Text in English & German. From the 1970s to the present day there is scarcely an architect who has produced such pioneering work as a creative explorer of limits, lateral thinker and stimulating inspirational figure than Hans Dieter Schaal. With a high level of professionalism Schaal has regularly provided us with essential food for thought and hypotheses as an architect, painter, sculptor, draughtsman, designer, garden and stage designer, Utopian, philosopher and author. His work has always been driven not by superficial effects, but by existential statement on what surrounds us in terms of facts and things that are concealed or suppressed. Schaal's artistic statements have elicited responses at home and abroad and have influenced whole generations of younger designers to a considerable extent. Thus Schaal embodies an ideal artistic type that one rarely comes across, known in the Renaissance as uomo universale. As anticipated for some time now, the current volume explores all facets of this complex and fruitful oeuvre, revealing above all its synergetic interrelationships. In addition to this Schaal's thought and action patterns as relevant in terms of art and architectural history are emphasised in this comparative survey of his work, and their efficacy demonstrated. An extensive catalogue of Schaal's work rounds the volume off. Thus the present volume offers an indispensable encyclopaedia of the life's work of one of the truly creative design artists of our day.
Claus-Wilhelm Hoffmann studied law and political sciences in Bonn, Berlin and Tübingen. From 1964 to 1994 he was mayor of Biberach an der Riß. He is particularly interested in promoting culture which he has served in numerous posts, including membership of the committee of the Deutsches Literaturarchiv in Marbach, and as a founder member of the Literaturstiftung Oberschwaben, the chairmanship of which he took over from Martin Walser in 2003.
Frank R Werner was professor of history and theory of architecture at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart from 1990 to 1993, since 1993 he has been director of the Institut für Architekturgeschichte und Architekturtheorie at the Bergische Universität in Wuppertal. He studied painting, architecture and architectural history in Mainz, Hanover and Stuttgart.
