Running through 2 August, the exhibition "Maßstäblich" at Architekturgalerie München presents a selection from over one hundred architectural models in the Draiflessen Collection, showcasing C&A department stores designed by the Essen-based firm Nattler (previously E.A. Gärtner/Ric Stiens until 1990, then Ric Stiens/Heinz Nattler until 1994). During decades of collaboration between C&A and the Essen office, more than 170 department stores were planned and built from the 1950s onward. Historical photographs of the earliest C&A buildings, constructed before World War II, provide context for the narrative. These are juxtaposed with a model of the Alea 101 mixed-use complex—designed in 2009 by Sauerbruch Hutton and erected on the Berlin site where the original C&A flagship store once stood on Königstraße. The exhibition also features a remarkable historical piece: Mies van der Rohe's 1924 design for a C&A store in Stuttgart, a vision that was never brought to life.

Architect Ric Stiens shares the story behind these buildings in an interview, while Thomas Höxtermann, managing director of Nattler Architekten, reflects on the enduring role of models in contemporary architectural practice. For both the exhibition and accompanying publication, renowned architectural photographer Hans Georg Esch was commissioned to document the C&A buildings with fresh imagery.

The exhibition debuted at the Draiflessen Collection from May 15 to October 20, 2024. The accompanying publication, released in October, features archival photography alongside works by HGEsch, complemented by scholarly essays on corporate history, department store architecture, and model-making practices.

www.architekturgalerie-muenchen.de