The current publication is a fascinating documentation of contemporary architecture. The book presents this year’s «best architects» on a total of 448 pages. Our start-up centre FUX in Karlsruhe is featured in the publication!

The Jury's assessment: "It is the simplicity that makes this building so powerful. Its position in the urban fabric. Its clear form, organisation, and structure. The reduction to few materials. The use of two striking colours. And it is precisely the red of the shell that creates the effect of the building as if it were an apparition in the park, raising it from pure functionality to a poetic level. Strangely aloof and at the same time very present. The contrasting green on the inside, which conjures up the colour of the leaves on the floor like a reflection on water, creates a strong connection between inside and outside. This is a decidedly successful building, planned down to the last detail - consistently simple, but never simplistic".

During the general meeting on 16 October 2020 in Göppingen, Liza Heilmeyer was unanimously elected as the new state chair of BDA Baden-Württemberg. In the history of BDA Baden-Württemberg, Liza Heilmeyer is the first chairwoman. In her view, the Association of German Architects has the mission to engage in the social debate on the built environment and to raise awareness of the qualities of our living spaces. The focus is both on design as a social added value and on the conservation of our resources. We wish Liza all the best for her new additional assignment and every success!

FUX at Alter Schlachthof in Karlsruhe wins a Hugo-Häring award of the German BDA. The jury's statement: "The six-storey FUX business incubator centre creates a powerful boundary between the slaughterhouse site and Messplatz. The robust and clearly structured building is striking for its pleasant rigour: the skeleton construction of the exposed concrete façade and its no-frills segmentation. The reductionist façade with its clear structure contrasts the structurally sturdy architecture with the iconography of administrative buildings that is common today. With flexible room clusters and open break rooms, the two open plan storeys allow for a modern administrative space for dynamic uses. The entire building technology including exposed cable trays, ventilation pipes and open electrical installations (rooting in the component activation of the ceilings) as well as the unpretentious aesthetics of the simple shell construction are a remarkable contribution to the culture of the working environment".

The construction work on the sports hall in Bihlafingen has started. The completion for the new building is scheduled for 2022.

Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architects are offering a three-part, in-house training course on the subject of "Constructive timber construction - extended planning principles". On September 15, 21 and 28, 2020 (from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.), the wood construction knowledge that the office has built up over the past fifteen years is to be made available to all (new) employees. The aim is to keep the office's timber construction quota at over fifty percent in the future.

The Kita Parkstrasse (daycare center) in the east of Stuttgart was completed and is ready for the children to move in...

This summer, after eight years of planning and construction, the HWK's vocational training and technology center (BTZ) was quietly completed in Augsburg. The implementation took place in two construction phases during the ongoing operation.

The start-up centre FUX in Karlsruhe has been awarded with the label "best architects 21"! Extract from the call for entries: “The best architects award is regarded as a seal of quality for outstanding architectural performance..."

After a little over two years of construction, the Regional Innovation Center (RIZ) at Offenburg University was completed. The users are currently moving into the new building ...

We are delighted to have won the competition and been awarded the contract in Freiburg!
The new four-storey office and lecture building for the Freiburg University of Education is embedded in the campus. The building's shape and height blend in between the student residence and the college building without jeopardising the tree population. Despite its solitary character, the new building demarcates the campus to the south and follows the building line along Kunzenweg through the building's offset.
The design has been consistently developed as a timber construction and benefits from the repetitive space allocation plan and the chosen geometric order. The outer walls comprise a timber frame construction and meet the standard of a passive house.

Our competition design for the new Eduard-Spranger School in Reutlingen was awarded 2nd prize by the jury: "The architects propose a compact, three-storey structure that takes up the proportions of the existing main building and is situated along the axis of the main entrance to the school campus. The position of the building results in harmonious outdoor spaces that both preserve the tree population and create well-proportioned schoolyard areas.(…)
The project concept is coherent and very well developed in all aspects. The compact volume of the building, the judicious load-bearing structure, the use of renewable timber, the good surface-to-volume ratio and the sophisticated design promise a functionally, ecologically, and socially sustainable, cost-effective implementation of the design." (excerpt from the jury's assessment)

Wenn Sie Interesse an der Mitarbeit in einem wachsenden Architekturbüro haben, freuen wir uns über Ihre Bewerbung.

Wir suchen..
. / Architekt (m/ w/ d) vorzugsweise mit Holzbaukompetenz
/ Projektbearbeitung, stv. Projektleitung oder Projektleitung
/ Unterstützung in den LPH 2-5 und gerne 6-7

Wir bieten…
/ Interessante und vielseitige Tätigkeiten in einem angenehmen Arbeitsumfeld
/ Unbefristetes Arbeitsverhältnis mit Zukunftsperspektive in einem wachsenden Büro
/ Verlässliche Arbeitszeiten (auch Teilzeit möglich) und leistungsgerechte Bezahlung
/ Kollegiales Miteinander und Raum für persönliche Entwicklung
/ Kicker, Flipper, slushed-ice

