Brick Reloaded

“Architecture begins when two bricks are carefully set together,” as the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe aptly put it. So does this familiar, often underestimated and seemingly mundane object really provide enough material for an entire exhibition?

Since ancient times, the brick has been a key building material which – brick by brick – shapes buildings, neighbourhoods and cities and tells the story of history. From the masonry of Rome to contemporary building projects, the brick demonstrates its versatility as a material, a design element and a bearer of cultural significance. To this day, the natural raw material clay is extracted from pits, shaped and fired into bricks. However, from handmade solid bricks to heat-insulating large-format blocks, manufacturing processes have changed significantly in the wake of industrialisation and new environmental challenges.

‘Backstein Reloaded’ brings together around fifty works from the fields of architecture, design and art, showcasing the material from various perspectives. The focus is on production, ecological properties, and creative and artistic reinterpretations. In this way, the exhibition demonstrates how a traditional building material still offers a wide range of possibilities today and can continually reinvent itself.