Public living room for curious people

The library of the city of Dornbirn is a place of exchange, encounters and intergenerational learning. As a kind of public living room, it is intended to promote reading and language skills, the exploration of digital search methods and new forms of communication. Curious people with similar goals meet here and can immerse themselves in the material or engage in dialogue with one another.

Set in a park, the oval pavilion with a façade of 8,000 stylised ceramic books is an independent form and stands in stark contrast to the rectangular buildings in the surrounding area. The starting point for the design idea was a beaten path that ran diagonally across the meadow. We placed the library building on this path so that it runs lengthways through the two-storey atrium.

Between transparency and unity

The new sports hall on Alter Postweg (the old postal route) in Vaihingen an der Enz was built as a compact, functional and very economical hall construction using timber elements. Only the parts in contact with the ground are made of reinforced concrete. The building is divided into a three-court sports hall with spectator area, a three-storey functional area and a multi-purpose wing with foyer.

All functional areas are united under one roof. We utilised the sloping terrain and built a large part of the hall into the slope. This meant that the functions could be spread over several levels, while the hall remained suitably low on the street level.

The flat façade made of perforated and black-brown anodised aluminium meander sheet runs across the entire building and protects the areas behind it from view and sunlight. The interplay with the large window areas creates an exciting contrast between transparency and openness, which also supports the functionality of the building.

Hotel tower and residences made of 75 per cent wood

The mixed-use eco-neighbourhood La Cartoucherie with a total of 3,100 flats, 6,000 m² of commercial space and public facilities such as schools, sports and leisure facilities is being built on a former industrial site on the left bank of the Garonne. We built the "Wood'Art" complex there with an eleven-storey hotel tower and two residential complexes – an award-winning project as part of the national Adiv'bois competition in France. The buildings are 75 per cent timber construction – a topic that is also very important in France. Wood is used wherever it makes the most sense.

The hotel and the residential buildings were constructed from two-dimensional, prefabricated timber modules. This construction has a very positive effect on energy performance and the indoor climate, while also reducing waste and speeding up construction times – an essential prerequisite for building in densely populated cities.

Striking alternative to the "Uniform Alpine style"

The Gourmet Hotel "Rote Wand" goes back to an inn next to the church, which has developed into an impressive hotel complex with six houses. We have been overseeing the regular modernisation and expansion phases since 2007. The long-term development concept is based on high-quality architecture and local craftsmanship.

Connected by a common base and the Red Corridor, the six buildings form a resort that is surprising in many respects. The Dependance and the Appartement house are also connected underground to the main building. The Dependance replaces a demolished guesthouse, and we also took this opportunity to make a correction. The cross-gabled buildings from the 1970s facing the valley above the church were replaced by longitudinal gabled buildings facing the slope on the eaves side. The gourmet restaurant "Altes Schualhus“ was added in 2015 as the last building block for the time being.

Zug, once a small hamlet with a church, schoolhouse and a few farmhouses, lies somewhat off the beaten track. In contrast to most other high Alpine tourist destinations, the village has managed to retain its rural atmosphere. This is mainly because, even during the decades of development from a farming village to a holiday resort, the buildings of the old set the standard for the new. Thanks to its dominance in the village, the "Rote Wand" hotel complex makes a significant contribution to the typical townscape and formulates a striking alternative to the widespread "Uniform Alpine style".

A high-rise on a traffic island

DC Tower 3 on the Donauplatte (Danube plate) in the north of Vienna completes the ensemble with the two office towers DC 1 and DC 2, designed by Dominique Perrault, and offers 832 flats for temporary living. On several levels, the 100 metre high building is connected to the existing Donaucity quarter and the transport network by public squares and paths and forms the end of the previously incomplete Carl-Auböck-Promenade.

The protrusions of the three-dimensionally shaped and aluminium-clad façade elements find their counterpart inside in cosy alcoves that frame the view of the Danube and the city from the rooms. Aluminium slats structure the façade in the base storeys, while the tower is clad in aluminium panels from the ground floor upwards.

The narrow plot – little more than a traffic island, surrounded by Wagramerstrasse, the motorway slip road and the underground line – presented us with major challenges during the planning phase. However, the attractive location on the Danube with a view of St. Stephen's Cathedral and the prominent neighbourhood with UNO City, the Perrault Towers and Harry Seidler's skyscraper were worth taking the risk.

New splendour, also behind the scenes

Built in 1889 in the neo-Renaissance style as a bourgeois counterpart to the Burgtheater, the theatre offers 850 seats and the famous Red Salon. The aim of the urgently needed renovation and remodelling work was to offer the audience contemporary comfort, establish modern safety standards and improve efficiency. We therefore extended the stage area, reorganised the audience area and ensured accessibility and safety.  

