Im Bestand

Through her work, Elisabeth Rüthnick has made an important contribution to construction within the existing structure of a building—one of the key challenges of the current construction revolution. The book Im Bestand. Elisabeth Rüthnick documents this architect's work from the last three decades to document how a respectful approach to historical building fabric can be harmonized with innovative structural development. Around fifty projects from Berlin and Potsdam, which are presented in detail in the book, are testimony to her ability to design architectural interventions in existing buildings that are sensitive yet self-confident and clearly identifiable. Their modern architectural language enters into a dialogue with the his- torical substance in terms of material and color to create a powerful new whole. In an interview with the architectural critic Jürgen Tietz, Rüthnick explains her conceptual approach and her exemplary skill for building in existing structures. This is essential reading for architects and those  interested in culture with a passion for the future of construction.