Edmund Spohr (architect)

Edmund Spohr (born March 14, 1943 in Trier ) is a German architect , urban planner , monument conservator and author .

Life

Edmund Spohr grew up in Düsseldorf and studied cultural studies and architecture at RWTH Aachen University from 1962 . In 1965/66 he was a DAAD scholarship holder at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Paris . In 1967 he finished his studies as a graduate engineer. Since then he has been working as a freelance architect in Düsseldorf with a focus on residential complexes, banks, old people's homes, urban planning analyzes, expert reports and monument preservation. Since 1972 he has been with the urban researcher Marjatta Spohr geb. Anttila married. In 1973 he received his doctorate from RWTH Aachen University as Dr.-Ing. with the theme: “The fortifications of Düsseldorf. Structural development - urban development consequences ”.

From 1984 to 2005 Edmund Spohr worked as an adviser as an expert citizen in the cultural committee of the state capital as a monument and townscape curator. For his book “Düsseldorf. City and Fortress ”, he was awarded the state capital's sponsorship award in 1978. Numerous publications followed, including the book series "Düsseldorf - a city between tradition and vision", which Spohr edited together with the art historian Hatto Küffner.

The developments to preserve the state house and the new building of the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament until 1981 were significantly influenced by Spohr. His idea of placing the new parliament building on the banks of the Rhine made it possible to preserve the Düsseldorf estate and the surrounding park and led to the creation of a government district on the knee of the Rhine . Spohr played a decisive role in the urban reorganization of the old harbor on Dammstrasse.

Spohr's analysis of the cityscape of Gerresheim (1979/80) is considered an essential milestone for the restructuring and redevelopment of the center of Gerresheim. His study of the cityscape of Kaiserswerth served as the basis for the Kaiserswerth monument preservation plan - the first of its kind in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Spohr's journalistic work and his involvement in various committees particularly served the urban development as well as the cityscape and monument preservation in Düsseldorf. These activities also provided the basis for numerous honors such as the award of the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class in 2003 and the award of the Jan-Wellem-Ring of the city of Düsseldorf for outstanding services to monument preservation, urban development and culture in Düsseldorf in 2006.

With the Dus-illuminated® community foundation founded in 2003, Edmund Spohr is committed to a lighting concept for the city of Düsseldorf. Since its establishment, the foundation has initiated and co-financed numerous illuminations of important monuments and churches.

Partnerships / memberships

Chairman of the AGD (since 1983)
Chairman of the DUS-illuminated® foundation
Deputy Chairman Circle of Friends of the Stadtmuseum Düsseldorf e. V.
Member of the cultural committee of the city of Düsseldorf as a monument and cityscape curator
Member of the German Society for Fortress Research e. V. (DGF)

Major works

1974–1984 reorganization of urban development at Volmerswerther Strasse, Düsseldorf
1976–1984 Restoration of the Carmelite Chapel and Theresienhospital
1989 district architect of the “Schwietzkegelände” residential complex, Düsseldorf
1989 Otto-Beche-Strasse residential complex, Düsseldorf
1990 World EXPO 1990 Osaka, realization of the Europa Pavilion with Louis Sato
1996 Photovoltaic house, Volmerswerther Deich, Düsseldorf

Awards

1973 Borchers plaque from RWTH Aachen University for his dissertation “Düsseldorf. City and fortress "
1978 “Promotion Prize for the Humanities for 1978” from the city of Düsseldorf for his book “Düsseldorf. City and fortress "
1983 Albert Steeger Prize of the Rhineland Regional Association for services to monument protection
2003 Hans Maes Prize for Monument Preservation
2004 Federal Cross of Merit, 1st class
2006 Awarded the Jan-Wellem-Ring of the state capital Düsseldorf for outstanding services to monument preservation, urban development and culture in Düsseldorf.
2009 Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Fonts (selection)

Dusseldorf. City and fortress . 1978, ISBN 3-590-30241-0
with Hans Stöcker and Ernst Meuser: Save the Ständehaus - Landtag on the Rhine . 1978
Cityscape analysis Kaiserswerth on behalf of the Lower Monument Authority. 1981
with Norbert Schloßmacher : The Catholic parishes of the city dean of Düsseldorf and their church buildings . In: Bernard Henrichs (Ed.): Düsseldorf. City and church . Schwann, Düsseldorf 1982, ISBN 3-590-30242-9 , pp. 97-192 (sections on architectural history by Edmund Spohr, sections on history and church history by Norbert Schloßmacher)
Back to the Rhine . In: Alla Pfeffer: contemporary witnesses . 2001, p. 242ff, ISBN 3-933749-52-2
Book series: Düsseldorf. A city between tradition and vision . 2001-2005
- with Hatto Küffner: Castle and Palace Düsseldorf . ISBN 3-933969-05-0
- with Hatto Küffner: Facets of a city . ISBN 3-933969-06-9
- with Hatto Küffner: Buildings in the state capital . ISBN 3-933969-07-7
- with Hatto Küffner: Bridges over the Rhine . ISBN 3-933969-15-8
- with Hatto Küffner: The civil society . ISBN 3-933969-16-6
- with Hatto Küffner: St. Dionysius Volmerswerth, Churches and Organ History . ISBN 3-933969-36-0
- with Hatto Küffner: Düsseldorf personalities . ISBN 3-933969-19-0
- with Hatto Küffner: Düsseldorfers of the world . ISBN 3-933969-39-5
- with Hatto Küffner: castle, palace and gallery . ISBN 3-933969-05-0
with Bernhard Fluck : Düsseldorf . Volume 9: School reform and urban development. The Luisengymnasium . 2007, ISBN 978-3-933969-76-7