Part of the archive of the architect Hans Broos has been cataloged, treated, and digitized, and is now available for online and in-person consultation at the Ingo Hering Memory Center of the Hermann Hering Foundation.
This portion of the archive was previously kept at the architect's former home in Blumenau, the Rieschbieter House.
This milestone is the result of a nine-year process, spanning from the architect's passing in Blumenau in 2011—when the collection was salvaged by researchers—to its final incorporation into the Ingo Hering Memory Center in 2020.
During this transitional phase, the Broos archive was temporarily stored in the archives of LOTO arquitetos in Florianópolis. This period, after the passing of its creator and before finding a permanent home, is the most vulnerable moment for the preservation of an archive. In an effort to keep the collection active and showcase its value, a group of independent researchers organized to produce, among other initiatives, an exhibition, a book, and a feature-length documentary (a Brazil-Slovakia co-production scheduled for release in 2021). They also hosted events focusing on Hans Broos's work and the preservation of architectural archives.
These efforts culminated in 2019, when the Hermann Hering Foundation expressed interest in housing the archive at the Ingo Hering Memory Center. The foundation committed to cataloging, treating, digitizing, archiving, and making the collection publicly available—a project made possible through the Elisabete Anderle Cultural/Heritage Support Grant (2019 Edition) by the Santa Catarina Cultural Foundation.
As a result, in addition to being stored in a technically suitable space equipped with temperature, humidity, and lighting controls alongside a conservation laboratory, the archive was able to return to its city of origin.
Furthermore, the archive is now located within the historic site of the Cia Hering Headquarters, Hans Broos's masterpiece. The century-old manufacturing plant was a focal point of the architect's work for over 20 years, during which he coordinated the industrial expansion pilot plan. This project integrated new structures with historic buildings while preserving the surrounding Atlantic Forest landscape, and featured collaborations with landscape architect Roberto Burle-Marx and geographer Aziz Ab’Saber.
Now, this site of high historical, artistic, and landscape value will also house the archival collection related to the life and work of Hans Broos, which includes project documentation, photographs, sketchbooks, travel diaries, correspondence, books, and personal objects. Among other rare items, the archive includes a typed first edition of the 1957 publication “Construções antigas em Santa Catarina,” prepared by the architect to validate his foreign degree. Within the Ingo Hering Memory Center, this archive will join the collection of the Hering family and the group's companies, which also contains technical documentation of the industrial projects and a set of photographs by Cristiano Mascaro.
In total, 2,400 items from this archive have already been cleaned, digitized, and cataloged, and are now available to the public digitally. Access to the collection can be requested here under the “Centro de Memória” (Memory Center) tab, followed by “Atendimento ao pesquisador” (Researcher Services).
PROJECT CREDITS
Built Memory Project: cataloging and digitizing archives at the Ingo Hering Memory Center.
Applicant: Fundação Hermann Hering - Amelia Malheiros – Hermann Hering Foundation Management
Architects: Bernardo Brasil Bielschowsky and João Serraglio
Technical Project Coordination: Franciele Machado Scheurich
Communication Analyst: Daniel Philipi Knop
Financial Analyst: Josiane Graziela da Silva
Contracted Company: Samsara Patrimônio, Cultura e Inovação Ltda – Me
Museum Studies Specialists: Iara Claudinéia Stiehler Coninck and Thayse Fagundes de Braga
This article was written by João Serraglio. The translation is powered by AI.
