Ulrich Muether was - and is - one of the great undiscovered engineers of the former Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR, or East Germany). An elegant modernist whose work - if it had been on the other side of the Iron Curtain - would now be as celebrated as that of Oscar Niemeyer of Brazil, or Jorn Utzon, the Danish architect of the Sydney Opera House.
Instead, Muether (who died in 2003), lived to see the fall of the Berlin Wall, but also the demolition, and dereliction, of several major works. Most famous for "The Teapot" in Warnemünde and his most iconic work, the lifeguard's hut on the Baltic island of Ruegen, he also worked abroad, albeit in fraternal socialist states such as Libya.
Now many of his best buildings, such as the Acornleaf (Ahornblatt) in Berlin, have been demolished, whilst others - such as the workers' canteen in Rostock, for the state transport engineers, are left to rot - open to the elements.
Built in 1975, it was abandoned, along with the adjoining factory by a different architect, at some point in the early 1990s.
The kitchen and food counter are visible in the background of some pictures.
Instead, Muether (who died in 2003), lived to see the fall of the Berlin Wall, but also the demolition, and dereliction, of several major works. Most famous for "The Teapot" in Warnemünde and his most iconic work, the lifeguard's hut on the Baltic island of Ruegen, he also worked abroad, albeit in fraternal socialist states such as Libya.
Now many of his best buildings, such as the Acornleaf (Ahornblatt) in Berlin, have been demolished, whilst others - such as the workers' canteen in Rostock, for the state transport engineers, are left to rot - open to the elements.
Built in 1975, it was abandoned, along with the adjoining factory by a different architect, at some point in the early 1990s.
The kitchen and food counter are visible in the background of some pictures.