The façade lighting also makes the new old splendour of the building visible from the outside. To improve the thermal quality, the richly structured plaster façade of the theatre was cleaned and renovated in agreement with the Federal Monuments Office. The entire listed building and its original character were retained.

An identity-forming ensemble of old and new

The Rudolf Steiner School in the Maurer Schlössl, founded in 1964, is Austria's oldest Waldorf school. The lower school and after-school care centre were housed in a small old building opposite, which could no longer meet the requirements of a modern school: poor building fabric, too few and too small classrooms, no gymnasium.

The new building blends harmoniously with the existing historical building - we have avoided any sharp breaks between old and new. The auditorium, the dining hall with garden orientation, the sunlit, sunken gymnasium, the after-school care centre, the kindergarten and the roof terrace form the main elements of the clearly structured room programme.

The majority of the remodelling and extension work was concentrated on the southern side facing away from the street. On the street side, the character of the old building was retained and visually enhanced. The small extensions at the rear were demolished and replaced with spacious, naturally lit foyers and access areas. The new building with gymnasium and classrooms adjoins the rear garden in an L-shape. Its large, dark roof extends onto the existing building and is therefore also visible from the street.

Compact quadrangle with large patio

Demolish or renovate? This question often arises when it comes to the further development of school buildings from the 1970s. The Lycée Evariste Galois in the Paris metropolitan region no longer meets current requirements and is bursting at the seams due to strong demographic development.

With a holistic approach to the environment in mind, we decided to restructure and extend the building. Based on the qualities of the existing building, the individual parts will be reorganised and combined to form a communicative whole.

The new, green schoolyard forms the heart of the ensemble and connects the various functions. It is shaded by a curved canopy on slender supports, through whose large, circular openings daylight floods in and trees grow. We have extended the U-shaped school building into a compact quadrangle with a large patio. 

Flexible working in a wooden office

In the Swiss municipality of Baar, we are constructing the innovative NEXUS office building. The sustainable timber hybrid conserves resources through renewable, reusable materials and a consistent cradle-to-cradle concept with minimal use of reinforced concrete. Recycled concrete is used wherever possible and we prefer to use wood from the region for the timber construction. A sophisticated low-tech system takes care of heating, cooling and ventilation and, together with efficient insulation, reduces consumption during operation and therefore costs over the entire life cycle.

The well thought-out space concept creates an attractive, modern working environment, promotes dialogue and networking and offers maximum flexibility. This allows the building to adapt to its tenants and future developments. The four differently dimensioned wings of the cross-shaped building are freely accessible via four axes. The clear structure with a central access core and circumferential walkway with attractive views allows for easy routing. Plenty of daylight and light-coloured wood as well as large areas of glazing with views out and through create a pleasant working environment. The park around the building and the roof terrace with views as far as the lake invite people to linger.

Bright.Robust.Innovative.Open

The innovative "Neues Landgut" district will be built near Vienna's main railway station in Favoriten by 2026/27. The 9-hectare site will be home to 1,500 flats and an educational campus, surrounded by attractive green spaces and recreational areas.

Under the title B.R.I.O., we developed together with PLOV Architekten, a socially, ecologically and economically sustainable project with 176 subsidised flats for our building site. The differentiated, socially balanced housing mix comprises 88 smart flats, family flats and floor plans suitable for shared flats. One focus is on the special needs of single parents.

B.R.I.O. is a robust timber hybrid element construction. The optimised support grid enables a high degree of prefabrication and economical use of materials thanks to the low ceiling thickness. This construction method and the use of timber and recycled concrete save around 20 per cent CO² compared to a conventional reinforced concrete building.

A green place as unifying element

What makes a campus? How can we create a sense of togetherness? These questions guided us throughout the entire design process. The existing headquarters – two spacious, interconnected building blocks – contains a variety of qualities, such as the shared green inner courtyard as a pleasant place to socialise. The new building and the exterior space pick up on this mood and knit it further.

The design forms the right counterpart to unite the buildings into a campus despite the separating street. A bridge on the first floor connects the existing building with our office building on the other side of the street. The new building closes off the existing headquarters, creating an inviting, green square that marks the new entrance to the campus

Working in organised spaces,
thinking in a free environment

The global electronics company Omicron had a high standard: the expansion of the company headquarters in Klaus needed to offer employees workspaces that would inspire creativity, promote communication and dialogue and create a feel-good atmosphere. We developed a coherent overall concept that complements the existing building to create the Omicron Campus.

