Exploring German colonial building cultures: Insights from the Namibia Scientific Society
The Namibia Scientific Society is set to host an enlightening public talk titled, “German Colonial Building Cultures in a Global Perspective – A Critical Evaluation of Primary Sources, From Windhoek and Daressalam to Tsingtau and Samoa,” featuring Michael Falser from the Technical University of Munich.
The event is scheduled for 26 March at 19:00 and promises to offer intriguing insights into the architectural history of German colonialism.
The Society announced that Falser’s presentation will delve into the history of German colonial building cultures across Africa, Asia, and Oceania, examining primary sources from the German colonial era with specific references to architecture.
They emphasized that the talk will draw from an exhibition and catalogue project conducted in 2023, which focused on Namibia and showcased various architectural elements including plans, drawings, photographs, and artistic representations.
Reflecting on history, the Society highlighted that from approximately 1880 to 1920, the German Empire stood as one of Europe’s colonial powers, with territories spanning Africa, Asia, and Oceania. They noted that architecture, urban planning, and infrastructural projects during this period served as tangible evidence of German colonial influence on local societies worldwide.
Michael Falser, an expert in architecture and art history who studied in Vienna, Paris, and Berlin, currently leads a research project titled “German Colonial Architecture as a Global Building Project around 1900 and as Transcultural Heritage Today” at the Technical University of Munich. In 2023, he curated the exhibition “German Colonial Building Cultures – A Global Architectural History in 100 Primary Sources” at the Central Institute of Art History in Munich and edited an accompanying exhibition catalogue.
The public talk promises to provide attendees with a deeper understanding of the architectural legacies of German colonialism and its impact on diverse societies across the globe.
