At first glance, it may seem astonishing, in times of a far-from-booming economy, to bring out an issue about celebrations – after all, the general understanding of celebration is that it represents abundance, opulence, luxury and idle pleasure, and that it requires a joyful reason that is to be celebrated.

However, not only because this issue coincides with Christmas time, we consider it important to examine celebration and architectural expression thereof in the broadest sense. The waves of protest which have marked the year 2011 show that the public celebration is by no means detached from the world, and that it is, on the contrary, a highly political expression. The Hambach Festival from the German Vormärz period (1832) and the Fête de la Fédération on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (1790) entrench this relationship in history. Whenever politics become more important to the people, there are reasons for gatherings, for festivities and protests.

But what is the relevance of celebration with regard to architecture? To date, the signification of celebration has mostly been reduced to pavilions, expos and the Counter-Reformationist Baroque period. In these refuges, celebration was allowed. Here, it was isolated from serious, proper architectural production and thus stripped of its relevance. Anyone seeking colour, rapture and flippancy could retreat into history or cavort at contemporary fairgrounds.
This solitary confinement contradicts the long-standing notion that celebrations have predominately positive connotations and mark moments of success, albeit sometimes blurred by hangovers afterwards. In architecture, however, catharsis does indeed prevail: instead of rapture – the grey city. But would anyone, when asked what their favourite colour is, say „grey“? In addition, closed bodies, characterised by grill façades and perforated façades: similarly unattractive words, which we select to describe alleged urban ideals.

So why is the colourful, variegated, vibrant celebration with its cheerful music, with its decorations, with its splendour, with the devotion to expression, with its luxury – whether expensive or cheaply imitated – no longer allowed into architecture? Due to a lack of seriousness?
Due to stylistic querulousness? In the past, the laurel wreath, as a festive decoration for city parades, was permanently represented in the stone ornamentation of representative façades – it was the peak of what could be obtained, in expression and in life.
The aim of this issue is to go some way towards reacquainting creative, sty-listically uncensored prosperity with architecture. Architecture is not a hermetic, autistic discipline and is not subject to any lasting dogmatic decree regarding style. It has a close relationship with the human being and is thus equally changeable.

There is almost nowhere else where free, human, creative expression is as direct and quasi-virtuous as in the celebration – it would be contemptible not to take it seriously.

The editors wish you a happy festive season!
The editors

04 Editorial

Architektur Aktuell
16 Lincoln Center, New York. Diller Scofidio  +  Renfro | André Bideau
22 Erweiterung und Umbau Hambacher Schloss, Neustadt an der Weinstraße. Max Dudler Architekten | Hubertus Adam

Festarchitekturen
28 Das Feste und das Fest. Über die Beziehung der Feier zur Architektur | Stephan Trüby
34 Die Räume des Spektakels. Kollektives Erleben, Schaulust und eine neue Urbanität | Robert Kaltenbrunner
40 Yes, We Party. Spanish Fiesta as a political urban tool. Francisco González de Canales, Nuria Álvarez | Lombardero with María Aguilar Alejandre
46 Ephemere Präsenz. Zu eucharistischen Blickmaschinen des Barock | Joseph Imorde
50 Festliches Licht. Illumination und Lichtzauber | Käthe Klappenbach
56 Schau Fassade! Vom Gesichtsverlust der Architektur | Eberhard Troeger
60 Bühnenzauber und Liebestod. Die Olympischen Spiele in Berlin 1936 | Florian Dreher
66 Über den Dächern der Stadt. Höhenrausch.2, Linz | Hubertus Adam
68 Rummelmanifest. Bunte Hunde oder: Entwerfen im Discofieber | Hannes Mayer, Oliver Godow
74 «Ringel, Ringel, Reihe». Das Jane’s Carousel von Jean Nouvel, New York | Sandra Pfeifer
76 Der Gott mit dem Elefantenkopf und die Stadt. Zum Ganesha-Chaturthi-Fest und zu Stadtfesten in Indien | Susanne Kohte
80 Dünner Faden, dicker Effekt. Monsoon Club – Kennedy Center Washington, Serie Architects | Hannes Mayer
82 Re-Enacting Berlin. Ein Rückblick auf zwanzig Jahre Clubkultur in Berlin | Florian Heilmeyer

Rubriken
92 Holcim awards 2011
96 Neues aus der Industrie
104 Jahresregister
110 Lieferbare Hefte
112 Vorschau und Impressum