- Einstein Tower
The Einstein Tower is an astrophysical
observatory in theAlbert Einstein Science Park inPotsdam ,Germany designed byarchitect Erich Mendelsohn . It was built forastronomer Erwin Finlay-Freundlich to support experiments and observations to validateAlbert Einstein 'srelativity theory . The building was first conceived around 1917, built from 1920 to 1921 after a fund-raising drive, and became operational in 1924. It is still a working solar observatory today as part of theAstrophysical Institute Potsdam . Light from the telescope is brought down through the shaft to the basement where the instruments and laboratory are located.This was one of Mendelsohn's first major projects, completed when a young
Richard Neutra was on his staff, and his best-known building.The exterior was originally conceived in concrete, but due to construction difficulties, much of the building was actually realized in brick, covered with stucco. It underwent a full renovation in 1999, for its 75th anniversary, to correct problems with dampness and decay that had meant decades of repair. It is often cited as one of the few landmarks of
expressionist architecture .According to lore, Mendelsohn took Einstein on a long tour of the completed structure, waiting for some sign of approval. The design, while logical and perfectly sufficient to its purpose, stood out like an "ungainly spaceship" in the suburbs of Potsdam. Einstein said nothing until hours later, during a meeting with the building committee, when he whispered his one-word judgment: "Organic". (Otto Friedrich, "Before the Deluge".) Mendelsohn himself said that he had designed it out of some unknown urge, letting it emerge out of "the mystique around Einstein's universe" (Wolf von Eckardt, "Erich Mendelsohn".)
External links
* [http://www.c20society.org.uk/docs/building/einstein.html Detailed description]
* [http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Einstein_Tower.html Great Buildings page with many photos]
* [http://www.einsteinturm.de/ Sonnenobservatorium Einsteinturm (first page in German, but many pages in English with excellent illustrations and photos)]
* [http://www.ourbania.com/urban-items/einsteinturm ourbania - Einstein Tower]
* [http://www.potsdam-tour.co.uk/?lc=36 Potsdam from Above — Einsteinturm]
* [http://elarq.com/galeria/thumbnails.php?album=63 Web site with photographs of architecture]
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