Wir erwarten...
/ Erfolgreich abgeschlossenes Studium der Architektur (Diplom oder Master)
/ Mindestens fünf Jahre Berufserfahrung
/ Spaß an der Architektur und der Projektarbeit
/ Verantwortungsvolle Bearbeitung der Leistungsphasen 2 – 5
/ Hervorragende Fähigkeiten der deutschen Sprache in Wort und Schrift
/ Strukturierte Arbeitsweise und souveräne Abstimmung mit Projektbeteiligten
/ Empathie und soziale Kompetenz

Wir freuen uns auf aussagekräftige Bewerbungsunterlagen, gerne mit Angabe der Gehaltsvorstellung und Verfügbarkeit per Email (PDF) an: jobs[at]bhundf.com

The start-up centre FUX in Karlsruhe has been nominated for the DAM architecture in Germany 2021 award. The award is offered by DAM Deutsches Architekturmuseum in Frankfurt am Main.

Wir suchen Studierende in Vollzeit (Praktikum: 4 bis 12 Monate) zur Unterstützung bei Wettbewerben, Projekten und im Modellbau

Wir bieten...
/ Tolle Projekte / Kaffee und slush ice / Interessante und vielseitige Tätigkeiten / Verlässliche Arbeitszeiten und leistungsgerechte Bezahlung / Modellwerkstatt und viel Platz / Kollegiales Miteinander und Raum für persönliche Entwicklung

Wir erwarten...
/ Mind. vier erfolgreich absolvierte Semester im Architekturstudium / Spaß am Zeichnen und Modellbau / Strukturierte und präzise Arbeitsweise / Gute Kommunikationsfähigkeiten / Freude am Lernen und an der persönlichen Entwicklung

Wir freuen uns auf Bewerbungsunterlagen per Email (PDF) an: jobs[at]bhundf.com

Zur Durchführung anspruchsvoller Bauaufgaben für öffentliche Auftraggeber suchen wir ab dem Sommer 2020 Unterstützung in der Objektüberwachung im Raum Freiburg im Breisgau.
Sie haben in den letzten Jahren Erfahrungen in den Leistungsphasen 6 bis 8 gesammelt und sind nun bereit für eine neue Herausforderung und mehr Verantwortung? Wir bieten Ihnen eine abwechslungsreiche Tätigkeit, Freiraum für Ihre persönliche Entwicklung innerhalb eines kontinuierlich wachsenden Büros sowie eine leistungsgerechte Vergütung. Unser Büro zeichnet sich durch eine hohe Kontinuität bei den Mitarbeitern aus. Wir erwarten ein abgeschlossenes Studium der Architektur oder des Bauingenieurwesens, mindestens fünf Jahre Berufserfahrung sowie umsichtiges und strukturiertes Denken, hohes Engagement und Durchsetzungsvermögen. Wir setzen Kenntnisse in MS-Office, in einer AVA-Software(bevorzugt ORCA) sowie in einem Terminplanungsprogramm (bevorzugt MS Project) voraus.

Bitte senden Sie Ihre aussagekräftigen Unterlagen (PDF) mit Angaben Ihrer Gehaltsvorstellung und Ihrer Verfügbarkeit an jobs[at]bhundf.com

We are pleased to have been awarded 1st prize in the competition "Dual sports hall for the Main-Limes-Realschule" in Miltenberg.
"The new sports hall is located at the south-western corner and closes off the school grounds to the south. The simple building structure creates a pleasant distance to the residential buildings through staggered heights in the urban fabric. Together with the outdoor sports facility, the remaining open spaces form a sufficient, well-designed, coherent area within the building plot. (...)
The design, proportions and orientation of the building are well chosen - the result is a clear, consistent, timber construction aligned to a grid on the upper floors, with a concrete structure in the basement. Horizontally divided into three parts the façades are well proportioned" (excerpt from the jury's assessment)

Topping-out for the new analysis building at the State Teaching and Research Institute for Viticulture and Fruit Growing in Weinsberg was celebrated. Located at the eastern edge of the campus, the new building has a representative function whilst it houses modern, contemporary laboratories. It is to become the flagship of the Weinsberg State Winery and a new hallmark for the town. The opening of the lab building is scheduled for 2021.

"A smart, stringent, functional, transparent, adaptable and spatially fascinating building designed as a spatial framework..." say DBZ magazine partners Bruno Fioretti Marquez from Berlin about FUX at Alter Schlachthof in Karlsruhe.
We are delighted about the detailed article by Thomas Geuder in the DBZ 02/2020 issue "Beton".

BRENNPUNKT ARCHITEKTUR - "Am Anfang war das Bild ... ?". On Wednesday, 29 January 2020 at 6:00 pm, Stephan Birk will be discussing the use of images in architectural design with Thomas Kröger, Harald Roser and Tobias Wulf at HFT Stuttgart (Building 8, Atrium, Breitscheidstr. 5, Stuttgart). Chaired by Peter Krebs.

