Klaus Leuschel

Klaus Leuschel is a freelance author and journalist, specialising in architecture, design and issues related to either … or (watches for example). Born on 24th January 1952 (Leipzig; then: GDR) and raised in Hanover (FRG), the initial focus of his interest (after his studies in Design at »Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Hamburg« and studies in art-history at Hamburg University and at the AA – School of Architecture in London) was: Why does it seem as if design is to remain a minority issue?

Maybe that explains why from the midst of the Seventies he turned into an outspoken supporter of provocative design positions (in particular: Sottsass, Superstudio, Alchimia and Memphis); followed by the »STARCKe [German = strong] Generation« (Starck, Arad, Newson, Wettstein etc.).

From 1984 on he was to publish related to all this (in particular in: »Provokationen – Ein Mythos geht neue Wege«; catalogue Deutscher Werkbund, Hanover 1982). The same period he started to work for various furniture manufacturers like Olivetti Synthesis, Driade, Pallucco Italia, XO et. al.

In 1990 he was chosen as advisor to the board by Karl-Heinz Krug, editor-in-chief of »form – Zeitschrift für Gestaltung«, a magazine he has contributed (with a timeout from 1998 until 2010) until today.

He still ranks his portrait of Zaha Hadid for German TV (WDR / 3Sat) from 1994 as one of his essential works, as his cooperation with Hannes Wettstein (1998 – 2001) on the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Berlin; documented in a book: »Moneo/Wettstein: Grand Hyatt Berlin« (ed.; Birkhäuser 1999).

Since 2001 Klaus contributes to tamedia (FACTS, SonntagsZeitung, TagesAnzeiger); since 2011 less frequently. The focus changed in the new Millenium quite a bit. Issues like longevity or sustainability have become essential for him, while fashion related matters ('lifestyle' in its singular form in particular) turned more and more into vituperation.

With Swiss magazine archithese (since 2005) he was lucky in having found a forum for architectural themes. He is to contribute to archithese irregularily ’till today.

In 2010 the museum MARTa Herford was to stage an exhibition he had initiated: »Richard Neutra in Europe 1960 – 1970« (ed. catalogue; DuMont 2010). Critically acclaimed it went on show in Basel (S AM) and Frankfurt (DAM) afterwards. By chance, 'failure' became a nucleus over the recent past: he currently works on »mystery men« (Reyner Banham) like the Rasch bros. Bodo + Heinz (for MARTa Herford) as well as on Mart Stam.

Klaus has published uncounted articles with newspapers in Germany (FAZ, Süddeutsche Zeitung) and Switzerland (NZZ, TagesAnzeiger) as well as with magazines in Germany (Architektur & Wohnen, Horizont etc.), Great Britian (Blueprint), Italy (Domus and pre-berlusconian INTERNI) and Switzerland. Even though he was born in Saxony, raised in Lower Saxony and in London, Klaus lives + works in Berne (married to Sophie Ott); a condition also mirrored in his latest book title: SWISSNESS (Niggli, Sulgen 2010); which subtly pays tribute to Sir Nikolaus Pevsner’s »Englishness in English Architecture« on the other hand.