Architecture and Political Ideologies
Jordan Lee
Architecture plays a multifaceted role in society serving as a reflection of the present, a vision of the future, and a glimpse into the past. The French Communist Party Headquarters in Paris, France, and the Reichstag Building in Berlin, Germany, illustrate these principles. Each building represents the tumultuous social, cultural, and historical nature of the twentieth century against the backdrop of war and political unrest. The French Communist Party Headquarters, or Parti Communiste Français (PCF), designed by Oscar Niemeyer, is suggestion of a utopian society in line with modernist architecture. The Reichstag Building, completed during the German Empire and later renovated by Sir Norman Foster, requires a contemplative reconsideration in terms of Germany’s history.
The PCF was constructed from 1968-1980, representing a political display of communist ideologies. The Party was created in 1920 as a result of the socialists losing a majority of its members to join the Communist International. The PCF exhibited similar values to Bolshevism, led by Vladimir Lenin, a socialist push aimed at bringing power to the people. The PCF implemented social reforms and guidance to combat xenophobia, with mixed successes. From its founding in 1920 to the beginning of 1934, the PCF took on the class-against-class approach. They believed capitalism and non-labouring individuals were forever at odds with the working class. However, by the end of 1934, the organisation adopted the Popular Front to disassociate themselves from the rising threat of fascism in Europe. As a result the PCF united communists, socialists, and radicals against fascism, to focus on the economic and social pressures affecting the French people. This expansion saw the party reach its highest levels of popularity in France. Due to activism and grassroots organisations, the party gained admiration in industrial areas and the “peasantry of rural regions.”
The PCF was unique in that workers made up the majority of its supporters and held positions of leadership. Architecture was a central part of the PCF’s mission. Modern architecture in its newfound simplicity aligned with the PCF’s core tenants in creating a new, utopic community. This architectural style gave the party more visible exhibits of its efforts. It served as a beacon of hope, initially implemented as housing solutions for the masses. Modern architecture became a symbol of the PCF; the style was inseparable from its politics. The PCF attached itself to Oscar Niemeyer, an obvious choice because he had been a communist and had been associated with the Brazilian Communist Party since 1945. The PCF’s decision to instate Niemeyer was strategic as it helped legitimise the party. Neimeyer had just completed significant international works such as the United Nations Building in New York. He was tasked with bringing communist France to the global stage.
Both the PCF and Neimeyer shared a distinctly modernist style. Modern architecture was a global realisation, it unified previously distinctive local architecture because of its progressive approach to design. The PCF commissioned Niemeyer to create headquarters that would centralise the previously separated communist buildings. The building would display the PCF’s ideologies in tangible, physical form. The structure needed to represent the new progressive ideals of the communist party, and their endeavour for post-war equality and social advancements.
Unlike the PCF headquarters, the Reichstag Building’s form had been continuously evolving up until 1999 when final renovations were completed. The building has played an essential part in Germany’s tumultuous history since 1884, reflecting the nation’s political evolution and drastic ideological shifts. The history of the Reichstag spans five distinct times in German history: the German Empire, World War I, The Weimar Republic, Nazism, World War II, the Cold War, and, finally, unified Germany. The Reichstag Building was completed in 1884 during the German Empire or the Second Reich, under Emperor Wilhelm I. It combined various parts of historical architecture, as Germany lacked a clearly defined architectural style at the time. In 1916, twenty-two years after its initial completion, the Reichstag Building’s façade was inscribed with the phrase “Dem Deutschen Volke” or “To the German People”, a clear shift from the monarchic society of the time towards some semblance of a government led by the people.
Following the events of WWI and Wilhelm II’s abdication of the throne, Social democrat, Phillip Scheidemann, declared a German government from the balcony of the Reichstag Building. Thus, the Weimar Republic was born on 9 November 1918. During this period, Germany plunged into crisis following the Treaty of Versailles. The 1929 economic crisis and political instability gave way to rising extremism and ultimately, the Nazi’s seizure of power in Germany. On 27 February 1933, the Reichstag Building was subject to an arson attack, engulfing the Chamber of Deputies in flames. Under the guise of this attack, the Nazis were able to arrest communist leaders, activists, and organisations, overthrowing the government. Throughout WWII and the Cold War, the Reichstag Building remained unused and in disrepair. With the separation of East and West Germany, the government could no longer be held in Berlin.
The Reichstag Building was only repaired in the 1960s under renovations by Paul Baumgarten where it was used as a conference centre and a history museum. Following German Unification on 3 October 1990, Berlin was chosen to once again house the German Parliament. The government wanted to show international communities that it was not running away from its past but acknowledging and working through it. The reinstatement of Berlin as the location for government aimed to heal the wounds of the Cold War and to symbolise Germany’s altered position in Europe.In 1992, Sir Norman Foster won the architectural project to rejuvenate the building as both a functional site for the government and an attraction to commemorate its history. The renovation needed to symbolize the new ideals of a unified Germany, referencing the Reichstag Building’s vast history and exemplifying a transparent process of governing.
