LEADERSHIP
HW
AS A LEADER, CAN YOU SHOW
WEAKNESSES?
PdeM
Absolutely, as a leader I have to
constantly show that I am not
a machine that is only pushing.
We all know what it’s like to
have these days where it’s one
blow after the other, at these
times it is essential not to be
discouraged.
Life
runs
in
sine curves.
HW
CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE?
PdeM
Take
the
Elbphilharmonie
Hamburg, this project was an
extreme burden to our offi ce.
Complex political and construc-
tion circumstances lead to this
situation. This is no secret and
is not concealed. We actively
discussed the situation at the
Architecture Biennale in Venice
this year. It is important to look
forward and to be proactive in
fi nding solutions and we know:
We’ll manage it. However, a
project isn’t fi nished until the
building is handed over to its
users, functions well and, in the
case of the Elbphilharmonie,
sounds superb. Residents of
Hamburg should discover and
claim this place for themselves.
PdeM
Never. However, it is essential
that we convey respect for our
work,
which
is
extremely
strenuous and demanding. It is
occasionally reported that we
are star architects, who just
shake designs out of our sleeve
and demand astronomical fees
for them. Architecture is not
something you casually create
on the computer while whist-
ling. Architecture is physically
present; it consists of walls,
fl oors and ceilings that have to
be consciously designed. We try
to convincingly convey this to
the younger generations in our
offi ce.
HW
FORMER
DEUTSCHE
TELEKOM
CEO
KAI-UWE
RICKE
ONCE
EXPRESSED
REGRET
THAT
HE
WASN’T ENOUGH OF AN EXAMPLE
AS A BOSS. IS PART OF THAT JOB
TO
SPREAD
SPORADIC
FEAR
AND TERROR?
HW
YOUR COLLEAGUE, REM KOOL-
HAAS, RECENTLY STATED: “THAT'S
OUR DIRTY SECRET. WE ARCHI-
TECTS ARE CELEBRATED AS HEROES
– BUT HUMILIATION IS PART OF
OUR DAILY LIVES. THE BIGGEST
PART OF OUR WORK FOR COMPETI-
TIONS AND BID INVITATIONS DIS-
APPEARS AUTOMATICALLY.” DE-
PRESSING, IS IT NOT?
"AS A LEADER I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY SHOW THAT
I AM NOT A MACHINE THAT IS ONLY PUSHING."
HW
AND THE BIGGEST MISTAKE THAT
HAS
UNDERMINED
YOU
AS
A LEADER?
PdeM
It’s not about naming the
biggest mistake. I’ve surely
made a lot of mistakes. More
important is the question of
how you handle it. Others
gladly seek mistakes out, so in
the worst case there is an insol-
uble escalation of blame. It is
important to acknowledge mis-
takes, to pay the penalty and to
fi nally to learn from them. We
always have to think about how
we can improve and act accord-
ingly. The biggest mistake is to
think that one has no faults.
PdeM
It’s true that the expense of
competition is high. And natur-
ally it’s frustrating that only
one agency can win. Neverthe-
less, I hold architectural com-
petitions to be a great politico-
economic, entrepreneurial and
cultural achievement. They en-
rich society and give young of-
fi ces the chance to receive new
projects. Bringing tightly spe-
cifi ed proposals to life and con-
vincing a jury or builder is a
challenge that we gladly face.
Our everyday projects benefi t
enormously from these experi-
ences.
LEADERSHIP
HW
AS A LEADER, CAN YOU SHOW
WEAKNESSES?
PdeM
Absolutely, as a leader I have to
constantly show that I am not
a machine that is only pushing.
We all know what it’s like to
have these days where it’s one
blow after the other, at these
times it is essential not to be
discouraged.
Life
runs
in
sine curves.
HW
CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE?
PdeM
Take
the
Elbphilharmonie
Hamburg, this project was an
extreme burden to our offi ce.
Complex political and construc-
tion circumstances lead to this
situation. This is no secret and
is not concealed. We actively
discussed the situation at the
Architecture Biennale in Venice
this year. It is important to look
forward and to be proactive in
fi nding solutions and we know:
We’ll manage it. However, a
project isn’t fi nished until the
building is handed over to its
users, functions well and, in the
case of the Elbphilharmonie,
sounds superb. Residents of
Hamburg should discover and
claim this place for themselves.
PdeM
Never. However, it is essential
that we convey respect for our
work,
which
is
extremely
strenuous and demanding. It is
occasionally reported that we
are star architects, who just
shake designs out of our sleeve
and demand astronomical fees
for them. Architecture is not
something you casually create
on the computer while whist-
ling. Architecture is physically
present; it consists of walls,
fl oors and ceilings that have to
be consciously designed. We try
to convincingly convey this to
the younger generations in our
offi ce.
HW
FORMER
DEUTSCHE
TELEKOM
CEO
KAI-UWE
RICKE
ONCE
EXPRESSED
REGRET
THAT
HE
WASN’T ENOUGH OF AN EXAMPLE
AS A BOSS. IS PART OF THAT JOB
TO
SPREAD
SPORADIC
FEAR
AND TERROR?
HW
YOUR COLLEAGUE, REM KOOL-
HAAS, RECENTLY STATED: “THAT'S
OUR DIRTY SECRET. WE ARCHI-
TECTS ARE CELEBRATED AS HEROES
– BUT HUMILIATION IS PART OF
OUR DAILY LIVES. THE BIGGEST
PART OF OUR WORK FOR COMPETI-
TIONS AND BID INVITATIONS DIS-
APPEARS AUTOMATICALLY.” DE-
PRESSING, IS IT NOT?
"AS A LEADER I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY SHOW THAT
I AM NOT A MACHINE THAT IS ONLY PUSHING."
HW
AND THE BIGGEST MISTAKE THAT
HAS
UNDERMINED
YOU
AS
A LEADER?
PdeM
It’s not about naming the
biggest mistake. I’ve surely
made a lot of mistakes. More
important is the question of
how you handle it. Others
gladly seek mistakes out, so in
the worst case there is an insol-
uble escalation of blame. It is
important to acknowledge mis-
takes, to pay the penalty and to
fi nally to learn from them. We
always have to think about how
we can improve and act accord-
ingly. The biggest mistake is to
think that one has no faults.
PdeM
It’s true that the expense of
competition is high. And natur-
ally it’s frustrating that only
one agency can win. Neverthe-
less, I hold architectural com-
petitions to be a great politico-
economic, entrepreneurial and
cultural achievement. They en-
rich society and give young of-
fi ces the chance to receive new
projects. Bringing tightly spe-
cifi ed proposals to life and con-
vincing a jury or builder is a
challenge that we gladly face.
Our everyday projects benefi t
enormously from these experi-
ences.
