Frank Schmitz

Prof. Dr. Frank Schmitz is a Professor of Art History at the University of Hamburg, specializing in architecture and architectural theory from the 19th to 21st centuries. He is affiliated with the Art History Seminar within the Faculty of Humanities and Department of Cultural Studies. Schmitz has held various academic positions including lecturer at the Free University of Berlin (2005-2014), visiting professorships at Ruhr University Bochum and University of Hamburg, and research associate at the University of Hamburg (2016-2020) before becoming a full professor in 2022. He also serves as Deputy Chairman of the Hamburg Monument Council since 2025.

His academic journey began with studies in art history, philosophy, and German studies in Aachen and Berlin, culminating in a doctorate in 2006. His habilitation thesis, 'Spiel-Räume der Demokratie. Theaterbau in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 1949–1975,' was completed in 2020 and published in 2022. Schmitz is an active member of several professional organizations including the Hamburg Monument Council, Network for Architectural Science, Ulm Association, and ICOMOS.

Professor Schmitz's research focuses on architecture and architectural theory of the 19th-21st centuries, with particular expertise in theater architecture, architecture and technology, architecture and mobility, and architectural heritage preservation. He has curated multiple exhibitions including 'Turm und Tunnel. Friedhelm Grundmann baut für Kirche und U-Bahn' (2022) and 'Was für ein Theater! Zur Architektur der Spielstätten in Hamburg' (2023). His scholarly work reveals a consistent interest in post-war architecture, particularly examining how architectural spaces reflect political, social, and cultural transformations in Germany.

His recent publications demonstrate a growing interdisciplinary approach, connecting architecture with mobility studies, theater studies, and cultural heritage. Schmitz has been particularly active in researching underground architecture, theater design, and the preservation of post-war architectural heritage. He has edited volumes such as 'Ruinen und vergessene Orte' (2023) and 'IM_MOBIL' (2024), reflecting his expanding research interests into material decay, mobility infrastructures, and architectural technology.

Professor Schmitz actively engages with public discourse through interviews with major media outlets including Vogue Germany, Deutschlandfunk, ZEIT MAGAZIN HAMBURG, and NDR. He has contributed to significant architectural debates regarding the preservation of Berlin's U-Bahn stations from the post-war period and has co-authored open letters advocating for architectural heritage conservation. His current research projects focus on modern theater architecture, architectures of mobility, and architecture as open form, with several publications forthcoming in 2024-2025.

He has organized academic events including the 'Animated Architecture' conference in Vienna (2023) and will participate in a panel discussion 'Weniger ist mehr: Bestandserhalt und Umbau' at the Hamburg Chamber of Architects in July 2025. His podcast on the International Congress Center Berlin (ICC) has further extended his scholarly reach beyond traditional academic channels.