The Tintenpalast

Abstract

This thesis investigates the Tintenpalast in Windhoek, Namibia, as a lens to explore colonial entanglements between people, knowledge, and resources in German Southwest Africa during the German colonial era. While previous studies have focused primarily on stylistic and formal aspects, this research takes a broader, interdisciplinary approach by situating the building within its political, material, and social contexts. Analysing the Tintenpalast reveals it as a manifestation of imperial ambitions, administrative pragmatism, and infrastructural challenges. By examining various sources, including architectural drawings, archival photos, and contemporary literature, the study reconstructs the complex relations that try to explain the building's location and design. The thesis highlights the conflicting interests of key actors: the Reichskolonialamt (Imperial Colonial Office), which aimed to express power through monumental visibility; colonial governors and administrators seeking efficient governance; German settlers demanding proximity and accessibility; and the Indigenous populations, who remained excluded from the process. A key focus in the making of the Tintenpalast lies in architectural adaptation. The work shows how German-trained architects like Gottlieb Redecker mediated between European Neo-style design ideals of the early 20th century and the colony's material, climatic, and logistical realities. The design iterations of the Tintenpalast reflect these dynamics, balancing metropolitan aesthetics with colonial feasibility. Ultimately, the thesis argues that the Tintenpalast exemplifies how colonial architecture operated not solely as a top-down imposition of power but as a negotiated outcome between privileged groups shaped by competing agendas, practical limitations, and infrastructural entanglements. Rather than viewing architecture as a static product, this research positions it as a dynamic process embedded in the socio-political and shaped by continuous adaptation.