Our contribution to the multiple commission "New Façade for Parkhaus Nord" in Mannheim was awarded 1st prize. What the jury says:
"Based on the requirements on noise levels, the architects developed a solitary-type building featuring an unconventional design motif. The building envelope, which consists of a folded, adaptable series element, appears on the one hand anonymous and independent from scale, and on the other hand consistently textured and remarkably reduced. (…)
With the minimalist approach of using only one element the work responds intelligently to the complex design challenges and acoustic requirements. It represents a convincing contribution to the solution to the brief”.

We declare!
The twin crises of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss are the most serious issue of our time. Buildings and construction play a major part, accounting for nearly 40% of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions whilst also having a significant impact on our natural habitats.
For everyone working in the construction industry, meeting the needs of our society without breaching the earth’s ecological boundaries will demand a paradigm shift in our behaviour. Together with our clients, we will need to commission and design buildings, cities and infrastructures as indivisible components of a larger, constantly regenerating and self-sustaining system... Read more

Honourable mention in the design competition Zeppelingschule Leinfelden-Echterdingen.
"The architects propose a two-storey building volume along Kantstrasse that has the form of a nave with a slightly inclined gabled roof. The selected building form distinctly carries on the typology from the existing building stock. A well-proportioned school yard is the result of the clear positioning of the building, although the prominent lime tree cannot be preserved due to the building's width. A transparent building joint forms the connection to the existing building. It accommodates the aptly dimensioned staircase that provides access to all floors. (…)
Horizontally structured façade bands with vertical wood cladding in silver fir have been proposed for the new and for the existing buildings to create an architectural ensemble. Its serene composition corresponds to the restrained style and blends pleasantly into the urban context. The selected primary structure comprising timber frame construction walls and wood composite ceilings suggests an ecological and fast construction method. The concept meets requirements on escape and rescue routes. All in all, the design at hand is a coherent solution to the brief. The chosen typology of a nave / barn appears beneficial with regard to the local conditions. This is an altogether adequate scheme." (Excerpt from the jury's assessment)

We are delighted to have won 1st prize in the competition Rathausbrücke Tuttlingen. The bridge was designed in cooperation with the engineering firm schlaich bergermann partner.
"Approaching from Marktplatz and Rathausstraße, the new bridge runs in a straight line, gracefully and gently arched, to the other side of the river. At this point it links up with the Danube Cycle Route via an easily accessible square and leads to the river bank and pedestrian paths. A lower square with a jetty to the Danube is proposed above seating steps, which offers the opportunity to spend time on the banks of the river. (…) The construction takes up the modern developments in timber bridge construction and adds a new element through the way the metal struts are supported. In a coherent way, this element joins well with the timber construction. The construction comprising in-situ concrete, glue-laminated timber and steel profiles meets the requirements of the construction and the material. A long-lasting and durable construction has been designed by using treated wood in the hybrid construction. The overall dimensions are plausible and credible; the details demonstrate the designers’ expertise. In summary, this is a design which, in its timeless elegance and great suitability for the location, develops a special quality in dialogue with the stone bridge "Groß Bruck". It is characterised by a particularly good sense for the design of load-bearing structures." (Excerpt from the jury's assessment)

Wenn Sie Interesse an der Mitarbeit in der Organisation und Kommunikation eines wachsenden Architekturbüros haben, freuen wir uns über Ihre Bewerbung für die Teamassistenz (m/ w/ d) in Teil- oder Vollzeit (50 bis 100%):

Ihre Aufgaben

/ Organisation des Umfelds der Geschäftsführung
/ Unterstützung des Teams in allen administrativen Abläufen
/ Koordination von Terminen und Besprechungen
/ Telefonische und persönliche Betreuung von externen Projektbeteiligten
/ Organisation und Abwicklung von Reisen, inkl. Reisekostenabrechnung

Ihre Qualifikation

/ Kaufmännische Ausbildung oder vergleichbare Qualifikation
/ Strukturierte Arbeitsweise, Teamgeist und Zuverlässigkeit
/ Belastbarkeit, Eigeninitiative, sicheres und professionelles Auftreten
/ Empathie und soziale Kompetenz
/ Professioneller Umgang mit MS Office
/ Hervorragende Kommunikationsfähigkeiten, umfassende Kenntnisse der deutschen Sprache in Wort und Schrift
/ Gute Englischkenntnisse

Unser Angebot

/ Vielseitige Tätigkeiten in einem kreativen Arbeitsumfeld
/ Verlässliche Arbeitszeiten und leistungsgerechte Bezahlung
/ Unbefristetes Arbeitsverhältnis mit langfristiger Zukunftsperspektive
/ Kollegiales Miteinander und Raum für persönliche Entwicklung
/ Möglichkeit eine wachsende Struktur mit zu gestalten

Wir freuen uns auf Ihre Bewerbungsunterlagen, gerne mit Angabe Ihrer Gehaltsvorstellung und Verfügbarkeit per Email (PDF max. 6 MB) an: jobs[at]bhundf.com

From october 23 to 24 the 12th European Congress (EBH2019) "Bauen mit Holz im urbanen Raum" (buidling with timber in an urban context) takes place in Cologne. On october 24 Prof. Stephan Birk is charing the session "Eine Frage der Ökologie: Planen, Bauen und Leben im urbanen Raum".

