The BDA Münster-Münsterland will conclude its A-Z Architects lecture series with a special evening dedicated to the experimental architect Werner Ruhnau (1922-2015) on Thursday, October 30, 2025. The event, titled "Architecture as Experimental Field: Early Beginnings in Münster," will feature a biographical lecture by Stefan Rethfeld focusing on Ruhnau's pioneering work in the city during his early career.
The lecture will take place within the framework of the exhibition "Werner Ruhnau in Westphalia: Building for the Open Society" at the Stadthausgalerie Münster. Following its initial presentation last summer at the Dortmund Architecture Archive NRW, portions of the show are being displayed in Münster until November 15. The exhibition showcases artifacts from Ruhnau's estate that demonstrate his distinctive approach to combining architecture with visual arts, as well as his open and often playful spatial concepts characteristic of post-war modernism.
While Ruhnau is widely recognized for iconic projects such as the Music Theater in Gelsenkirchen and the Play Street at the Munich Olympics, his contributions to Münster's architectural landscape were equally significant. In 1951, he took over project leadership for the city's first modern office building: the new headquarters of the Chamber of Agriculture. This project marked a crucial step in Münster's post-war reconstruction and modernization efforts.
Ruhnau's collaborative approach to architecture was exemplified in another major Münster project. Together with renowned architects Harald Deilmann, Max von Hausen, and Ortwin Rave, he formed part of the architectural team that realized the new theater construction in Münster, a project that was completed in 1956. This collaborative effort represented the innovative spirit of German post-war architecture and Ruhnau's commitment to creating spaces that served the broader community.
The evening lecture will be held at 7:00 PM at the Stadthausgalerie, located in the Rathausinnenhof at Platz des Westfälischen Friedens in Münster. The accompanying exhibition runs from October 10 through November 15, 2025, at the same venue. This event offers architecture enthusiasts and the general public an opportunity to explore the legacy of one of Germany's most experimental and forward-thinking architects of the 20th century.
