Winfried und Fabian Brenne – Preserving and developing highly modern facilities whilst maintaining their authentic character

How can modernist architecture be preserved without hindering its further development?

Winfried Brenne, a pioneer in the heritage-sensitive renovation of modern buildings, first reflects on his decades of experience in the renovation of existing buildings, initially on his own and then together with his son and business partner, Fabian Brenne. Since the 1970s, Brenne has pursued an approach that combines the preservation of historic fabric with contemporary use, viewing heritage conservation as an opportunity for sustainable development.

At the heart of this approach lies a nuanced understanding of authenticity: the aim is not reconstruction or museum-style preservation, but rather a precise grasp of the original design concept and its architectural logic. In this context, renovation appears as a dialogue between the past and the present, in which new interventions are respectfully integrated whilst remaining visible as contemporary layers. Together with Fabian Brenne, it becomes clear how this approach is being carried forward today and supplemented with contemporary considerations regarding sustainable renovation strategies. The discussion thus offers a vivid insight into a practice-oriented approach to heritage conservation that combines historical responsibility with sustainability.

The film will feature excerpts from an interview conducted by Roland May with Winfried and Fabian Brenne on 15 July 2025 in the former teachers’ house No. 9 at the Bauhaus Monument, the Federal School in Bernau near Berlin. It was produced in the context of the central question for SPP 2255: How can we better understand, appropriately evaluate and preserve the structures of High Modernism (c. 1880–1980) for the future?

The full interview will be published in the forthcoming volume Authenticity, part of the SPP 2255 series (Cultural Heritage in Construction, Vol. 2).