"Like a shining white fortress of the creative industry, teh new FUX start-up centre embodies the spirit of optimism on the site of the former slaughterhouse in Karlsruhe. Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten integrated the eye-catching reinforced concrete framework into the conversion area, which is being transformed into a creativity park...".
Bettina Schürkamp writes in the magazine AIT 10.2019 "Office Buildings" about our business incubator in Karlsruhe.

"The architects propose a simple, compact and clearly structured building that blends naturally into the contorted plot. Its compact design offers large areas for breaks and for open spaces, whose amenity value is convincing. The asymmetrical gabled roof creates fascinating interiors and skilfully roots the building within the village structure.
The architects propose a timber-only construction on a concrete basement featuring a vertical cladding of silver fir boards, which excellently strengthens the friendly simplicity of the building. Due to its compact and highly cost-effective design this contribution is highly convincing both in terms of urban development and its formal design...". (Excerpt from the jury assessment)

After ten years with Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten, first as a student assistant, then as a graduate, an architect, later as a project manager and since 2017 as an associate, Felix Fritz was appointed to the management board this summer.
Together with all our colleagues, we look forward to continuing our cooperation.

Wenn Sie Interesse an der Planung anspruchsvoller Projekte haben, freuen wir uns über Ihre Bewerbung als AiP!

Wir suchen...
/ Absolvent* in für anspruchsvolle Wettbewerbe und Bauvorhaben / Hervorragende Entwurfsfähigkeiten und Darstellungstechniken

Wir bieten…
/ Interessante Aufgaben / Fachlichen Austausch mit Mitarbeiter* innen / Vielseitige Tätigkeiten in einem angenehmen Arbeitsumfeld / Verlässliche Arbeitszeiten und leistungsgerechte Bezahlung / Unbefristetes Arbeitsverhältnis mit langfristiger Zukunftsperspektive in einem wachsenden Büro / Kollegiales Miteinander und Raum für persönliche Entwicklung

Wir erwarten...
/ Erfolgreich abgeschlossenes Studium der Architektur (Diplom oder Master) / Spaß an der Architektur / Strukturierte Arbeitsweise / Hervorragende Kommunikationsfähigkeiten / Freude am Lernen und an der persönlichen Entwicklung/ Empathie und soziale Kompetenz

Wir freuen uns auf Ihre Bewerbungsunterlagen per Email (PDF max. 6 MB) an: jobs[at]bhundf.com

On the campus of Reutlingen University, the 1st construction stage of the logistics learning factory has been completed and handed over to the client. Through the selected geometric design and the clear-cut organisation in the interior the scheme allows for flexible extensions on the narrow side of the hall construction, towards the south-west. The 2nd construction stage is in progress rigth now, the logistics learning factory wil be extended by four more axis.

Wir suchen Studierende in Vollzeit (Praktikum: 3 bis 12 Monate) zur Unterstützung beim Modellbau in den Maßstäben 1:500 bis 1:20 für Wettbewerbe und anspruchsvolle Projekte!

Wir bieten...
/ Tolle Projekte / Interessante und vielseitige Modellbautätigkeiten / Verlässliche Arbeitszeiten und leistungsgerechte Bezahlung / Modellwerkstatt und viel Platz / Kollegiales Miteinander und Raum für persönliche Entwicklung

Wir erwarten...
/ mind. vier erfolgreich absolvierte Semester im Architekturstudium / Spaß am Modellbau / Strukturierte und präzise Arbeitsweise / Gute Kommunikationsfähigkeiten / Freude am Lernen und an der persönlichen Entwicklung

Wir freuen uns auf Ihre Bewerbungsunterlagen per Email (PDF max. 5 MB) an: jobs[at]bhundf.com

The Festigungs- und Expansionszentrum (FUX) at Alter Schlachthof in Karlsruhe has been published on ArchDaily and on BauNetz with photographs taken by Brigida González.

Wenn Sie Interesse an der Planung anspruchsvoller Projekte haben, freuen wir uns über Ihre Bewerbung als ARCHITEKT* IN!

Wir suchen...
/ Projektarchitekt* in für anspruchsvolle Bauvorhaben / Hervorragende Entwurfsfähigkeiten / Verantwortungsvolle Bearbeitung der Leistungsphasen 1 – 5 / Souveräne Koordination und Abstimmung mit Projektbeteiligten

Wir bieten…
/ Fachlichen Austausch mit Mitarbeiter* innen in allen Leistungsphasen / Interessante und vielseitige Tätigkeiten in einem angenehmen Arbeitsumfeld / Verlässliche Arbeitszeiten und leistungsgerechte Bezahlung / Unbefristetes Arbeitsverhältnis mit langfristiger Zukunftsperspektive in einem wachsenden Büro / Kollegiales Miteinander und Raum für persönliche Entwicklung / Perspektive: Projektleitung

