Photo: NASA, Unsplash

Photo: NASA, Unsplash

In the focus: CLIMATE

8/6/2026

In Stylepark Magazine’s theme focus on Climate, we present forward-thinking ideas from the worlds of design and architecture, current research, fascinating personalities, and entrepreneurial commitment to sustainable action. Enjoy reading!

Photo: Hampus Berndtson
The Value of the Existing
Danish architect Søren Pihlmann is clearly opposed to conventional new buildings. Instead, his Copenhagen-based office, Pihlmann Architects, focuses on renovating, repurposing and reusing materials in existing buildings. In the interview, he explains the challenges and opportunities associated with this approach.
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Photo: Alberto Sinigaglia
Strong paper furniture
With "Catifa Carta", Arper is introducing a groundbreaking new material to the market that is manufactured from a by-product of wood and goes by the name of PaperShell. Andrea Mulloni, Head of Sustainability at Arper, explains to us the great potential of the newly developed material.
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Photo: Fotografie: Nikolai Benner, Visualisierung: Andreas Lang & Tobias Trübenbacher
Sunbeams for the cityscape
Shadow does not always mean light: for a long time, the outlook for safe and environmentally friendly street lighting on the bike path between Offenbach and Frankfurt am Main was dark. The “Main Light” project is now literally bringing light into the gloom for WDC 2026 – with solar-powered lighting that democratically incorporates design and responsibility in public spaces.
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Photo: Anja Hellebaut, Anthony De Meyere
Radical Recycling
Marcel Raymaekers is an uncompromising pioneer of circular architecture in Europe. His opulent work was for a long time overlooked – until the Rotor collective began to document the unconventional approach.
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Photo: Wagner Living
In detail: ‘d2’ by Wagner Living
‘d2’ by Wagner Living is a bespoke furnishing system developed by Gonzalez Haase AAS and Diez Office as a space-defining concept. To give you a clear overview, we have summarised the key aspects for you – from its functional principles and areas of application to its design ethos.
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Photo: Biocom AG
Designing with nature
Prof. Ferdinand Ludwig is an architect and holds the Chair of Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture at Technische Universität München (TUM); he is also a partner at OLA Office for Living Architecture. In this interview, he talks to us about the uses of Baubotanik in the city of tomorrow.
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Photo: Godelmann
Permeable paving stones
With the “GDM.KLIMASTEIN” Bavarian concrete stone manufacturer Godelmann has developed a triple-layered stone that fortifies surfaces without sealing them.
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Photo: Yizhi Wang
Architecture of Empowerment
The DAM Preis 2026 is awarded to Grundmann Architekten for the conversion of a freight depot into the Center for Art and Urbanistics (ZK/U) in Berlin. In this interview, Peter Grundmann explains why it is important to deprogram spaces and how he balances the contradictions involved in building with existing structures.
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Photo: Gerald von Foris
Spotlight on Women Architects – Anna Heringer
In our series “Spotlight on Women Architects”, we regularly present the work of female architects – such as that of Anna Heringer, who is a true believer in clay building. Since founding her own office, she has devoted herself entirely to this material, which for her not only has ecological and economic advantages, but also enables users to participate in the building process itself. She was recently awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for her commitment.
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Photo: Roca Group
Quiet heroes
Roca Group is currently revolutionizing the manufacture of ceramics in passing as it were: it’s successfully invested in developing the world’s first electric-powered tunnel kiln.
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Photo: ByAK / Logo: blackspace
e for emancipated
“Building type e” is currently on everyone's lips in Germany. Some consider it the key to a revolution in construction, while others see it as a legally secure way to “simply build” beyond a lengthy list of rules, standards, and regulations. But what does the term actually mean, what does it look like in practice, and what do experts say?
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Photo: OMC°C
Modular climate control
The design office OMC°C is presenting the socio-ecological project ‘Schattengrün’ (Shadow Green) as part of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region's World Design Capital 2026 programme. This project enables facades to be greened in an uncomplicated and participatory manner.
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Photo: Sungai Watch
Saving Paradise
Gary Bencheghib is a filmmaker and environmental activist. In late 2020, together with his two siblings Kelly and Sam he founded the Sungai Watch organization. The organization actively counters the extreme environmental pollution in Indonesia, using garbage floating barriers and cleanup operations. In parallel, he looks at ways of recycling the plastic waste they have collected – and with Sungai Design and a tiny house, is taking his first steps in the fields of design and architecture.
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Photo: Roland Halbe, ICD/ITKE/IntCDC University of Stuttgart
Architecture out of the sea
We know them from walks on the beach, those oddly decorative flat spheres, that are at the same time robust yet fragile: empty sea urchin shells. Often their curves are almost completely intact. How do these arched shells manage to be so robust while made of so little and such flimsy material?
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Photo: Rene Mueller
“Heading full-speed straight for disaster, whistling happily all the way”
Architects and engineers are the kind of people who have set themselves the task of making the world a better place. But what can anybody do after having come to the realization that the world will be past saving if we carry on building at the current rate? In this interview with our author Falk Jaeger, architect and engineer Werner Sobek reveals some disturbing facts.
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Photo: CapitaLand
The logic of nature
BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati have conceived the “CapitaSpring” high-rise in Singapore – a vision for the future of urban development which was honoured today with the International High-Rise Award. Brian Yang and Carlo Ratti explain the idea of vertical urbanism to us in an interview.
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Photo: Wilkhahn, Mandy Will
Fair to People and the Environment
Environmental science graduate Jörg Hoffmann is the Sustainability Manager at German furniture manufacturer and international player Wilkhahn. In this interview he highlights what issues are key in its commitment to the environment and which goals are still on the agenda.
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Photo: Chris Perez
Great atmosphere
Henning Larsen Architects A/S is currently researching a modular system that could serve as an alternative to air conditioning in public spaces.
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Photo: Dennis Morton
A shared language
Architects can turn to the Revalu platform, which offers data on materials, when undertaking a lifecycle analysis of their project, as it enables them to compare the environmental impact of different construction materials. The data-based decisions can essentially help achieve the climate targets. Kika Brockstedt, co-founder & CEO of Revalu Impact AG, talks to us and explains the idea.
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Photo: HfG Offenbach / Antonia Hinderegger und Jonathan Kuhlmann
Freshly unsealed
The semester project “now_unsealed” by students of the Integrative Design course at the Offenbach University of Art and Design addresses urgent environmental issues such as climate change, resource consumption and soil sealing. We present a selection of the projects.
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Photo: Johan Dehlin
Everything is connected
Djernes & Bell, a Copenhagen-based architectural practice, reimagines existing buildings and landscapes with a particular sensitivity to heritage, materials, and context. Through transformation, restoration as well as resource-conscious design, the studio creates sustainable spaces that generate ecological, social, and cultural value. In this interview, they provide insight into their work.
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Photo: Bjørnar Øvrebø, oioioi
Concrete Without a Footprint
Saferock is currently developing a sustainable alternative to classic concrete. Known as geopolymer concrete, it is made from the industrial byproducts of mining.
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