From the very beginning of their practice, the architects at gmp – von Gerkan, Marg and Partners – have been acutely aware of the role their profession plays in environmental and climate protection. To make this awareness even more visible to the public, Germany’s largest architectural firm presented its exhibition “UMBAU. Nonstop Transformation” in several cities worldwide. The exhibition explores how thoughtful transformation, preservation, and adaptive reuse can serve as powerful instruments of sustainability.
Nikolaus Goetze, a partner at gmp since 1998, writes on the exhibition’s website umbau.gmp.de that, in times of looming climate change, people are becoming increasingly concerned with production conditions, supply chains, pollutants, energy balance, and life cycles when it comes to industrial and consumer goods. He explains that the image and perception of products have changed entirely within a single generation. A gleaming new SUV stands for wastefulness, while clothing from a second-hand store represents intelligent sustainability. Architecture is no different. The careful handling of what already exists has become the imperative of our time. According to Goetze, architecture adopted this mindset theoretically more than half a century ago, long before the public discourse reached today’s intensity.
As experts in such transformation processes, gmp first came to the attention of a broader public with the redesign and roof structure of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, completed between 2000 and 2004. The iconic sports venue at the heart of the capital is only one of around eighty renovation and transformation projects that gmp has completed, is currently executing, or is planning since the mid-1970s. The dilemma, Goetze notes, is that at first glance it is often barely noticeable that the architects have changed anything at all. His succinct summary is: “As you can see – you see nothing.” Only today has it become accepted, even appreciated, when the character of identity-shaping buildings and spaces is preserved and the architect’s signature recedes into the background. Meinhard von Gerkan referred to this principle, which still defines the firm’s philosophy, as “designing in dialogue.”
The international exhibition “UMBAU. Nonstop Transformation,” which began in 2023, adapted its focus in each of the four host cities – Venice, Hamburg, New York, and Berlin. At the Goethe-Institut in New York, the spotlight was placed particularly on global challenges related to the transformation of existing structures. At the Goethe-Institut in New York, the spotlight was placed particularly on global challenges related to the transformation of existing structures. The exhibition examined the conversion of high-rise buildings as well as the refurbishment of cultural and sports venues in Europe and Asia, including the recently completed “Santiago Bernabéu Stadium” in Madrid and the “Isarphilharmonie” (concert hall) in Munich.
‘gmp’, however, is not only a leader in transformative architecture but also in creating innovative new buildings. One of the most prominent examples is Berlin’s Central Station, which is celebrated as both a major transportation hub and an architectural landmark.
The gmp’s international presence and expertise are further illustrated by projects such as the comprehensive modernization of Hamburg’s Alsterschwimmhalle (Alster swimming hall), an iconic structure that has been carefully adapted to contemporary requirements without losing its architectural identity. The firm also demonstrated its capabilities in the renovation of the Pressehaus (press house) at Alexanderplatz in Berlin and the Dresden Kulturpalast (Culture Palace), showcasing how historic buildings can be preserved while being made fit for the future.
The impressions from numerous projects around the world – from the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai to iconic landmarks in Chicago such as the Willis Tower and the John Hancock Center – underline the firm’s deep understanding of transformation on a global scale. Through thoughtful intervention, sensitive modernization, and a commitment to architectural heritage, gmp shows how sustainable design can honor the past while preparing buildings for the decades ahead. Architectural journalist and curator Florian Heilmeyer captures the core message of the gmp exhibition succinctly: a more sustainable construction industry cannot be achieved without a substantial increase in renovation and transformation projects. Preserving, converting, and reusing existing buildings and materials is not only one of the oldest tasks of architecture but also one of its most important and most urgent challenges in the 21st century.
Cover Photo: Alsterschwimmhalle (swimming hall) in Hamburg – outdoor area (© Photo: Marcus Bredt)
- Reihe (from left to right):
Alsterschwimmhalle (swimming hall) in Hamburg – interior. © Photo: Marcus Bredt
Alsterschwimmhalle (swimming hall) in Hamburg – outdoor area (© Foto: Marcus Bredt)
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu Madrid (© Marcus Bredt) - Row (from left to right):
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu Madrid (© Marcus Bredt)
Berlin‘s Central Station © Marcus Bredt
Architecture Firm gmp
Shortly after completing their studies, Meinhard von Gerkan and Volkwin Marg founded the architecture firm gmp in Hamburg in 1965. That same year, von Gerkan, Marg and Partners won the competition for the design of Berlin Tegel Airport. Today, gmp employs around 600 people at its two Hamburg locations as well as in its offices in Aachen, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hanoi. As Germany’s largest architecture firm, gmp is considered the most successful European practice in China and is regarded as a global leader, particularly in stadium architecture.