Carl Bechstein Campus
Mixed Use
Cultural
Commercial
Residential
Historic Preservation
Adaptive Reuse
Mixed UseCulturalCommercialResidentialHistoric PreservationAdaptive Reuse
GRAFT was established in 1998 in Los Angeles by Lars Krückeberg, Wolfram Putz and Thomas Willemeit. Further offices followed in Berlin in 2001 and Beijing in 2004. Conceived as a studio for architecture, urban planning, design, music and the pursuit of happiness, GRAFT has been commissioned to design and manage a wide range of projects across multiple disciplines and in numerous locations since its establishment.
JournalEssay
Since its founding as a studio for architecture, urban planning, design, music and the pursuit of happiness, music has been an integral part of GRAFT’s company culture. Music, as a universal language, brings people together and spans national and cultural boundaries. The artistic expression represented by the interplay of multiple musical parts transcends individual perspectives. Consequently, the transformation of polyphony into harmony can be seen as a goal of music. From the early music-making days of GRAFT’s founders through architectural metaphors drawing on set design, scenography and performance to the ‘architectural jam sessions’ that have been part of the company’s design process since the very beginning, creating the winning entry for the Carl Bechstein Campus in Berlin brings this world of reference full circle.
