decided – if this is architecture – I want to be an architect. – You studied at the University of Technology in Vienna and graduated from AA in London in 1968. You opened your own firm Coop Himmelb(l)au in the same year. Does this mean you never worked for other architects? – Well, my father was an architect and I worked in his office since I was 10 or 11 until I went to university. I literally was brought up with architecture. I felt ready right after I finished my studies at the AA and besides, I wanted to do a new kind of architecture, not the one I was taught at school, which at that time was primarily dominated by postmodernist ideology. – What kind of architecture did you want to invent? – 1968 was a great time. Everything exploded – not only ar- chitecture but also music, philosophy, education, politics – the whole society. It was the time when students around the world went to the streets to demand change. Our motto was – power to the fantasy! And of course, music was very important and we wanted to be as famous and as rich as Rolling Stones. We didn’t name our firm «Prix and Swiczinsky», as would be expected. We came up with a team name Coop Himmelb(l)au (Cooperative Blue Sky), not as a color of the sky but because we wanted to create architecture that would change like clouds. – How did you start imagining such architecture? – First – there is a big difference between what was then and what is now. Today every young architect wants to get paid, wants to have a client, a program and so on. What we wanted the most was to change architecture. We wanted to change it radically and now! – OK you didn’t have clients and you didn’t have real proj- ects for many years. How did you survive? – There are many ways to survive, including driving trucks… We did teach and we did a lot of research about future living, participated in competitions and did a lot of independent proj- ects. We received grants for investigating various forms and shapes and how they influence peoples’ mood and in which way. For example, blobs are very good for relaxing. Also life was not as expensive then. The main point is that we survived. We survived, as you can see. You have to trust yourself. – You teach at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna.

«Чердачная реконструкция», Фалке-штрасса, Вена, Австрия (1983-1988), фото: Gerald Zugmann | Rooftop Remodeling, Falkestrasse, Vieanna, Austria (1983-1988), photo: Gerald Zugmann

ница между тем, что было тогда, и тем, что про- исходит сегодня. Сегодня каждый начинающий архитектор хочет хороший заработок, хочет привлечь заказчика, согласовать программу действий, и так далее. Главное же, к чему стре- мились мы, – это изменить архитектуру. Мы хо- тели изменить ее радикально и сразу! – Итак, у вас не было заказчиков и ре- альных проектов много лет. А на что вы су- ществовали, и как вы вообще выжили? – Есть множество способов выживания, включая вождение грузовиков... Мы препо- давали и вели исследовательскую работу о жизни в будущем, участвовали в конкурсах и других независимых проектах. Мы получа- ли гранты на исследование всевозможных форм и их влияния на настроение людей. К примеру, блобы хороши тем, что успокаивают психику. Также нужно помнить, что жизнь не была тогда такой дорогой. Главное – мы вы- жили. Мы выжили, как вы сами прекрасно ви- дите. Нужно верить в себя.

тете. Тогда царили идеи постмодернизма. – А какую архитектуру стремились изо- брести вы? – 1968-й год был настоящим прорывом. Все буквально взорвалось – не только ар- хитектура, но и музыка, и философия, и об- разование, и политика – все общество. Это было время, когда студенты всего мира выш- ли на улицы, чтобы потребовать перемен. На- шим девизом было – власть фантазии! Конеч- но же, музыка была очень важна, и мы хотели быть такими же знаменитыми и богатыми, как «Роллинг Стоунс». Разумеется, мы не назвали нашу фирму «Прикс и Свижински». Мы при- думали групповое имя Coop Himmelb(l)au, что означает «Кооператив синее небо», не из-за цвета неба, а потому что мы хотели создавать архитектуру, способную видоизменяться по- добно плывущим по небу облакам. – С чего началось изобретение вашей архитектуры? – Ну, во-первых, существует огромная раз-

68    ТАТLIN news 2|50|69  2009