Schinkel’s First Major Architectural Work as a Museum
Schinkel’s First Major Architectural Work as a Museum
The first major architectural work of the architect Carl Friedrich Schinkel is the former custodian’s and dairy house, built in 1802//03 on the outlying estate of Bärwinkel near Neuhardenberg. During its 200th anniversary year, the dairy house will become a small museum dedicated to the history of the estate, the dairy house itself, and those early works of the architect executed before his first great educational trip to Italy and France, which he undertook in 1803 to 1805.
The estate stands as an ensemble, and the dairy house as an individual monument under historical protection. It is designed in the artistic form of an ornamental farm and realized as such. The estate became the site for a decentralized administrated farm and for the specific agricultural economy of the late pre-industrial epoch.
The outlying estate with dairy house, ensemble and architecture is unique not only to Brandenburg. The dairy house, situated within a landscape garden, stands typologically as an exemplative model (Pate). At ground level, the dairy house consists of the living quarters and the office of the estate administrator as well as the cheese diary.
On the upper level, there is a room for the lord and lady of the manor and their guests as a destination for their outings. The form of an Early Christian basilica identifies the area for the administration and supervision of production. This artform ‘ennobles’ this otherwise practical building.
Experts of Schinkel’s lifework see in the dairy house in Bärwinkel the first Neo-Romanesque building - art historically speaking - on the European mainland. This artistic and cultural monument is also of European stature. Its author was to become the most important architect of the nineteenth century in the German states at that time.Already some activities have been taken to save the existing structure. In 1990, the building, overgrown with vines, was measured and drawn. From 1990 to 1995 the dairy house, which was in the most ruinous condition, was in large part structurally secured and maintained. Provisional measures had to be taken for some parts of the building due to the lack of funds. However, now it is necessary to replace these temporary constructions so the building can survive for following generations over a long period of time. In 2001, the fragmented northern stable of the estate was stabilized and prepared for reconstruction through the help of a qualifications action for unemployed youths; this help will be continued in 2002. What is still lacking, is construction materials and financial resources.
The local community, the responsible offices of the state of Brandenburg, and many who are impressed with the artwork, including the international society, Friends of Schinkel ( FOS ), welcome and support the project of the Foerderverein Bärwinkel e.V. Sponsors also have expressed interest in supporting this project.
You are cordially invited to help to a secure future for the First Major Architectural Work of Carl Friedrich Schinkel, the dairy house in Bärwinkel. A small elegant museum will reside in the dairy house in order to secure the survival of this significant early work of the architect.The Förderverein Bärwinkel e.V. is registered with the court office of Berlin-Charlottenburg. It is recognized as a common cultural service and is authorized to provide contribution receipts. Please help by providing support for the museum so it can open its doors on the occasion of the 200th anniversary year of the estate’s construction in 2003.
On behalf of the Förderverein Bärwinkel e.V.
Frank Augustin (Chairman)
Geschäftsstelle:
c/o Frank Augustin, Dipl. -Ing. Architekt
Schönhauser Allee 8
10119 BERLINTelephone: + (30) 44 35 81 26
Telefacsimile: +(30) 44 35 81 28e-mail: FAEST.ING.INT@t-online.de
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