Six very different courtyards now zone and illuminate the new three-storey square. On the ground floor, foyers, meeting, storage and laboratory rooms adjoin the green atriums. The offices on the two upper floors can be adapted flexibly to the team sizes thanks to easily removable partition walls and benefit from the view outside.

Living on the car park

The Dock-1 building site on the Rhine Canal (Petit Rhin) marks the start of the redevelopment of the "Citadelle" harbour district. The mixed-use project with 83 flats on a multi-storey car park interweaves various functions and creates a communicative place around mobility-related spaces.

Visible from afar, from the Parc de la Citadelle to the Vauban Bridge, the building blends into the urban context and characterises its identity as an "eco-district". Situated between the two harbour basins, Dock-1 is an atmospheric place with a strong identity and a direct connection to the city and water – ideal conditions for a high quality of living and a new form of urbanity.

The powerful large form makes a strong gesture to both sides. A five-storey multi-storey car park is stretched between two cross-shaped, elegantly balanced residential towers, above which are further flats with shared, spacious terraces on both long sides. The centre of the project is a high hall on the ground floor, designed as a pedestrian gallery, which can be used for a variety of purposes.

Like a city on a small scale

The renowned Festspielhaus on Lake Constance has been modernised, reorganised, greatly expanded and developed into a multi-purpose cultural, social and economic centre of international standing. The project impressively demonstrates how an unsightly conglomerate of buildings from the late seventies can be transformed into clearly structured and graceful architecture.

Thanks to extensive and precise pre-planning and prefabrication, we were able to realise the complex construction work, carried out in several stages, without interrupting operations. In the first stage, which lasted until 1997, the workshop stage, lakeside foyer and lakeside studio as well as an administrative wing were built.

In 2005, the festival theatre was renovated and extended. Guests are now greeted by a light-flooded glass façade and an inviting forecourt instead of grey concrete. The main foyer, Great Hall, foyers and lakeside gallery were redesigned and the building's technology was modernised. From 2022 to 2024, we refurbished the outdoor grandstand and Seebühne (Lakeside stage), updated the technology of the workshop stage and built a new multi-purpose building.

Aiming high with wood

A mosaic is made up of many individual pieces that fit together harmoniously. Colourful, modular, lively and connecting - this is also what the Moosaik urban quarter at the entrance to Starnberg is to become. At the centre of this district, we are building a timber office tower. Called Moo 6, it complements the surrounding ensemble of buildings with its height and presence and forms the unmissable centrepiece of the quarter.

The restaurant area on the ground floor with its large terrace creates a link between inside and outside. The flexibly divisible office units on the upper floors attract a wide variety of users and thus ensure diversity and vitality.

Kuku 23 – Living in the art & culture quarter

A new residential district was created along Gastgebgasse in Liesing, in the immediate vicinity of the Sargfabrik cultural centre and the Atzgersdorf educational campus. Four blocks of flats and the studio building offer space for 430 subsidised flats, workshops, studios and a dance and music school.

We developed the concept for the Kuku 23 residential quarter with the aim of providing low-threshold cultural activities, especially for children and young people. After all, Vienna's southernmost district needs more art and culture.

The buildings are divided into individual "houses", visually separated by naturally lit joints. This allows for varied roofscapes, better lighting conditions and a more human scale. The studio house mediates between the coffin factory and the school campus and, with its two-storey passageway, leads over to the open-plan residential development. The special feature of the studio building is the open supporting structure, which is broken down into individual column slabs and enables a variety of room programmes.

Wood, exposed concrete, fresh red and lots of glass

The all-day school north of the 3,000-strong community of Broons in Brittany is one of the most important educational institutions in the region. 570 children aged between 11 and 14 from 29 municipalities attend the school. The three-storey school wing stretches across the entire width of the site and is bordered to the west by the single-storey canteen, whose flat green roof merges gently into the lawned landscape.

Together with the outer wall, the school wing and canteen enclose the schoolyard. The entrance, protected from the weather, is located on the narrow street side. The two-storey timber construction of the classroom wing rests on a concrete base, which houses the event rooms, library and administration. A promenade running parallel to the street forms a pleasant and safe footpath from the town centre to the school outside.

Growing office ring with great appeal

The legero united campus in the south of Graz consists of two round buildings of different sizes. The larger office ring can be extended by a further floor at any time. This fulfils the client's wish for a company headquarters that "grows with the company" and can be expanded in stages, without creating a temporary structure, a torso. The smaller cylinder houses the shoe outlet.

