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Press Statement
Stefan Behnisch Remembers Pritzker Prize 2015 Winner Frei Otto, Colleague of His Father, Günter Behnisch
Along with my partners at Behnisch Architekten, I congratulate Frei Otto on winning the 2015 Pritzker Prize and honor his lasting legacy. Otto merits this prize for his visionary ideas, his innovative and unique structures, and his willingness to freely share his inventions and research conducted at his Institute for Lightweight Structures with other architects and engineers. He always helped his colleagues to implement their design concepts and supported them with a true collegial spirit.
In particular, in view of the great architectural legacy of the Olympic Park in Munich built for the Games in 1972, I thank Otto for his cooperation and commitment that enabled my father, Günter Behnisch, and his partners at Behnisch & Partner to implement the tented roof design of the Olympic buildings.
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With his knowledge and creativity, Frei Otto worked closely with architect Behnisch & Partner, engineer Leonhardt und Andrä, and the clients, as well as numerous other parties. Together, they brought the roof structure proposed in the competition entry to reality, even though the feasibility of the design had long been doubted. Without Otto’s advice and expertise, the project would not have been realized.
The Behnisch Architekten team deeply admires Otto for many things, especially his influence as a teacher, mentor, and advisor to generations of architects and engineers. We also honor him for the great body of research he built at the Institute for Lightweight Structures that will benefit architects and engineers for years to come.
We owe a profound debt of gratitude to Frei Otto, and respect him for his lifelong achievements.
Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family, friends, colleagues and staff.
Stefan Behnisch
Behnisch Architekten Stuttgart
Behnisch Architekten München
Behnisch Architekten Boston
Stuttgart, March 12, 2015