A conversation with Jürgen Engel

Jürgen Engel leads one of the big German architectural firms. With around 300 employees at the headquarters in Frankfurt and in the many offices throughout Germany and internationally, KSP Jürgen Engel Architekten is just as adept at building high-rises in Frankfurt as it is a mosque in Algiers or the National Library of China in Beijing. But Jürgen Engel even takes on small-scale projects, which is evidenced by his design for the new FSB 1271 door handle collection. FSB spoke with him about crowning finishes, his love of detail and what motivates him as a designer.

So, Mr Engel, is designing a door handle an architect’s dream?

We take a holistic approach to design, from urban development, architecture and product design to the branding of companies. This includes a recognition and respect for materials, like the raw exposed concrete of the documentation centre in Bergen-Belsen or the aesthetics of the interior of the Elements Studios, but it also includes constructive detailed solutions like the innovative folded ceiling in the WestendDuo project in Frankfurt. What many consider a nondescript detail like a door handle, however, is one of the most important functional elements in a building. Hardly anything is used more frequently and actually held in the hand. For us as architects, the door handle is the crowing finish of a holistic design of a building.

What made you design a door handle?

Our touch memory is just as strong as our memory for smell. Anyone who takes in a building with all their senses knows the importance of door and window handles. You notice immediately whether they were designed with functionality or aesthetics in mind. Bringing both of these elements into harmony is the challenge that motivates us as designers. And part of that as well is the aim of giving all doors and, of course, the windows a uniform finish. All of them have special requirements that should not be noticeable in the design and during their use.

How did you end up working with FSB?

We have been using FSB products in our projects for decades. We have the same quality standards as FSB. That’s why our cooperation has always been defined by a mutual appreciation. We had been wanting to work on designing a handle collection for some time and we are very happy to have finally done a joint project with FSB.

:How was it, working with FSB?

Collaborating with architects is an FSB tradition. But for us as well, developing products with manufacturers is an essential part of our work. From the start we noticed that both sides have enormous experience in product design.

How much did your design for the FSB 1271 have to do with your experience from day-to-day architectural work?

Our own project portfolio with high-rises, large office buildings and research institutions, as well as residential and cultural buildings, presents a vast range of different requirements for a component like a door handle. We are constantly running into the problem of our preferred handle collections not meeting all of the design and legal construction requirements for a project, forcing us to use products from multiple collections. Narrow-stile door handles with a premium look and a uniform design across all doors and windows are required, especially in representative areas of office buildings. Our primary concern was to design a handle collection that would meet this design requirement.

What is special about the design of the narrow-stile door handle in the collection?

We approached the design with a clear idea of what we wanted. The shape of the FSB 1271 is optimised to meet all technical requirements; it combines precision with a pleasant, comfortable grip and allows for a uniform style with identical geometry to be used throughout the building in the form of door handles, narrow-stile door handles and window handles. The narrow-stile door handle does not have the typical crank or perceivable offset. This is where the innovative spirit of designer–philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein came in, inspiring us to develop the cranking as a slight adaptation of the transition radius between the shanks and grip section.

How deep did you get into the subject, such as the history of handle designs and the manufacturing process?

We looked at door handles since the start of modern times. The search for new forms was thrilling. The earliest reference we used was the door handles of Mies van der Rohe, especially the handle for the Farnsworth House (1949–51), with its elegantly curved, slim lines. The reduction of visible parts and the appearance of seeming to be made all in one piece were also significant contributions to the design of the FSB 1271 series. In collaborating with FSB we had the opportunity to learn so much about the manufacturing and surface treatment processes. We were able to see for ourselves on site the impressive craftsmanship in the quality produced in Brakel in eastern Westphalia. It allowed us to design the handle collection from the ground up and go down our own paths design-wise.

The shape of the handle collection is optimised in order to protect resources. What does that mean exactly?

You have to use as little material as possible in order to minimise the consumption of resources. But a door handle not only have to meet standards but also feel good even in larger hands. With its flat curving front face and gently rounded area at the back, the FSB 1271 blends precision and comfort in equal measure. Despite the slim form, the handle takes up a pleasant amount of space in the hand, making it safely suitable for opening even large, heavy doors.

Have you designed other architectural products as well?

Our holistic approach as designers starts with urban development and goes right up to detailed solutions for interior design. The FSB 1271 door handle collection is just one of a range of designs, including various lighting fixtures, furniture, bathroom fittings and even a carpet with two weave patterns.

Which scale of project do you prefer: big urban construction or door handles?

As an architect who follows this type of design approach, I enjoy setting myself new design challenges above all and expanding my expertise. A door handle in particular is a special challenge, both technically and aesthetically. My love of detail is not limited to one specific scale of project, though. Even in large-scale urban construction, we develop specific detailed solutions within the requirements which are functional, durable and also aesthetically high quality.