Speer's work as an architect 1932-1942
· Speer’s membership to the Nazi party was what led to his first commissions as an Architect. He was asked to renovate the home of Karl Hanke a Nazi official living in Berlin and with successful completion of this project he was given the opportunity to rebuild the Nazi headquarters in Berlin.
· This success lead to Speer meeting the propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels and was invited to rebuild the Propaganda Ministry Building. He delivered the project in a record two months as promised and gained the reputation as an efficient and creative architect
· In 1933 Speer was asked to design the decorations for the annual Nazi Party Rally in Nuremberg. His designs then caught the attention of none other then Adolf Hitler
· Hitler ordered Speer’s next commission in 1933 to oversee the day to ay activities of the renovation the Chancellors residence in Berlin
· Hitler’s genuine interest in architecture and design that stemmed from his youth translated into regular visits to the work site during which Hitler became impressed by Speer’s skills as an architect and also his approach to design.
· The closeness of their relationship is exemplified through the Quote from Speer: “If Hitler had any friends, I would have been his friend”
· This success lead to Speer meeting the propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels and was invited to rebuild the Propaganda Ministry Building. He delivered the project in a record two months as promised and gained the reputation as an efficient and creative architect
· In 1933 Speer was asked to design the decorations for the annual Nazi Party Rally in Nuremberg. His designs then caught the attention of none other then Adolf Hitler
· Hitler ordered Speer’s next commission in 1933 to oversee the day to ay activities of the renovation the Chancellors residence in Berlin
· Hitler’s genuine interest in architecture and design that stemmed from his youth translated into regular visits to the work site during which Hitler became impressed by Speer’s skills as an architect and also his approach to design.
· The closeness of their relationship is exemplified through the Quote from Speer: “If Hitler had any friends, I would have been his friend”
Speer and Hitler's approaches to design
· Albert Speer’s approach to design was heavily influenced by his studies under Heinrich Tessenow who maintained the view that, “Simple is not always best but the best is always simple”
· Speer ha a particular affinity for Doric Style Architecture a classical form of simplicity originating from the ancient Greeks.
· A prime example is the Great Altar of Pergamon that had been on display in Berlin since 1871. It bears a remarkably similar style to that of the Reviewing stand created by Speer for the Nuremberg reviewing Stand created in 1937
· Hitler had a drastically different view of architecture, which drew primarily from its political symbolism, as he believed the German Reich would last for thousands of years with these buildings to serve as part of its legacy. He completely rejected modern styles like Bauhaus that had prospered during the Golden years of the Wiemar Republic favoring the neo-classical movement. So much so that in his presentations Speer would include drawings of how his buildings would look after 1000 years.
· Speer ha a particular affinity for Doric Style Architecture a classical form of simplicity originating from the ancient Greeks.
· A prime example is the Great Altar of Pergamon that had been on display in Berlin since 1871. It bears a remarkably similar style to that of the Reviewing stand created by Speer for the Nuremberg reviewing Stand created in 1937
· Hitler had a drastically different view of architecture, which drew primarily from its political symbolism, as he believed the German Reich would last for thousands of years with these buildings to serve as part of its legacy. He completely rejected modern styles like Bauhaus that had prospered during the Golden years of the Wiemar Republic favoring the neo-classical movement. So much so that in his presentations Speer would include drawings of how his buildings would look after 1000 years.
Examples of Speer's work
The Nuremberg Reviewing Stand 1934
·Dominating structure for which the Nazi party delivered their annual rallies
·Was again designed with how the monument would look after generations of neglect
·Bore great resemblance to the Great Altar of Pergamon with its neo-classical design (see images below)
·The rallying stand would be seen by all the participants but would also be broadcast around the world due to the Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the will. To create a dramatic effect 130 anti-aircraft lights were pointed into the sky creating massive beams of light.
·In essence the structure was a form of practical propaganda
·Was again designed with how the monument would look after generations of neglect
·Bore great resemblance to the Great Altar of Pergamon with its neo-classical design (see images below)
·The rallying stand would be seen by all the participants but would also be broadcast around the world due to the Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the will. To create a dramatic effect 130 anti-aircraft lights were pointed into the sky creating massive beams of light.
·In essence the structure was a form of practical propaganda
Altar of PErgamon
Reviewing stand, Nuremberg 1937
German pavilion for the Paris world fair
· The Paris World Fair exhibited developments in the arts and technology from all over the world, in essence a perfect propaganda platform
· Each country designed their own pavilion to showcase their cultural and artistic style
· The Pavilions themselves became the showcase of the event and when Hitler found out that the German pavilion would be opposite the Soviet Union’s pavilion the event became a critical display of German Prowess
· Speer was able to find the Soviet blueprints and created a design that stood 70 meters tall four-column tower with a golden eagle carrying the swastika. Speer again demonstrated the propaganda value of Architecture
(The image on the left shows the German neo-classical style pavilion on the left of the Eiffel Tower and the Soviet modernist Pavilion on the right. The image on the Right Shows Speer (left) and Hitler (right) conversing over a scale model of the pavilion)
· Each country designed their own pavilion to showcase their cultural and artistic style
· The Pavilions themselves became the showcase of the event and when Hitler found out that the German pavilion would be opposite the Soviet Union’s pavilion the event became a critical display of German Prowess
· Speer was able to find the Soviet blueprints and created a design that stood 70 meters tall four-column tower with a golden eagle carrying the swastika. Speer again demonstrated the propaganda value of Architecture
(The image on the left shows the German neo-classical style pavilion on the left of the Eiffel Tower and the Soviet modernist Pavilion on the right. The image on the Right Shows Speer (left) and Hitler (right) conversing over a scale model of the pavilion)
The Reich chancellery 1938-1939
· As the leader of the nation, Adolf Hitler’s official residence was in the Chancellery Building in Berlin. A building that was built in the 18th Century which Hitler referred to as “fit for a soap company”
· Speer as the official Architect for the Reich was tasked with designing a new building and was given the time length of exactly a year in order to complete it
· 4000 men worked in shifts round the clock in order to complete the project and it was finally completed in January 1939.
· It was again designed in a neo-classical style and was intended to intimidate and impress foreign dignitaries.
· The Design called for a series of formal halls each being progressively greater then the last. Hitler’s office alone was 400 square meters with 9 metre high ceilings
· Beneath the building was an intricate labyrinth of bunkers and tunnels and this is where Hitler committed suicide in April 1945
· The building was destroyed by allied bombings and no traces of it survive
· Speer as the official Architect for the Reich was tasked with designing a new building and was given the time length of exactly a year in order to complete it
· 4000 men worked in shifts round the clock in order to complete the project and it was finally completed in January 1939.
· It was again designed in a neo-classical style and was intended to intimidate and impress foreign dignitaries.
· The Design called for a series of formal halls each being progressively greater then the last. Hitler’s office alone was 400 square meters with 9 metre high ceilings
· Beneath the building was an intricate labyrinth of bunkers and tunnels and this is where Hitler committed suicide in April 1945
· The building was destroyed by allied bombings and no traces of it survive