Wir erwarten...
/ Erfolgreich abgeschlossenes Studium der Architektur (Diplom oder Master) / Mind. 3 Jahre Berufserfahrung / Strukturierte Arbeitsweise / Hervorragende Kommunikationsfähigkeiten und umfassende Kenntnisse der deutschen Sprache / Freude am Lernen und an der persönlichen Entwicklung/ Empathie und soziale Kompetenz

Wir freuen uns auf Ihre Bewerbungsunterlagen, gerne mit Angabe Ihrer Gehaltsvorstellung und Verfügbarkeit per Email (PDF max. 6 MB) an: jobs[at]bhundf.com

Honourable mention in the design competition "New primary school Sallerner Berg + extension Jakob-Muth school including a triple sports hall, nursery and accommodation" in Regensburg.
Three distinct buildings and differentiated outdoor and sports facilities form the new school centre, incorporating the topography. The relatively large total area of the two schools has been arranged in compact buildings of two, and three-storeys, respectively. Both schools are distinguishable as individual buildings and have their own address. The linking element is the hillside level, which connects all structural components of the school centre across two floors.

Invitation to expert talk: On Friday, 28 June 2019 Martin Bruno Schmid will be our guest at Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten. He will give a talk on the topic:

"Almost nothing - art in the building"

This lecture has been recognised by the BW Chamber of Architects as an advanced training course (2 hours). The bar opens at 6 p.m., the talk starts at approx. 6:30 p.m. We kindly ask for registration via email: A31[at]bhundf.com

We are happy to participate! Architects, not Architecture on 28 may 2019 at Theaterhaus Stuttgart.

6.00 p.m. Doors open
7.00 p.m. Reception
7.15–8.45 p.m. Speaker
8.45–9.15 p.m. Round of discussion
9.30–11.00 p.m. Get-Together

Following a construction period of two years, the Festigungs- und Expansionszentrum (FUX) at Alter Schlachthof in Karlsruhe was ceremoniously inaugurated: "The building was designed for companies that have grown too large for the restricted space of the containers, but do not want to leave the Alter Schlachthof as a beloved neighbourhood and incubation space. Of course, the new building also provides space for companies wishing to become a new part of the Schlachthof community. It is the first building commissioned by Karlsruher Fächer GmbH as the client. Located at the eastern end of the site, it adjoins the city square Messplatz."

Our design was awarded first prize in the "DLR Company Restaurant and Conference Centre" competition: "From an urban planning point of view, the work convinces through its distinctly sculptural building volumes, which contextualise the building on the campus and create an identity. Through the cleverly arranged interior spaces of the company restaurant and the conference centre the design avoids "rear sides" and " secondary areas ". Almost playfully, the structure displays the same appearance and design quality on all faces. (...) The work is convincing because of its highly individual and expressive overall appearance, which combines the functionality, design and beauty of architecture". (Jury citation)

The construction work on the viticulture lab has started. The completion for the new building for analyses at the State Teaching and Research Institute in Weinsberg is scheduled for 2021.

The timber construction of the Regional Innovation Centre (RIZ) in Offenburg is completed. Before the assembly of the heating, ventilation etc. starts, Berhard Strauss (Freiburg) took some photographs...

Newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung 2 March, Nicole Golembek writes about House B in Beinstein: "The black sheep - most people don't necessarily associate corrugated sheet metal with sophisticated design. Just how interesting and homely a detached house with a metal shell can be becomes apparent when you visit a house that has been awarded a prize by architecture experts in a new housing estate in the Rems valley.”

Aftre the completion of the timber and roof construction, we have celebrated the topping-out for the "KiTa im Park". The opening of the kindergarten is scheduled for spring 2020.

Wenn Sie Interesse an der Durchführung und Umsetzung von anspruchsvollen Bauaufgaben haben, freuen wir uns über Ihre Bewerbung als JUNIORBAULEITER* IN!

Wir suchen...
/ Mitarbeiter* in für die Betreuung von Bauprojekten / Unterstützung in den Leistungsphasen 6 – 8 vornehmlich im Großraum Stuttgart / Koordination und Abstimmung mit Projektbeteiligten / Mitwirkung bei der Kontrolle von Bauleistungen, Qualitäten, Terminen und Kosten

Wir bieten...
/ Anleitung durch erfahrene Mitarbeiter* innen in den Leistungsphasen 6 - 8 / Interessante und vielseitige Tätigkeiten in einem angenehmen Arbeitsumfeld / Verlässliche Arbeitszeiten und leistungsgerechte Bezahlung / Unbefristetes Arbeitsverhältnis mit langfristiger Zukunftsperspektive in einem jungen und wachsenden Büro / Kollegiales Miteinander und Raum für persönliche Entwicklung

Wir erwarten...
/ Erfolgreich abgeschlossenes Studium der Architektur (mind. B.A./ B.Sc.) / ca. 0-5 Jahre Berufserfahrung / Strukturierte, ziel- und ergebnisorientierte Arbeitsweise / Gute Kommunikationsfähigkeiten und umfassende Kenntnisse der deutschen Sprache / Freude am Lernen und an der persönlichen Entwicklung

Wir freuen uns auf Ihre Bewerbungsunterlagen, gerne unter Angabe Ihrer Gehaltsvorstellung und Ihrer Verfügbarkeit per Email (PDF max. 5 MB) an: jobs[at]bhundf.com

The Science Park Kassel ist part of the exhibition "Large Buildings, Small Buildings - Award-Winning Architecture in Hessen, 2013 – 2018" at DAM (Deutsches Architekturmuseum) in Frankfurt am Main.

