Frei Otto, Carlfried Mutschler, Multihalle

Frei Otto, Carlfried Mutschler, Multihalle
Georg Vrachliotis
Spector Books, November 2018



Paperback | 8-1/2 x 13 inches | 255 pages | 192 illustrations | German/English | ISBN: 978-3959051927 | $45.00

Publisher's Description:

The temporary multipurpose hall built by Frei Otto and Carlfried Mutschler for the 1975 Federal Horticultural Show in Mannheim ranks as the world’s largest wooden grid shell construction. Although it was actually put under a preservation order in 1998, an international debate is now underway to discuss whether to demolish or maintain this structure. Working by and large without any digital computation technology, Frei Otto used a delicate suspended model to design the complex roof: modelling, drawing, and measurement techniques formed the basis for a creative culture of experimentation that involved an ongoing calibration of hand and eye, of scientific observation and technical skill—a form of manual and intellectual self-alignment, in which the process of conceptualization also succeeded in triggering a collective discourse on the future of society. Drawing on materials from the archives of Carlfried Mutschler and Frei Otto that are for the most part unpublished, the book presents the history of this experimental building for the first time.

dDAB Commentary:

One of my favorite parts of the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale was a so-called collateral event, found outside of the main Biennale grounds at the Arsenale and Giardini. Sleeping Beauty was located in a single room on Guidecca, far removed from the rest of the Biennale. The small exhibition was devoted to Multihalle, a temporary building designed by Carlfried Mutschler and engineered by Frei Otto for the 1975 Bundesgartenschau (National Garden Show). I liked Sleeping Beauty for a few reasons: the building itself, which I included in 100 Years, 100 Buildings two years earlier; the exhibition design by FAR frohn&rojas, whose form and structure subtly referenced the original; and the voluminous, multimedia documentation of the building, including photographs, drawings, documents, and other artifacts. The show was curated by Sally Below and Georg Vrachliotis and the latter is also responsible for this book on the Multihalle that was released the same year.

The thorough documentation of the exhibition extends to Frei Otto, Carlfried Mutschler, Multihalle, which moves from design and engineering through to construction, use, and reuse in the years and decades since 1975. Much of the impetus for the exhibition and book is devoted to the last: arguing for preserving and reusing the building. Even though the Multihalle has been legally protected since 1998, its future remains uncertain due to a number of factors, including negative views of the building, deferred maintenance, and difficulties in advocating for its reuse. The book's exhaustive documentation of the design and building process (photographs of the many hanging-weight models are a highlight) aims to elevate the importance of the building — the world's largest timber lattice shell structure — in the minds of the public and hopefully those of the politicians that can ensure its future existence. Fans of Frei Otto will no doubt like the book, as will those drawn to Mulithalle for its engineering aspects. The book includes some early computer calculations but not as much technical information as Otto's two-volume Tensile Structures books. This is, after all, more a picture book than a technical guide, but the images hone in on the technical aspects that made such a groundbreaking design a reality — and one worth saving.

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Author Bio:

Georg Vrachliotis is professor of architecture theory and director of the architecture collection (saai | Südwestdeutsches Archiv für Architektur und Ingenieurbau) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. He was appointed Dean of the KIT Faculty of Architecture in 2016.

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