Generous glazing, the façade made of bronze-coloured, anodised aluminium that shimmers in the sunlight and the lushly planted inner courtyard blur the boundaries between inside and outside. The result is a campus as a place with its own identity and great charisma, a dynamic yet harmonious composition, at all times and in all phases of construction.

Wooden school, sports hall and library

The new school and the multi-purpose hall were built in two phases ten years apart. The spatial concept of the L-shaped building comprises three main functions: School, sports hall and library. Completed in 2003, the school was built in timber construction in a record time of 18 months and was the first school building in Austria to fulfil the strict passive house guidelines.

Ten years later, the new multi-purpose hall replaces the gymnasium, which was in dire need of renovation. Precise planning, a compact organisation of the programme and a high degree of prefabrication allowed for a short construction time and optimised costs without making compromises on design and quality.

With this pilot project, we have proven that resource- efficient construction is very well possible in harmony with high architectural standards. The school building has received several architecture and energy-saving awards, including the State Prize for Architecture and Sustainability.

A congenial addition

The new, multifunctional Hall F for 2,000 visitors is a congenial addition to Roland Rainer's imposing Wiener Stadthalle. Built in a key urban location, the hall sends a clear signal to the outside world with its cantilevered body. Below the cantilever is the modern foyer, which provides access to the various halls (banqueting hall, rehearsal stage, large hall). The outer shell consists of aluminium panels that extend into the interior of the building.

The crystalline, polygonal building fills the empty space between Hütteldorfer Strasse and the Stadthalle, whose struts are reflected in the glass north façade of the new building. This precise positioning optimises the previously rather unsatisfactory urban situation and defines the adjacent square and street space.

We won the international competition held in 2002 with a project that was convincing in terms of form, function and urban planning.

Uncompromising cluster school

The Unterdorf primary school in the municipality of Höchst in Vorarlberg is a radical and uncompromising realisation of the modern "cluster school". Cluster school means teaching in small groups, flexibly usable rooms and varied open spaces, preferably with an outdoor connection. We have housed four identical clusters for 200 pupils in a simple, elongated, ground-floor wooden building on the east side.

At the centre of each cluster is the common room, topped by a high truncated pyramid with daylight streaming through the skylight. Gardens and outdoor classes with direct access from each cluster blur the boundaries between inside and outside and integrate nature into the learning environment. Special classes and the administrative offices are located opposite on the west side, connected to the lowered gymnasium by a spacious assembly hall. Parts of the outdoor areas are available to the local population as a freely accessible play and leisure area.

With 940 points, the school in Unterdorf received one of the highest scores ever for a new building in the Municipal Building Pass of the state of Vorarlberg. 

Farmhouse outside, museum inside

On the hillside to the west of the village centre, there are two small museums in a historic, carefully maintained farm house from the 16th century. The old residential part serves as a local history museum. The new Angelika Kauffmann Museum fills the former agricultural wing and is accessed via the barn and threshing floor. A wide sliding partition can be pushed aside and the museum is open. When it is closed, the modern wood and glass construction is no longer visible.

The exhibition hall was inserted into the barn as a flat-roofed "building within a building". Space-forming elements define the exhibition hall, but also evoke the former farm building – a sophisticated architectural dialogue.

With their meticulous work, the craftsmen – rooted in local tradition yet are familiar with the latest technology – put the finishing touches to the project. All the parts fit together and blend into the long building history of the house.

Habitat with typological and social diversity

Our concept for Kleineschholz integrates a wide variety of living and building types, with a focus on affordable housing. The typological range of the building structure and the mix of rental apartments, condominiums and building groups ensures the desirable social diversity. Families and singles, children, young and old, locals and newcomers live here. Craftsmen, self-employed professionals and service providers work here. Together, they form a stable, self-regulating social structure made up of different responsibilities, life cycles and local connections.

The western edge of the Stühlinger district in Freiburg is mainly characterised by large administrative buildings, which are well frequented during the day but leave the streets empty in the evenings and at weekends. The urban redevelopment will create dense residential neighbourhoods that will allow for diverse, lively use, enliven the district and ensure safety.

Focus on social sustainability

On the "In der Wiesen Süd" site in Liesing, we worked with ARTEC to build an attractive residential complex with 310 flats, five studios and a residential community for young people. The main challenge was to develop a cohesive neighbourhood that promotes joint activities between the neighbours across building sites and thus enlivens the area.

We designed the northern area with three buildings that form a central, quiet square for the residents. The bends in the two solitary buildings open up the area to the south and promote permeability.

A circumferential band of loggias and the full-surface glazing bring light and openness into the flats and offer expansive views of the park and the city. A particular highlight is the light-flooded atrium, which is remarkably spacious for a subsidised residential building. A variety of visual connections ensure attractive and communicative access to the individual floors.

