Heinz Schmitz (architect)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Heinz Schmitz (* 1940 in Aachen ; † May 3, 1992 in Portugal ) was a German architect and urban planner .

Life

After studying at the Aachen University of Applied Sciences , he founded the architecture office Görres + Schmitz together with Heinrich Görres. In 1985 Heinrich Görres left the shared office due to illness, which was then continued as Schmitz's architectural office.

In the 1970s, Heinz Schmitz was one of the first architects to deal intensively with the topic of old building renovation. It is thanks to his persistent and intensive work that many historic districts in North Rhine-Westphalia have been preserved. This includes not only the model project "Repair and modernization of workers' settlements in the Unna district ", B. also the preservation of many Wilhelminian style villas in the city of Aachen.

His work included:

  • the modernization of residential complexes from the Wilhelminian era (e.g. in Aachen, Düren , Bonn , Düsseldorf and Herne )
  • the repair of workers' settlements in the Ruhr area (including the "Teutoburgia" settlement in Herne, Wevelsbacher Weg in Lünen)
  • the preservation of settlements from the 1920s / 1930s (including Kalverbenden in Aachen, Rheinpark Golzheim in Düsseldorf , "Rundling" settlement in Leipzig ). The "Rundling" housing estate in Leipzig was awarded the German Builder Prize.
  • the preservation of settlements from the 1950s (including in Düren-Altenteich, which was recognized as an "exemplary building in North Rhine-Westphalia").

In addition to the maintenance of settlements and houses, castles and palaces were also renovated by his office, so u. a. the castle Monschau , castle Rheydt and Schloss Wickrath .

The conversion of industrial buildings z. For example, the Museum Zinkhütter Hof in Stolberg (Rhineland) , the Museum for Industry, Economy and Social History in Aachen and the German Glass Painting Museum in Linnich bear his signature. The latter was also recognized as an “exemplary building in North Rhine-Westphalia”.

His reports provided relevant information on the repair, renovation and conversion of so-called urban problematic substances, such as B. at the plenary hall of the German Bundestag in Bonn, the Metastadt in Wulfen, the old building of the Knappschaftskrankenhaus Recklinghausen and the Mannesmann housing estate in Duisburg-Hüttenheim .

In addition to these practical buildings - still visible today - Heinz Schmitz was significantly involved in investigations and research projects on the subject of old building modernization for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. He also made a name for himself internationally not only with the focus on “practical instructions for the modernization of problematic urban structures”. His work on the subject of "Methods and devices for recording structural damage", his suggestions for the preservation of components and his work on the subject of "High Quality - Low Costs" are just as relevant today as his research work for the Federal Building Ministry "Component costs - modernization and repair".

His work “Component Costs - Guide for the General Association of Non-Profit Housing Companies” is still one of the standard works today. Heinz Schmitz's work was not only published in specialist books, it was also reflected in the study and training practice for architects.

In addition to his practical work as an architect, he was chairman of the North Rhine-Westphalia regional association in the Federation of German Builders, Architects and Engineers (BDB) and member of the board of the NRW Chamber of Architects until his death . Before his activity as BDB chairman, he worked for the SPD parliamentary group in the city of Stolberg (Rhineland) as councilor from November 1969 to May 1975 in local politics.

Heinz Schmitz was also honored with the Federal Cross of Merit for his work .

Heinz Schmitz died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack while on vacation and was buried in Aachen-Verlautenheide. He left a wife and three children. His son Marc Schmitz works as a media manager for Ströer .

Heinz Schmitz Memorial Medal

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his death, the BDB state association in North Rhine-Westphalia decided to donate a "Heinz Schmitz Memorial Medal". The first award winner in 2002 was Karl Ganser , former managing director of IBA Emscher Park . In 2006, the former state building minister Michael Vesper was honored with the award. In 2017, the BDB.NRW awarded the commemorative medal to State Secretary Gunther Adler . The number of winners is limited to ten living personalities.

Fonts

  • Component costs. Guide for the general association of non-profit housing companies. Economic modernization of old houses in practice. Essen 1983.
  • Schmitz, Krings, Dahlhaus, Meisel: construction costs. Essen undated

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Detail - PM-08-2017-NRW - BDB.NRW honors State Secretary Gunther Adler (BMUB). Retrieved November 21, 2017 .
personal data
SURNAME Schmitz, Heinz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German architect and urban planner
DATE OF BIRTH 1940
PLACE OF BIRTH Aachen
DATE OF DEATH May 3, 1992
Place of death Portugal