He designed it: The new commercial and residential building at Untermarkt 7-11 in Wolfratshausen's old town was planned by architect Tom Ferster (82) and his team. © Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
The ruins of the Isar department store in Wolfratshausen's old town have been demolished, and a new commercial and residential building stands on its site. Our newspaper met the architect of the building complex - the anchor tenant is the drugstore chain Müller.
Wolfratshausen – Believe it or not, almost eleven years have passed since the day Managing Director Frederik Holthaus closed the Isar department store in Wolfratshausen's old town. In the meantime, a new commercial and residential building built by the Grünwald project company of the same name has been erected on the property at Wolfratshauser Untermarkt 7-11. The anchor tenant is the drugstore chain Müller, which opened its branch on Thursday morning with around 1400 square meters of sales space on two floors. The architect of the property, Tom Ferster from Wolfratshausen, is "very satisfied" with the imposing new building.
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The 82-year-old, who was awarded the title of "star architect" by a well-illustrated tabloid newspaper, has designed many buildings in his professional life. "2500 to 3000," he says in retrospect. Even as a schoolboy, his potential field of activity crystallized, "I always liked to draw, not paint". In order to be admitted to study at the Munich University of Applied Sciences – later the Technical University – he had to pass an aptitude test. He can still remember one question well: Why is a manhole cover always round? "Because he can't fall into the shaft like that," was the correct answer from the examinee.
He began his career after completing his studies in 1972 in a two-room office in Loisachstadt. A lot has happened since then. The Wolfratshausen town hall bears his signature, the Haderbräu complex, the sports home on Kräuterstraße in the Isar-Loisach-Stadion in Farchet, the headquarters of the Wolfratshausen building cooperative on Bahnhofstraße, the Beuerberg Golf Club and, last but not least, dozens of residential buildings and celebrity villas in the suburbs of the state capital and far beyond.
Ferster buildings from Wolfratshausen via Saint-Tropez to Marbella
Ferster designed dream homes for clients with the necessary change in Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera, on the Spanish island of Mallorca and in the Spanish coastal city of Marbella. His network is close-knit, and the native of Reichenberg is on a first-name basis with many top representatives from politics, business, sports and society. "If no one had liked what I was doing, no one would have recommended me," says Ferster with a smile. He does not name names, but it is widely known that Bavaria's ex-prime minister Edmund Stoiber, music producer Ralph Siegel, jazz legend Klaus Doldinger and "Winnetou" actor Pierre Brice used his services. According to Ferster's plans, the control centre of the football record champion FC Bayern Munich was built on Säbener Straße ("that was the accolade"), and the Wolfratshauser was in charge of the renovation of the listed Orlando House on the Platzl in Munich ("my biggest project").
"2500 to 3000" buildings have been designed by Wolfratshausen architect Tom Fester in 50 years of professional life at his desk to date. Among them is the headquarters of the record football champion FC Bayern Munich on Säbener Straße. © Carl-Christian Eick
As soon as the former Isar department store had a new owner, the project company Untermarkt 7-11 with the entrepreneur Rainer Scherbaum and the lawyer Dr. Harald Mosler at the helm, Grünwalder GmbH brought Ferster on board. "Many, many years ago, I was Dr. Mosler's first client," says the 82-year-old. He drew the first rough sketches of what the new building in the old town could look like eight years ago. Little did he know how complicated the project would be. "I created 76 work plans," says Ferster's long-time collaborator, architect Christiane Kronewirth, summing up. "Yes," says her boss, "that was the most difficult of all my objects."
Architect Ferster is "very satisfied" with the new building complex and "a bit of pride"
Hardly any other property in the rafting town has a comparable vita. A building at Untermarkt 7 was first mentioned in a document in 1633 – as the business premises of a gingerbread baker. Subsequently, the complex on Untermarkt served, among other things, as a grain barn, slaughterhouse, district court pharmacy and boys' school, and during the Second World War as a military hospital.
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Before the demolition of the department store, the Monuments Office dictated: The reconstruction must be carried out strictly according to the historical model – "that was the order, and we succeeded," says the architect. One challenge: "Visually, there are three buildings", but inside there are continuous levels. "You couldn't rent out anything else today," Ferster points out. He is "very satisfied" with the new building – "and yes, also a little proud".
Down to the day, Ferster draws his designs "freehand" with a pencil
Was it his last project and from now on he will only enjoy the sweet life with his wife, children, grandchildren and friends? The 82-year-old hesitates. Maybe shift down a gear, maybe "slow down a bit". But putting down the pencil for good, no, Ferster doesn't like that yet. Speaking of pencils, he has been drawing all designs with it for a good 50 years, right down to the day. The so-called tear rail, which helps the architect to draw exact horizontal and parallel lines, is also still on his desk. "I don't turn on a computer," he reveals and laughs. "I still draw freehand," then his employees digitize what the master craftsman has put on paper.
The architect's professional success made him independent to a certain extent
An architect is definitely an artist, says Ferster in an interview with our newspaper. However, "an artist in a corset", constricted by legally binding provisions of a development plan, strict requirements of landscape and/or monument protection as well as the wishes of the client. Has he ever turned down an order? The 82-year-old can't remember that. But the professional success made Tom Ferster a bit independent. He attaches great importance to the fact that "service providers" and clients meet "at eye level". It doesn't matter how prominent or well-heeled the potential builder is. "Someone once told me in the manner of a landlord that I had been recommended to him by someone and that he had decided in favour of me for this reason. I replied that that doesn't mean I'm going to choose him." (cce)
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