10 institutions under one roof

Located in one of Innsbruck's most prominent squares, the House of Music serves as a centre for open cultural exchange across all age groups and genres. The unifying theme is music. The complex spatial programme accommodates several music institutions, concert halls, numerous ancillary rooms, administration, catering, a national music library and outdoor terraces with views of Innsbruck and the Alps. The new building provides the city with a sustainable centre for music, theatre and all kinds of cultural events and also positions Innsbruck internationally as a "city of music".

The austere cube is vividly structured by atriums and incised loggias, terraces and recesses and blends in sensitively and yet excitingly with its historical surroundings. The surrounding historic buildings and three protected trees with the Leopold Fountain on the forecourt are reflected in the glass surfaces.

A contemporary interpretation of local architecture

With the "Seegut am Tegernsee", a new neighbourhood is being created directly on the lakeside promenade. It is divided into three areas: the hotel in the north, the residential development in the south and a public area with an inn and cultural barn in the centre. The ensemble is embedded in an extensive and varied green space concept. The architecture and arrangement of the 25 individual building blocks pick up on the local architectural style, transform it in a contemporary way and integrate the Seegut harmoniously into the surrounding landscape.

Most of the buildings are designed as sustainable timber constructions. The heating and cooling requirements are covered by thermal lake water utilisation. The project is being planned and realised by three teams of architects - Maier Neuberger, Innauer Matt and Dietrich Untertrifaller. Enea Landscape Architecture is responsible for the design of the connecting bracket of the outdoor facilities.

"Light, freshness, generosity"

To this day, the slogan of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games still applies to the TUM School of Medicine and Health in Munich's listed Olympic Park. The two-storey timber building, 185 metres long and 153 metres wide, forms the new, striking address for the Faculties of Medicine and Sport and Health Sciences.

The 19 metre cantilevered canopy is a special timber construction made of prefabricated box girder elements that was assembled without the need for complex auxiliary scaffolding. It was important to us to fulfil the diverse requirements of the users in the best possible way. All functions - 14 sports halls, 12 lecture theatres, 15 diagnostics rooms, 5 workshops, 300 offices, cafeteria and library - are combined under one roof in the bright, lightweight timber construction.

The two streets – "Rue intérieure" in the building and "Rue extérieure" for the outdoor facilities –are the defining element, they serve as ameeting place, an access zone and a place of communication.

Clay, wood, bamboo, basalt

Building a school in Mayotte means dealing with many issues on several levels in a completely different way than here in Europe - in an educational, but also in a socio-economic and ecological sense. This is why we decided to combine the expertise of Austrian and French architects and our local partners in Mayotte for the new construction of the Lycée Tani Malandi.

The large-scale project with space for over 2,000 pupils includes classrooms, sports facilities, a school restaurant with kitchen and a boarding school. The fluid combination of these functions creates an inspiring space for working, eating, sleeping and relaxing. Local materials such as bamboo, wood, clay and basalt integrate the school into the culture and nature of the island.

The individual functions of the school are divided into several buildings of different sizes, which are arranged almost parallel to each other and staggered in height on the flat hill.

Respectful conversion of a listed building

The Zacherlhaus, designed by Otto Wagner's student Josef Plečnik, is one of the most important Viennese architectural monuments of the early 20th century. The conversion of the listed building into a bank branch required extensive interventions on six floors – from technical rooms in the basement to the customer hall on the ground floor and offices on four floors. In addition, the roof terrace on the rotunda was made accessible for the first time and can now be used for events.

In 2023, the customer hall needed to be extended. We converted the adjoining corner premises, which had previously housed a shop, in the same design. This gives Hypo Vorarlberg a somewhat broader presence on the street and more urgently needed space.

Exemplary and forward-looking neighbourhood

The Metzgergrün quarter is set to change significantly and develop into a contemporary neighbourhood without losing its original character. A modern residential neighbourhood with around 500 new flats and generous green spaces will replace the 27 ageing terraced buildings from the 1950s. Quiet inner courtyards, a lively public centre, high-quality and differentiated open spaces and a new network of paths create an exemplary and forward-looking neighbourhood.

Our design organises the flats into six blocks that form manageable neighbourhoods. Each block combines three- to four-storey terraced buildings and point houses around a green inner courtyard. Along the road and railway line, an L-shaped, elongated block shields the development.

A large event hall with piazza

The location of the TuFa at the boundary between the historic city centre and loose development with individual solitary buildings requires a sensitive integration, but also a self-confident, representative formation of the site. We have broken up and subdivided the lengths of the large new building volume with kinks and jumps in height. A piazza with generous steps welcomes visitors and leads them to the polygonal forecourt of the interim entrance. The main entrance remains at the rear of the building.

