Martin Despang Dipl. Ing. Architekt BDA
Brief Vitae
Architecture Program, University of Hannover, 1988
Presidential Scholarship, College of Architecture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1990 / 91
Diploma / MArch (equivalent), University of Hannover, 1993
Adjunct Faculty Positions at Universities in Northern Germany 2001-2005
Assistant Professor, Architecture Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2005
A critical comprehensive and diverse architectural education enables the architect to be the remaining important generalist in a world of specialization. The architect is the specialist of orchestrating both the poetic and pragmatic issues of a more-complex-than-ever built world. Martin, together with Guenther Despang, is practicing what he was taught and what he continues to teach - that the consistency of architectural quality in concept, development and execution can make life better.
The chair of the jury of the most recent 2004 Lower Saxony States Award called Despang Architekten "street fighter's" of Architecture, who peacefully fight the lack of meaning of the contemporary average environment. Indeed Guenther and Martin Despang are exploring the poetic and pragmatic potential especially in a wide range of considerably ordinary building types. These include: Single and multifamily housing, kindergartens, schools, recreation, train stations, commercial, offices, administration, retail shops, supermarkets, coffee shops and military facilities.
For their built work Despang Architekten are among the "Top 100" creative ranked German architectural firms. Their work has been honored with numerous awards, among them the "Emerging Architecture Award" by the Architectural Review for their EXPO 2000 train station project. Most recently they were given the 2004 Lower Saxony States Award for their innovative approach to finding a new building type for the supermarket. Several building material awards keep Martin especially involved in the global material community. Despang Architekten’s work has been widely published in the USA, Asia and Europe.
Areas of Interest
Martin is interested in the evolution of typologies and related investigation in the theory of thinking and the act of making of architecture. His professional and academic interest focuses on quality in concept, development and execution of the ordinary/profane, rather than the extraordinary built world. Martin’s inter-cultural and inter-technological approach of thinking global and acting local is increasingly addressing a "postfossil" society.
