Fry Otto met with the permanent author of Archi.ru, the Russian architect Elizaveta Klepanova and the Austrian architect Peter Ebner in his workshop near Munich. Despite his advanced age - at the end of May he turned 89 years old - Otto continues to work.
Peter Ebner: Have you ever worked in Russia? I know, for example, that you have had many projects in Arab countries, but what about Russia?
Fry Otto: I have at the Institute for Lightweight Structural Structures in Stuttgart [now the Institute for the Design of Lightweight Structures at the University of Stuttgart - approx. Archi.ru] people from different countries worked, including many Russian researchers. For example, those who studied the designs of Vladimir Shukhov came from Nizhny Novgorod. On the German side, this topic was dealt with by Rainer Graeffe, who now lives and works in Innsbruck.
Elizaveta Klepanova: If you could choose now which projects would you like to work on, what typology?
F. O.: I never thought about it, so I can’t answer anything concrete. And what interests me very much is the materials and their development. I would like to make people happier. It would be great to study the relationship between human skin and the shell of a building, between a person's clothing and a building. For example, in areas where it is too hot, a person does not really need clothes and, as a rule, he is dressed “minimally”. I would like to explore this relationship between the naked and the clothed and develop principles applicable to architecture based on it. Then, it seems to me, architecture would become truly close to man and would find its true meaning.
P. E.: Everything you just said would really add flexibility to the architecture.
F. O.: You know, I no longer have any brilliant ideas in my head. The times when I had them are over. And I never dreamed that I would create huge projects. I am absolutely satisfied with everything that I have achieved in life, and I am happy with the way people, colleagues from all over the world treat me. So I can say that I am very happy with my life.
P. E.: It's great when a person can say this about himself.
F. O.: Yes. And this is the reason why I no longer participate in big contests. But when colleagues ask to help them with projects, then I, of course, gladly do it.
P. E.: You worked with Shigeru Ban on the project
The Pompidou Center in Metz?
F. O.: Yes, I worked a little on this project.
P. E.: Shigeru Ban came to your workshop?
F. O.: Yes, because, unfortunately, we did not have any other opportunity to meet, since I do not see anything at all. He came to me with a working model so that I could feel the structure of the building by touch, with the help of my hands, and suggest how to improve it.
E. K.: It is very difficult to imagine that it is possible to understand how well the structure is made by simply touching it with your hands. After all, even those people who see the project in the smallest detail and work very scrupulously on it often make mistakes.
F. O.: After all, I have been working in architecture for over 60 years. It's a long time. And architecture has changed a lot during this time. However, it is still not entirely clear in which direction it is heading.
E. K.: What would be the right direction for the development of architecture?
F. O.: Architecture will last forever. But it will be good or not - future architects will determine. And my time has passed. But, as you can see, I still work with my close friends. And I am very happy that I had such a wonderful past and many opportunities to design. I have never hunted for royalties or big projects. I just had a wonderful, truly wonderful time in the profession. But I'm actually a craftsman. Until now, my favorite organization is the German Werkbund, founded in 1907. My work was completely devoted to the ideas of the development of modern architecture, laid down by Werkbund. In my opinion, he played a very important role in the development of German architecture. However, I cannot tell you what the future of architecture will be.
Elizabeth, if you could choose any country in which you would like to design, which country would you choose?
E. K.: Russia. I went to study abroad, so that later, with new knowledge and experience, I could return home. I have always wanted to design in my country. And you? Where would you work if you could choose any country in the world?
F. O.: Here in Germany, of course.
P. E.: Shigeru Ban, whom you actively helped [Fry Otto was a co-author of his design for the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hanover - approx. Archi.ru], invited you to the presentation of the Pritzker Prize? It seems to me that you are the very person to whom this prize should be awarded in the first place.
F. O.: No, I didn't. You know, even if it were given to me, it would not change anything in my life or in my attitude to architecture, so, frankly, I do not see its value for myself.
E. K.: You and Peter have a lot in common with regard to the award.
P. E.: Not really. I always say that the prize is not as interesting to me as the opportunity to enter its jury. Then you can travel the whole world and see the beautiful architecture.
