Magazin

Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine is also waged on Ukrainian architectural culture: Our author Falk Jaeger spoke to architect Philipp Meuser about the Ukrainian architectural legacy and the plans for reconstruction once the war is over.

Precise pleats on delicate wooden columns, a two-row colonnade winding around a low, transparent interior: The polygonal circular building designed by Lina Ghotmeh for the Serpentine Pavilion 2023 looks quite like an origami sculpture.

ISH, the World's Leading Trade Fair for HVAC + Water in Frankfurt/Main, is the leading international platform for the energy transition in the building sector. Sustainable energy storage, digital networking and efficient process optimization are the focus – we introduce you to ten companies that you should not miss in the Energy section from March 13 to 17, 2023.

At ISH 2023, the world's leading trade fair for HVAC + Water in Frankfurt am Main, the leading premium brand in the bathroom Laufen will show a further development of the successful collection "IL BAGNO ALESSI", which is set in scene by means of an individually controllable light frame.

Stylepark is raffling off one "Mono" stepstool by Richard Lampert.

With the extension of the De Lakenhal Museum in the Dutch city of Leiden, Happel Cornelisse Verhoeven has succeeded in creating a multi-layered architectural link. The individual elements of the overall ensemble are connected with bricks delivered by Petersen Tegl.

The "Tricot" rug by Paola Lenti offers a robust quality with a unique colour scheme. The textile base originates from the company's own production.

In our series “Spotlight on Women Architects”, we regularly present the work of female architects – such as that of Denise Scott Brown, whose work has only recently received adequate recognition, as due to systemic injustice she was long overshadowed by her husband Robert Venturi.

Cosmopolitan living can hardly get any better: in the middle of Manhattan, a throw away from the Empire State Building and Madison Square Park, rises the skyscraper "277 Fifth Avenue" by Rafael Viñoly Architects. The Austrian manufacturer Rieder realised the impressive façade design with glass fibre concrete panels.

On the occasion of the ISH, we spoke with the two expert planners Matthias Rammig and Felix Thumm from Transsolar about sensible smart building solutions in the field of water and energy for existing buildings. The world's leading trade fair for HVAC + Water will take place in Frankfurt am Main from March 13 to 17, 2023.

Kyiv-based architecture and design studio balbek bureau is committing to helping its country deal with the Russian aggression, while pursuing commercial projects of the day-to-day work at the same time. Borys Dogorov, co-founder, managing partner and Chief Operating Officer of balbek bureau, tells us about the bureau’s social projects, compiled under the umbrella RE:Ukraine.

For the "Gioia equilibrio" table luminaire, Occhio offers the trio of elegant design, maximum mobility and touch-free control: gentle hand movements are all that is needed to direct the light individually.

Villeroy & Boch is presenting an extensive programme at the upcoming ISH in Frankfurt am Main, both at its exhibition stand in the Festhalle and on the digital platform Innovation Days 2023. Live-Talks with designers Gesa Hansen, Florian Kallus and Sebastian Schneider (Kaschkasch) in cooperation with Stylepark will be part of the agenda.

Patrick Jouin is among the designers who are shaping the holistic change in the industry – from his participation in the first Salone Satellite in Milan to his ongoing cooperation with Pedrali. He tells us in an interview what sustainable furniture design constitutes today.

"Subway 3.0" by Villeroy & Boch is a bathroom design that is holistically conceived: water-saving in use, smart in function, created with a clear formal language and high-quality materials. Until 15 April 2023, Villeroy & Boch is offering designers the opportunity to win attractive prizes with their idea for a family bathroom.

For three years, the Stockholm Furniture Fair had to take a break due to the pandemic. That both the organisers and the Scandinavian creatives and companies have integrated the current change into their work during this time became quite clear when the gates of Stockholmsmässan finally opened again from 7 to 11 February 2023.

“Cleaf Club”, the installation produced in cooperation with Campos Costa Arquitetos, is on display in CCube in Lissone up until mid-March 2023. It involved transforming the corporate showroom, the creative heart of Cleaf, into a club complete with dancefloor and lounge. In our interview, architect Pedro Campos Costa and Cleaf Managing Director Roberto Caspani explain what is behind the Cleaf products.