EXHIBITION: Jan 17 – Feb 17, 2019
EXHIBITION OPENING: Wed, Jan 16, 2019, 7 p.m.

Every five years, the BDA in Hessen awards its regional architecture prizes with badges presented to the developers and architects of the winning buildings. A total of 38 buildings, chosen from more than 140 entries by independent juries, won accolades. The competition is not restricted to a particular type of construction project. The prize can be awarded to well-executed single-family houses, to schools or museums, to new buildings or to successful conversions or extensions. The exhibition shows a panorama of the current types of construction in Hessen.

An exhibition by: Association of German Architects BDA in the State of Hessen

Our design was short-listed in the the competition "Deutscher Bundestag - Unter den Linden 62-68". The Unter den Linden property is located in a prime location and is strongly influenced by the distinctive neighbouring buildings. The framework of the design and the basic architectural concept of the new building are based on an adequate response to this challenging urban situation.

Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten receive 1st prize and are awarded the contract for the new building component V "Personalized Production" for the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Engineering and Automation IPA Stuttgart. "In the next construction phase after building section U, the planned new building project (building section V) is to provide office workplaces for a total of 193 employees. This requires 4,124 m² floor space, comprising office, laboratory and pilot plant spaces including the corresponding infrastructure. The new building must meet the Institute's requirements resulting from the dynamic developments, and is intended to offer its employees new space for excellent research work in the future". (Excerpt from the design brief)

We are pleased to have won a new project since we were arwarded the first prize for our design of the new building for the Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics (KIS) in Freiburg. The adequate approach to the urban planning situation defines the framework of the conceptual design and the basic structural idea of the new building. To assert itself as the first building block in the fourth construction phase, the design draws on a compact cubature. The new building is situated at the corner of the plot and allows the greatest possible flexibility and creative freedom for further development. Inside the building, the atrium is the centrepiece that connects the different areas of the institute through a void.

We were awarded 2nd prize in the competition for our design submitted for the "Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research" in Würzburg. "The urban planning layout and proportioning of the building are recognised by the jury as a special quality of the contribution. The clear, rectangular and independent structure is compact and allows an inviting access situation in front of the well-positioned main entrance. The modest appearance of the new building, retreating into the campus, is convincing... Overall, the jury praised the design as an outstanding contribution to the competition, which impresses as an economic concept with its clear structure, high flexibility in the interior and its compactness as well as its independence from the entire clinic campus". (Excerpt from the jury assessment)

The contribution of Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten was awarded 3rd prize in the competition "SWR Studio in Mannheim/ Ludwigshafen".

Just twenty months after the competition win, the grand opening of the new gymnasium for the Landessportschule Albstadt has been celebrated. The integral desgin and the high level of prefabrication have been the reasons for the short planning and assembly period.

The construction work on the children's care facility "KiTa in the Park" in Stuttgart has started. The timber contsruction is scheduled to be completed in 2019.

We are pleased to have won first place and the contract for the new LAZ (learning and application center) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). To live up to its standard as a renowned institution, and to be able to assert itself alongside the striking mechanical engineering high-rise, the new building confidently manifests a formal austerity towards the urban space. Both the constructional and the functional logic becomes evident in the façade which demonstrates the open character of the building. The glass surfaces allow a view into the interior and reveal the design work, the workshops and the informal student life. This way KIT presents the university’s technical and contemporary project-oriented focus to the public.

From october 16 to 17 the 11th European Congress (EBH2018) "Bauen mit Holz im urbanen Raum" (buidling with timber in an urban context) takes place in Cologne. On october 17 Prof. Stephan Birk is charing the session ""HOLZARCHITEKTUR IM URBANEN RAUM - BENELUX".

Mykola "Mister VOB" Holoviznin" has been named Associate at Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten by July 1, 2018. We look forward to further joint projects ...

The design by Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten was awarded first prize in the competition for the construction of a new community centre and a day-care facility for children at the Markusturm in Weinheim. The design relates to the key idea "new and old buildings in conjunction". The applied materials differentiate between old (concrete) and new (wood). Together, the buildings form a harmonious entity with clearly defined exterior spaces: cemetery, community courtyard, and playground of the childcare centre. In a subtle counter movement, the undulating roof surface of the new building refers to the sloped church roof. Its resulting shape puts it thus in context with the existing church.

The assembly of the concrete facade elements for the Wachstums- und Festigungszentrum (WFZ) has begun at Alter Schlachthof in Karlsruhe.