Niemeyer’s design of the PCF Headquarters consisted of two distinct structures: a curvilinear, six-story block and a conference chamber featuring a domed-roof. The serpentine structure was made of reinforced concrete featuring a curtain glass wall. The PCF Headquarters references Niemeyer’s time in Brasilia through its glimpses of brutalism, such as concrete and exposed raw materials. Neimeyer used reinforced concrete as a homage to the aesthetic of the worker as well as and a structural element which withstood the complex design requirements. The materiality of the building mirrored the intent behind its purpose, reaching back to the PCF’s roots in workers’ rights. Similarly, the Reichstag Building in Berlin references its historical and political origins, albeit more overtly. Foster’s renovation of the Reichstag building retained much of its painful history. After intense debate, the decision was made to keep various graffiti with such quotes as “Glory to the Stalinist Flacons[UU1] ”. Foster purposefully withheld from erasing signs of German history such as Nazism, instead highlighting its effect on the country. While the renovation retained old elements of the Reichstag, it simultaneously modernised the existing building.
Foster proposed a bold addition to the Reichstag Building, a glass cupola design. The juxtaposing glass and steel dome boasted a diameter of 38m and a height of 23.5m, which sat atop the original building. Foster conceptualised the new cupola as a lantern with which it would communicate all of the brightness, transparency, and public access required to breathe life into this building. The new addition allowed for visitors to ascend up the ramp, above their representatives, while a series of downward pointing mirrors provided a line of sight down to the politicians and leaders working below. The Reichstag’s new dome represented the government’s prioritisation of transparency following a period of great unrest in German history. It symbolises democracy through its material and spatial composition. Similarly, the PCF headquarters used architectural design and materials to represent similar ideals, of people-centric values. Neimeyer’s implementation of an uninterrupted reflective glass façade also conveyed a sense of visibility between the party and its citizens. Metaphorically, the futuristic design signified the party’s willingness to adapt contemporary values, or what is called aggiornmaento. Large curtain glazing further reinforced its ties to the communist party through appearing light, modern, and forward-thinking. The façade not only represents the PCF’s desire for transparency, but also provided France with a tangible representation of its progressive values.
The rich historical and social aspects of communist France and unified Germany are embodied in both the PCF Headquarters and the Reichstag Building, respectively. These politically charged buildings were driven by each respective country's ideological desires and aspirations. Today, the legacy of each building has taken drastically different paths. On the one hand, the PCF Headquarters are used for mostly used for high-end marketing purposes like fashion shows and filming. Creating headquarters solely for one political party was always a risky and uncommon move. Concrete lasts much longer than most political parties, which the PCF would come to realise.
As the French Communist Party declined in popularity, the need for such a substantial structure became obsolete. Yet, the headquarters still held value to the much smaller twenty-first-century PCF. The current secretary journal has stated that the Party is willing to sacrifice a great deal to keep the building. In this sense, Neimeyer’s goal to reflect the ideals of the French Communist Party was successful. The shadows and values of the organisation live on, even in its current form, where there are not many communists to inhabit the space.
In contrast, the Reichstag stands as a testament to Foster’s reimagining of the site. Not only does the Reichstag hold parliamentary proceedings, but it also welcomes approximately three million visitors each year. The Reichstag sits at the heart of a governmental precinct surrounded by new chancellery buildings and offices. Foster’s dome was structurally challenging but simple in form and material. In line with modernist ideals, it did not simply match the previous ornamentation of the Reichstag, but birthed something new and contemporary. Both the PCF headquarters and the Reichstag building encapsulate a period of history. Even though the PCF headquarters did not serve its practical purpose for long, it exemplified the characteristics of modernist architecture. Each architectural period draws upon its past and Niemeyer’s organic architecture including the PCF headquarters paved the way for postmodern and contemporary architecture which embraced expressivity and playfulness.
Despite their opposed political convictions, these buildings are unified in their embodiment of hope, struggle, and community. The PCF, eager to legitimise itself, created the headquarters as an extension of itself. It was imbued with both the party’s aspirations and origins, materialised in the form of Niemeyer’s modernist design. It contrasted traditional form in both its design and progressive values. Foster’s reimagination of the Reichstag building also held political symbolism. It serves as a beacon of resilience through its preservation of struggle. The Reichstag’s achieved its physical form by reflecting upon its goal as both a parliamentary building and a historical monument. Ultimately, these buildings transcend architectural forms; they reflect the state of their nations, a reminder that architecture is a powerful and lasting emblem of our world as we see it.