Introduction: „Bauforschung“ as part of archaeological projects

As an integrated branch , „Bauforschung“ in Germany is a full architectural department – some times named as “Baugeschichte” or “Stadtbaugeschichte” - at many universities (for example: Hamburg-Harburg, Hannover, Braunschweig, Berlin, Dortmund, Cottbus, Weimar, Dresden, Kassel, Aachen, Darmstadt, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Muenchen – (www.uni-”name of town”.de).First , ”Bauforscher” are persons who have studied architecture at a full university with a degree of Dipl.-Ing. and later on as Dr.-Ing. As archaeologists, historians “Bauforscher” have their own platform for discussions – a society called the “Koldewey-Gesellschaft”. Most of the members have studied architecture at places as described above. But there are also art historians, archaeologists in the society. Of course, also persons who never studying architecture could name their work as “Bauforschung”. “Bauforschung” needs a deep understanding of architectural features, i.e. historical town planning, building of landscape, history of construction and materials. Every person, who deals with those subjects does “Bauforschung” – sometimes more as art historians, sometimes more as archaeologists and so on. The subject of study, the settlement, the town and the buildings were done by practical working persons – later on, they called themselves architects. One way to due “Bauforschung” – architectural research - is, to understand their way of thinking, how they argue with their employers, with the working staff, to realize their architectural visions. This is the reason, why it needs the spirit of architects, to think like them, to due “Bauforschung” as an engineer. But it is not so necessary that they work as practical architects.

P.S.: During the last years, some new departments at German universities offers a special education year for “Bauforschung” (Bamberg, Berlin, Muenchen) - open for none-architects also.