For those who want to know how to guide a major event, visited by about half a million guests every year, through challenging times, should have a look to Milan. The Salone del Mobile.Milano, a fixed star for creative people from all over the world since 1961, recently presented the plans for the internationally most important furniture and design fair at a press conference.

The homosexual inclinations of some of the heroes in the history of architecture still remain a taboo subject. Which is why we owe a great debt of thanks to two architecture historians, Wolfgang Voigt and Uwe Bresan, for shedding light on the queer elements in the biographies of great architects.

From 26 February to 2 March 2023, the global retail industry will meet in the halls of Messe Düsseldorf: guests can expect the latest trends, forward-looking ideas and inspiring solutions for every aspect of retail.

With its "BORA X BO", the Upper Bavarian manufacturer of hob extraction systems and FlexBake ovens offers a professional steam oven for the home.

The Swedish architecture and design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune was founded in 1995 by three students: Mårten Claesson, Eero Koivisto and Ola Rune. The trio is not affected by supposed boundaries between disciplines: Their work is diverse and creates new perspectives. In the interview, Eero Koivisto looks back at the beginnings and ahead to current projects.

How can holistic ergonomics help to optimize working conditions in a company, not to mention its bottom line? Kinnarps has the answer to this tricky question and offers sustainable strategies for the kind of design that has been thought through right down to the smallest details.

Gumpo offers more than do traditional office furniture makers: The products designed by Relvāokellermann can be flexibly adapted to meet architects’ wishes for each particular project. In our interview, Gumpo General Manager Sebastian Waibel told us why it is worth critically revisiting processes, and what New Work means to him.

Changing the way we understand, perceive and relate to materials: That’s the aim of Bonnie Hvillum, who’s focus is on human interaction with the world. The interdisciplinary projects she tackles straddle science, biology, chemistry, design and art.

With "Jiometori", the family-owned company Cleaf offers an exceptionally versatile texture with a geometric composition that is visually and haptically an experience.

People like Robert Comploj are hard to find. At his studio he combines art and design with the craft of glassblowing. It is currently sidewalks, manholes, hydrants and tram tracks that represent the inspiration for his work.

Stylepark is raffling off one "Ring Table" by Acapulco.

Roberto Monti has taken over the role of CEO for Arper at the beginning of 2022 and since then has brought in a lot of dynamism. In this interview, he tells us in which direction he would like to lead the company and what significance sustainability has for him in this context.

The Metaverse provides a digital platform that is freely designed with the help of architecture, art, and design. In the following interview George Bileca, CEO of Voxel Architects – the first architecture practice in the Metaverse – outlines the benefits and tells us where the limits are.

Emma Olbers is a designer and sustainability strategist. As part of the upcoming Stockholm Furniture Fair, she is presenting the exhibition "Now or never 1kg CO2e" from 7 to 11 February 2023 on the invisible climate impact of our furniture. She explains the concept of the show in an interview.

Bas Smets – one of the most distinguished landscape architects of our day – tells us in this interview why though he is not optimistic when it comes to climate change, but we should not give up hope.

In collaboration with studio Besau-Marguerre, burgbad has come up with a homely bathroom furniture collection “b:me” that can be adapted to any and every style and offers ingenious ideas for small spaces. The duo drew inspiration for the design from the lines of nature, art and architecture.

2025 exhibitors of 54 countries are currently already expected at the ISH in Frankfurt am Main. Visitors can look forward to a multifaceted range of products and services presented by the HVAC and sanitation industry from March 13 to 17, 2023.

In her book “Schwarzer Rolli, Hornbrille” (Black Turtleneck, Round Glasses) Karin Hartmann highlights various aspects of the architecture profession and examines when, where and why women are at a disadvantage owing to systemic discrimination. In conversation, the author reveals why these questions must be asked and what gets lost because of this lack of perspectives.