The new and existing buildings merge to form a homogeneous ensemble, united by structure and colour. The new building is clad with a rear-ventilated construction of anodised standing seam sheet metal – a nostalgic reference to the existing theatre building in Trier. The building opens up by sliding, folding or lifting the façade shell, revealing behind it insights, light or information and thus interacting with the surroundings.

An internal street will provide access to all the uses of TuFa 2025 (large event hall, small hall, textorium, access to the workshop rooms) and improve orientation for users. This also makes it possible to use the rooms in a flexible way and hold several events at the same time.

The sustainable timber construction kit

At the North German Academy for Finance and Tax Law Hamburg (NoA), civil servants from the tax administrations in Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Bremen receive training and further education. The listed building currently in use at the present location cannot meet today's requirements for "new work" and "new education". Therefore, we are building a new timber system construction on the "Beim Pachthof" site in Hamburg Horn. The new NoA fulfils high design standards and modern requirements for learning and working environments.

For the first time, the serial modular system is being trialled in the NoA project. We developed the system as part of a study together with specialist planners and the client. The prefabrication of the modules ensures a rapid assembly process on site. The building can thus be flexibly adapted to site-specific cubatures and designs as well as individual requirements in terms of size and function. With this innovative system, we are establishing a sustainable, climate-friendly and economical construction method for educational buildings in Hamburg.

Courtyard, roof gardens and ground floor with a view

Site 7 of the new Village in Vienna's third district, built jointly by us and Artec, is located opposite the passageway to the Landstraßer Gürtel. The project owes its name "Village Mitte" to its prominent location in the middle of the neighbourhood street, which is emphasised by a high point. The residential complex forms an open U-shape towards the park.

The extra-high ground floor is open in the centre and extends the central residential courtyard to the neighbourhood street. This allows views of the park and a kind of covered forecourt. The 131 subsidised flats offer a diverse and affordable range of housing for families, couples and singles.

The compact and energy-efficient buildings show an optimised ratio of usable space to the building envelope. Small spans of the supporting structure, uniform standardised storeys and economical wall and ceiling dimensions save costs. The bracing via the staircases and cores ensures an economically sensible symbiosis of access zone and supporting structure. With serial construction and prefabrication, we are able to further close the cost gap in residential construction.

Carefully guided into modernity

On the picturesque outskirts of Weiler lies a traditional farm that has characterised the cultural landscape for decades. Once used as a dairy farm, the building combines living, barn and stables under one roof. This kind of farm with all functions under one roof is known as “Einhof” in the Alpine region. We have carefully transformed the farm into a contemporary, ecological living space that preserves the character of the building while at the same time reinterpreting it. In this way, the new building sets a clear accent without disturbing the original townscape.

The new “Einhof” in Weiler is an example of respectful treatment of existing buildings, sustainable use of resources and a timeless, authentic architectural language.

Staggered onto the slope

A new sports and leisure park with an ice rink, indoor tennis centre, football pitches and other sports facilities is being built in the Brixen district of Milland, on the east bank of the Eisack. We wanted to create a symbiosis between the individual building blocks, some of which have considerable room heights – such as the ice hockey hall and residential tower – and the steep terrain, as well as a harmonious integration into the surrounding landscape. The design staggers the individual structures according to their height on the sloping site: the ice hockey arena as the largest volume at the foot of the slope, with the tennis halls above it, followed by the smaller buildings.

We use wood as a renewable raw material wherever it makes structural sense and leave it visible wherever possible. The tennis centre and ice rink have timber ceiling structures with timber clad soffits. Tower and ceiling fronts made of exposed concrete and steel superstructures and stands form an exciting contrast. A filigree, reddish mesh serves as a ball catcher fence and accentuates the façade of the open car park.

From the 16th to the 21st century

The history of the hotel "Zum Hirschen" in Salzburg's Elisabeth suburb dates back to the 16th century. The current owner family acquired the inn in 1830. Together with Tom Lechner, we are now renovating the hotel and expanding it with modern architecture. Under the name "Am Hirschengrün", 42 flats plus an underground car park are being built alongside the completely renovated hotel.

The inner courtyard with flower garden, kitchen garden, play area and open spaces offers hotel guests and residents a green oasis of relaxation and recreation. The new urban component "Am Hirschengrün" stands for a holistic residential concept that combines hotel, dining, garden and offices.