Invitation to expert talk: On Friday, 29 June 2018 Marcella Hansch will be our guest at Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten. At 6:30 pm she will give a talk on the topic:
"Pacific Garbage Screening - could architecture save our oceans?"

Marcella Hansch is an architect in Aachen. She founded the non-profit association "Pacific Garbage Screening" based on her thesis at the RWTH. This lecture has been recognised by the BW Chamber of Architects as an advanced training course (1.5 hours). Snacks, drinks, and discussions will be available during and after the talk.

The construction work on the RIZ "Regional Innovation Centre" in Offenburg has started. The completion for the lab and research building on the campus of the university of Offenburg is scheduled for 2020.

A modular wooden umbrella construction for the new mobility point in Sindelfingen has convinced the competition jury. The winning design has been developed by Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel together with Schlaich Bergermann Partner. The special feature of the structure is that a single module can be installed separately at different locations and in different sizes. This enables a similar design for the mobility concept of the city of Sindelfingen. The jury emphasized the light structure of the umbrellas consisting of a wooden support with four cantilevers and a light transparent roof.

House B in Beinstein is featured in the April issue of Wallpaper* magazine.

Science Park Kassel receives a prestigious "Simon-Louis-du-Ry-Plakette" by Bund Deutscher Architekten!

“A loose and at the same time assured arrangement of the buildings distinguishes this scheme. The urban space wraps around the existing historical school, the new school and the sports hall. This presents the entire building complex as a public place apt for the Zell primary school. The architectural quality of the ensemble convinces through its confident and gentle design. With its proportions and the materials used, the façades impart lightness, an approachable character and haptic qualities. The architectural character embraces the experience and perception of children." (Excerpt from the jury citation)
The competition entry achieved 3rd place and was awarded with an honourable mention.

Our submission to the design competition "Mobilitätsdrehscheibe Bahnhof Backnang (Mobility Hub of Backnang Station)” included the design of the bus station, multi-storey car park and railway station in Backnang, and was awarded with an honourable mention . “The architects offer an interesting alternative solution on a broader conceptual basis and convince with the independent design of the ZOB", says the jury.

The DLR Robotics and Mechatronics Center in Oberpfaffenhofen has received the seal of quality in silver according to the BNB sustainability guidelines of the Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, Bau und Reaktorsicherheit (BMUB) of Germany.

Our concept of a campus centre was awarded 4th prize in the design competition for the extension of the school centre in Oestringen. The school campus encompasses four existing buildings (sports hall, primary school, grammar school and secondary school) and will now be supplemented by a campus centre to the south. It is to accommodate the shared facilities of the cafeteria, the library and the youth club. According to the resolution of the local council the expansion of the school centre Oestringen must be carried out in sections. We decided to use salami tactics for the step-by-step implementation of our holistic idea: This way the individual functional areas can be realised slice by slice (at different times) forming a coherent entity. The design comprises a filigree and regular structure, which has been consistently developed as a timber construction.

Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten’s contribution was awarded first prize in the course of the multiple commission for the construction of a new sports hall in Bihlafingen/Laupheim.
The selected location of the sports hall marks the northern boundary of the premises. With its southern edge and the existing northern slope it defines a lawn for sports and outdoor festivities. The compact structure with its shallow gable roof benefits from the topography of the site. Some of the functional areas disappear within the slope, resulting in a moderate development of building mass and height. The archetypal building featuring a wooden façade is reminiscent of a barn and naturally blends in with the rural surroundings.

Topping-out for the start-up centre at Alter Schlachthof in Karlsruhe was celebrated. Upon completion by the end of 2018 the "WFZ" will accommodate various sized offices, studios and a number of shared facilities...

The timber construction of the sports facility in Albstadt has been completed. Due to the high leveel of prefabrication the assembly has only lasted for a few days. The Completition für the gymnasium is scheduled for the summer of 2018.

The Cafeteria at the Science Park Kassel ist mentioned in ZEITMAGAZIN Nummer 47 "Die neue deutsche Kantinenkultur - ein Heft zum Genießen".

Birk Heilmeyer Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten’s contribution to the design competition for the new building of the elementary school Fuchhofstrasse in Ludwigsburg was selected by the jury for an honourable mention. The proposed building ensemble of the primary school including a canteen maps the school’s internal organization in three (building) sections. With its structure and granularity it responds to the planned housing development to the east of the premises. The design has been consistently developed as a timber construction. The interaction of design and structure results in a high quality construction that facilitates a short construction time.

On november 16th Liza Heilmeyer gives a talk at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences as part of the lexture series "FRAU ARCHITEKT. Seit mehr als 100 Jahren: Frauen im Architektenberuf". It starts at 06:15 p.m.

Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten’s contribution was awarded the 3rd prize in the design competition “New school building for Fröbelschule Offenbach, including an exercise hall, training pool, and therapy rooms”.
“All spaces are allocated in a very compact building complex along the Mühlheimer Strasse. It comprises a two-story timber structure designed in a comb shape. The clarity of the scheme lies in the consistent space layout. The two-stories tall units each accommodate four class rooms and two group rooms facing the inner area. The alternation of building sections and well proportioned outdoor spaces creates both day lit and functional interior and exterior spaces.” (excerpt from the jury citation)

The city of Stuttgart selected the scheme for the new building on the Depot Gingener Straße by Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel for realisation.

