Gottfried Bohm

Gottfried Böhm was born into a family of architects in Offenbach, Hessen. His father, Dominikus Böhm, was renowned for his numerous avant-garde churches throughout Germany, many in Expressionist style. His grandfather was also an architect. After graduating from Technical University of Munich in 1946, he studied sculpture at a nearby fine-arts academy. Gottfried later integrated his clay model making skills acquired during this time at the academy into his design process.

After graduating in 1947, Gottfried worked for his father until the latter's death in 1955, and later took over his firm. During this period, he also worked with the "Society for the Reconstruction of Cologne" under Rudolf Schwarz. In 1951, he traveled to New York City and worked for six months in the architectural firm of Cajetan Baumann. While traveling in America he met two of his greatest inspirations, German architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius.

Böhm was married to Elizabeth Haggenmüller, also an architect, until her death in 2012. He met Elizabeth in 1948, while studying in Munich. She assisted him in several of his projects, mainly through interior design. They have four sons, three of whom are now architects. He turned 100 in January 2020.

Gottfried Böhm on his 100th birthday. An exhibition in Frankfurt am Main – ndion

Gottfried Böhm celebrates his 100th birthday on 23 January 2020. From 18 January to 26 April 2020, the German Architecture Museum DAM in Frankfurt am Main