Living in the park

The ‘Floriette’ residential complex is located in the middle of a 12,000 square metre private park in Hietzing. We revitalised and added storeys to the Wilhelminian-style former nursing school and built three new urban villas. The buildings are loosely arranged to create large open spaces and the old trees have been protected.

The original contours of the elongated old building were retained and supplemented by an additional, slightly recessed residential storey. The perforated end made of anodised aluminium now forms an exciting contrast to the painstakingly restored historic façade of the old building.

The all-round railing of the three urban villas is also made of anodised aluminium and creates a visual relationship to the roof structure of the old building. Old and new are thus combined to form a harmonious ensemble.

From the barracks to the creative quarter

On the site of the former Luitpold barracks, the Creative Quarter Munich is being established, a colourful, mixed-use district characterised by social and ecological sustainability. Living and working will be combined with art, culture and knowledge, with a focus on the community. The neighbourhood is divided into four different areas, which are interconnected but can be developed independently of each other.

We have designed two buildings with around 350 flats for the "Creative Platform North" site. Along the newly emerging main axis, the central Romy-Schneider-Platz, which connects the Munich University of Applied Sciences in the south-east and the urban cultural area in the north-west, we proposed to programme the ground floors with public uses. Under the inviting, large arches and arcades in the base area, cafés and small shops are to enliven the neighbourhood in future.

Three under one roof

b2 electronics in Klaus, which is part of the Omicron Group, gets a new company headquarters in Rankweil. We already expanded the Omicron headquarters in Klaus into a campus in 2015. Now we are uniting the three b2 locations in Klaus and Koblach under one roof.

The planned building offers space for production and storage areas as well as office space for around 140 employees on two basement floors and four upper floors. The special feature of the b2 Development Centre is that it is designed to grow with the company. If required, the first floor can be extended, adding 40 workstations to the offices on the second floor.

Where sport and culture meet

In Plankstadt, we are constructing a cultural centre with stage facilities and ancillary rooms as well as the replacement of a 3-court sports hall, which are all connected by a shared foyer. Together with the existing Bundesliga bowling hall and restaurant and the planned club centre, this will create the "Plankstadt Culture & Sports Centre".

The functions of the cultural and sports centre are spatially separated from the existing bowling hall and the future "Haus der Vereine“ (house of associations). Between the buildings, attractive public and semi-public open spaces and a new festival square will be created. The main entrance is on the west side.

The halls are positioned offset to each other. The triple sports hall with its extensive glazing forms the prelude to the north. It is followed by the entrance area with foyer. The adjoining culture hall can also be used as a double sports hall.

For children's urge to move

The elongated group room wing with the short, transverse head section is located in the centre of a loosely built-up area of detached houses. A frame of wide panes on the south side unites the wing into a whole and creates a loggia-like transition area to the garden.

The three group rooms are divided into several sections. Each one has its own cloakroom, accessible from the rear corridor and with an exit to the garden terrace. The facility offers the children various types of rooms as experience spaces with different room heights and levels.
 

Citizen-friendly sustainability

Administrative offices scattered all over Wiesbaden no longer meet today's requirements in terms of proximity to citizens, sustainability and technology. We are therefore building a new, central administrative building for the Hessian state capital near the main railway station, which sends a forward-looking signal in terms of climate protection, sustainability and carbon footprint.

The long, five-storey block along the neighbourhood boulevard is elevated on the ground floor, creating a spacious passageway with views of the surrounding area. A café and small shops enliven the street space. A spacious staircase with a barrier-free ramp leads through the passage into the inner courtyard.

The inner courtyard as an enchanted garden forms the centrepiece of the new building. Accessible from all sides, you are immersed in a wild landscape of flowers and grasses. Steps and benches around the central water basin invite you to relax or socialise. Together with the green roof and façade, the courtyard also fulfils an important bioclimatic function in the urban environment.

Open in spite of strict safety regulations

The administrative district on the Kirchberg is home to numerous European institutions. However, the European Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors and the Investment Bank cannot be accessed by the public due to strict security regulations. Our design creates an identity-forming ensemble that incorporates the public space and offers users and visitors an attractive destination.

The functions of the ESM (European Stability Mechanism) and the Luxembourg State are spread across five buildings. As a large cube, the representative ESM conveys an image of stability, but also of balance. The four ministry buildings of the State of Luxembourg enclose a square and form a public neighbourhood. The shared plinth houses the entrances as well as shops and restaurants. This lively, transparent ground floor forms the urban centre of the quarter.

