THEME 2008
A R C H I T E C T U R E & B R A N D I N G
Or the quest for the Garden of Eden.
The Architecture Talks Lucerne took place with great success.
Please find some impressions of the conference. 
The images Closing report
We have known at the latest since Bilbao that, as a central component of a comprehensive branding strategy, architecture can be put to use with great success for companies, locations and even architects themselves. Herzog & de Meuron’s Tate Modern in London, Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum in Berlin, Jean Nouvel’s Culture and Convention Centre in Lucerne, Coop Himmelb(l)au’s BMW World in Munich, UN Studio’s new Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart, as well as OMA’s legendary Prada stores in New York and Los Angeles are only a few notable examples of how architecture can function as a three-dimensional “space for brand experience”.
In order to improve the image of a company or location, renowned architects are often called upon, in the hope that their reputation will minimise financial risk and boost international recognition. On one hand, star architects seem to ensure an architecture which is less risky for investors. On the other hand, it would appear that iconic buildings bear less and less reference to their actual site and environment. Equating branding and emblematic leading architects holds the risk of creating cities which are increasingly homogeneous despite their cultural differences, which become to a certain degree interchangeable. These issues highlight the rising influence of international corporations on cityscapes and the conflict between location promoters and urban planners, with their often antagonistic interests.
In a world dominated by fast-paced developments, branding must thus be redefined in order to find back to an architecture which takes into account the long-term objectives of urban development and respects the uniqueness of the sites on which it is created. Our times demand an architecture which does not restrict itself to generating short-term attention, but succeeds in creating a lasting sense of identity which survives the evolving contents of buildings over time.
Source: Kl!ngmann Architects & Brand Consultants
Programme and speakers
