HELMUT JAHN – PROCESS PROGRESS November 30, 2012 – February 24, 2013

Helmut Jahn has developed more than 700 projects since the 1970th. Over 100 have been build. With in this numbers are landmark buildings as the James R. Tompson Center in Chicago, the Messetower in Frankfurt, the Sony Center in Berlin, the international airport in Bangkok, Leatop Plaza in Guangzhou and under construction the Doha convention center tower.

Over 100,000 drawings form the bedrock of architect Helmut Jahn’s oeuvre, and they are archived in the US architectural office of Murphy/Jahn. All the drawings tend to be on the customary paper size of 8ó x 8ó inches or simply jotted on notepads sized 4. x 4. inches, signed and complete with commentaries of the realization. They together provide an exact history of the development of the buildings and the design process underlying them. The drawing present the buildings in their overall context of urban surroundings, the structural features, the  proportions and ideas on the materials, not to forget just as clear outlines of the engineering required for the facade technology and construction.

Beside of drawing the projects an important role plays writing for Helmut Jahn. Thousand of notes describe his thoughts, considerations and approaches to architecture, society and technical aspects of the building process. Only through a permanent process progress can be achieved.