Unterwegs in die Moderne

Through his buildings and city planning work, Friedrich Ptzer (born 1871) shaped Darmstadts cityscape far more significantly than is generally known. His buildings are evidence of the Grand Duchy of Hessens period of flourishing and reformation around 1900particularly in its capital, Darmstadt. Ptzers works are comprehensively represented in this volume. They include the modern and highly functional central station, which connected the city to the constantly growing rail network, and various parts of the chemical company Mercks headquarters. Competing with the Darmstadt Artists Colony, he planned residences in Mathildenhhe that proposed independent concepts for a new way of living, and designed innovative institutional buildings and lecture theatres for the citys technical university. Ptzer also conceived and realised the Paulusviertel neighbourhood, with its Pauluskirche church ensemble. This work is recognised as one of the major examples of the painterly style in city planning. In 2020, Darmstadts twelfth city photographer Vitus Saloshanka set out to document Ptzers impact. His photographs illustrate the sophisticated creativity, environmental sensitivity, and technical accomplishment of the Aachen-born architects buildings.