Friedrich Ernst von Garnier: “My More Colourful World”

“It is the principle of life that creates colour” — Goethe. Why, then, do so many architects believe that good architecture, an essential part of our lives, doesn’t need colour?

Europe’s most successful colour designer Friedrich Ernst v.Garnier (born 1935), who founded this profession over 40 years ago, challenges this received wisdom with a new philosophy of “organic colour”. In what is a certainly combative but also rigorous and didactic manner, Garnier denounces the lack of proper training for architects in the use of colour and also the lack of proficiency in this area on the part of the skilled trades. “Architecture is an inseparable part of our culture, and the responsibility for its emotional interpretation should not be entrusted to the personal taste of individuals and their overly intellectualised attitude.” Instead, architecture should be all about choreography and proportion, sociology and a definition of the kind of qualities required for a respectful cohabitation of the building and its surrounding landscape, with a view to developing a European architectural culture for our times. Sombre black or lurid colour cannot be the right answers here.

Many varied examples of everyday architecture bearing Garnier’s signature — and the philosophy and sociology behind it — can be found all over the world today. Garnier is in high demand as a speaker and, in the course of a year, will take up over 50 invitations to talk to universities, ministries, professional associations, cities and towns.

Friedrich Ernst v.Garnier holds a variety of prestigious awards, including the European Steel Design Award (1999 and 2003), the German Facade Award (2003), the Business Medal of Rhineland-Palatinate (2005) and the Luban Award from China (2004).

Two new books by Garnier are to be published in May, both on the neglected topic of the role of colour in architecture and buildings: Meine farbigere Welt – menschliche Arbeitslandschaften and Meine farbigere Welt – die Organischen Farbigkeiten.

Hall 8, booth A56/B59