During the peak of Postmodernism, and the uprising of notions such as urban renewal and public participation, Aedes Architecture Forum, the first private architecture gallery in the world, opened in 1980 in Berlin. Founded by Journalist Kristin Feireiss and Helga Retzer, both neither architects nor regularly engaged with architecture at that time, Aedes aspired to encourage an international dialogue around the subjects of urban environment, space, and society.
Shortly after its inception, the center became an integral part of the contemporary international architectural scene, carrying out debates, seeking fresh ideas, showcasing the avant-garde, and highlighting young talents. Providing architects with a compelling space to present their architectural and urban ideas, Aedes hosted exhibitions for Zaha Hadid, Venturi Scott Brown, Cedric Price, John Hejduk, OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture), Peter and Alison Smithson, and Bernard Tschumi to name a few.
With 500 exhibitions over the course of 40 years, the independent institution for contemporary architecture, urban design, and related topics carried out autonomously without public funding, driven by the cutting edge, best practices, and visionary concepts from around the world. Under the co-direction of Kristin Feireiss and Hans-Jürgen Commerell since 1994, the public cultural space encompasses nowadays 600 square meters of exhibition, event, and office space.