From the hammer mill to a nature show experience

A former hammer mill from the 19th century was turned into a natural history museum and urban garden after it was closed down. We have added new buildings and extensions to the remaining historical parts with great sensitivity, taking up the industrial character of the existing building and interpreting it in a contemporary form. The project on the Rüsch-Werke site successfully represents the combination of modern architecture with historical buildings and the transition of an industrial site to public use as a museum and urban garden.

To ensure that the premises meet the requirements of a modern museum operation, we have constructed several new buildings and extensions to the existing buildings: Technology and storage rooms and offices at the turnery, a demonstration hall between the turnery and foundries, offices and exhibition areas at the new foundry. The industrial character of the existing buildings is reflected, among other things, in the Corten steel of the external facades.

Sustainable timber construction by the river

The elongated, warehouse-like, single-storey timber construction of the Upper Danube Valley Service Centre and the Shipping Supervision Office blends unagitatedly and naturally into the existing ensemble on the banks of the Danube. Nevertheless, it is able to redefine the location and give it an unmistakable identity.

Floating on the high-water platform, its subtle elegance radiates far into the river space and appropriately enhances the interplay of longitudinally orientated timber volumes and transversely positioned, solid rural buildings.

The interplay of more or less paved areas results in a natural, simple open space design that tells a story full of variety. Diversity of use and maximum freedom of movement for people and nature are a key feature of this riverside landscape characterised by movement and change. The new administration building thus sets contemporary standards with an exemplary ecological footprint.

Versatile holiday home for families

The REKA holiday village is located on a gently sloping site in the foothills of the Alps in eastern Switzerland. The 50 flats for families with children in the three L-shaped wings are built to the Minergie-Eco standard using local timber. They are docked in a comb-like fashion to four interconnected communal buildings with reception, event rooms, indoor pool, kindergarten and petting zoo.

Like a buffer, they shield the residential buildings and inner courtyards from the noise and dust of the cantonal road. A subway provides safe access to the play areas and the swimming area on the Urnäsch river.

Affordable quality of life and attractive jobs

On the southern edge of the Innviertel market town of Eggelsberg, a mixed-use neighbourhood with offices, shops, restaurants, a daycare centre and flats is being built. Located 37 kilometres from Salzburg, the motto is "affordable, high-quality living and attractive jobs close to the city".

The architecture creates the framework for holistic utilisation. In addition to offices and commercial space, the pub and room rental offer a communicative meeting and meeting point. At the centre is the neighbourhood square with chestnut trees, seating and a guest garden.

Around 3,000 m² are earmarked for childcare. During the first construction phase, two and three-storey buildings in timber construction will be built for up to 80 children.  

The nature of new working

The site on the outskirts of a business park, surrounded by orchards, inspired us to design a hybrid building that dissolves the boundaries between classic office and residential typologies.

Cantilevered ceiling panels and recessed façades extend the offices outwards – spaces that can be appropriated by the users, whether for a short retreat into the greenery or for spontaneous brainstorming sessions in a group. The office acts as a "prepared environment" that supports and enables. At the same time, the surrounding balconies serve as constructive sun and weather protection.

The main entrance is from Raiffeisenallee. In the spacious foyer, flanked by two inner courtyards, the reception and coworking area merge seamlessly into one another; next to it is a small meeting room. The cafeteria with terrace opens up towards the south and the garden.

Open the stage with city window

The city theatre with adjoining city hall was built in 1915 in neoclassical style and has 438 seats. The aim of the refurbishment is to create an economically, technically, energetically and logistically optimized spatial structure. A new building with rehearsal stage, ballet hall, workshops and canteen complements the ensemble.

The building and stage technology areas will be expanded and modernized and the fire protection concept will be adapted to current safety standards. Accessibility and integration into the urban space will also be improved. The façade of the theatre is being restored and the Great Hall is undergoing a general refurbishment. The "city window" lends the ensemble an unmistakable architectural identity. At the same time, the original character of the listed building will be retained.  

Quick to assemble, quick to dismantle

Due to the growing population and legal requirements to increase the supply quota, numerous new kindergartens need to be built. The city of Innsbruck is focussing on the "mobile kindergarten" concept. A suitable temporary location was found in the Olympic Village, allowing it to be moved to another part of the city at any time if necessary. The single-storey timber module building is a self-contained three-group kindergarten and is completely prefabricated in the factory. The individual room cells can be dismantled just as easily as they can be assembled for the first time.

The layout consists of group areas, a movement room, functional room, dining room including kitchen and several ancillary rooms and allows for a variety of layouts. The three group areas can be arranged in clusters, which offer direct access to the covered terraces and partially shaded outdoor play areas. A second storey can be easily installed using a module with a staircase. A suspended wooden louvre façade in spruce unites the individual modules to form a harmonious whole.