Felix Fritz, Jochen Günzler, Hanna Münzenmaier, Stephan Schäfer and Timo Sprengel have been Associates at Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten since July 1, 2017, after several years of successful collaboration in the office.
We look forward to further joint projects ...

The prototype of the RADHÄUSLE Sindelfingen has been completed. The bike shed is made of native beech wood, that has been modified by means of acetylation, so it can endure to be exposed to the weather.

Our contribution was awarded 3rd prize in the competition “Waldcampus Aalen - new building for the school of economic sciences, refectory, and hall of residence with daycare facility for children.
“The new Waldcampus is formed by an ensemble of solitary buildings aligned to the orientation of the Behnisch-Building. The school and the refectory are both accessed from a square to the east, and their entrances are marked by an offset on the ground floor. Between the two buildings, a generous flight of steps runs to a lower level and provides access to the hall of residence, mainly for students. Students, staff and visitors enter the school via a generous foyer where a glazed front opens up the view to the forest. Apart from the glazed area in the atrium, the façade comprises horizontal ribbon windows. Resembling an historic timber building the façade projects to the top and offers thus some protection against the weather. With its cladding made of silver fir the five-storey tall building harmoniously blends into the wooded surrounding.” (excerpt from the jury citation)

Our contribution to the design competition “New secondary school building in Landshut, with 6 classes to each grade ” was awarded the 2nd price.
“The project arranges all sports areas including the gym along Fuggerstraße and creates thus an effective buffer to the future business park. The actual school operation is pooled in an elongated building with inner court yards. Its positioning in the urban context was subject to controversial debate. The jury highly appreciates the selected timber construction. Due to the clear building design, it can be implemented in a cost-efficient manner, and promises a short construction period. Overall, the design makes a significant contribution, as it allows for a perfectly functional school which provides a high amenity value.” (excerpt from the jury citation)

House B in Beinstein has been awarded with the label "best architects 18"! Extract from the call for entries: “The best architects award is regarded as a seal of quality for outstanding architectural performance..."

We are delighted to have won the design competition for the multi-purpose building of the Zeiteninsel open-air museum in Weimar (Lahn).
“The jury, under the chairmanship of Per Pedersen (Staab Architekten, Berlin) has unanimously decided on the award of the prizes. The scheme of the winners achieved the maximum outdoor area through their skilful positioning of the building on the premises. Furthermore, the architectural separation between indoor and outdoor areas has been brought to perfection by a fence acting as a filter. Overall, the project convinced through the excellent response to the design brief the architects found by means of their natural, and yet succinct approach.” (Hessian Ministry of Finance - excerpt from the press release).

DHBW lab and engine test stand on Horb campus receives a prestigious "Hugo-Häring-Auszeichnung 2017" by Bund Deutscher Architekten!

The Pestalozzi school in Stuttgart is featured in the may edition of the German magazin "Bauen mit Holz" (building with timber). The interim building comprises a timber construction, which facilitates a fast assembly through the high level of prefabrication.

www.bauenmitholz.de

Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten receive honourable mention for their contribution to the design competition “Integrated Comprehensive School in Kandel”. The jury concludes: “By virtue of its granularity this clear structure mediates between the small-scale texture to the north and the sports hall to the south of the premises. The new entrance, as well as the connection between the new and the existing building establishes excellent spaces. The jury also appreciates the conceptual approach to the brief that merges individual areas into clusters, and allocates them to the two floor levels, according to their function.”

We are thrilled about the 1. level and winning the bid for the construction of a new three-field hall for the Landessportschule in Albstadt. The building to replace the existing hall, severely in need of refurbishment, is located to the south west of the campus. Designed as a single-storey building it unifies the functions team sports and gymnastics, as well as a seminar area under the same roof. Because it has been consistently designed as a timber structure, featuring a high level of prefabrication, we can now enjoy and yield all benefits of this construction method. A glulam ribbed slab structures the ceiling. In line with the integral design, the interspaces can be used, for instance, to fit the required building equipment and sound absorbing elements. This creates an harmonious and well structured ceiling.

The construction work on the start-up centre "Wachstums- und Festigungszentrum Alter Schlachthof Karlsruhe" has started. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018

Nikolauspflege Campus Kräherwald, Stuttgart - New school building and sports hall for blind and visually impaired people
“With this contribution the architects have proved that it is possible to design a convincing building ensemble, in spite of the highly complex and difficult brief. Through the clarity in the composition of building components across the moderate increase in height the project provides a place of soothing calm, whilst offering a conclusive sense of orientation within and out of the building. The central entrance “Am Kräherwald” – that provides enough space to come in and spread across the building - makes it clearly identifiable without losing the context to the valley basin and the open space in front of it." (Excerpt from the jury report)

After ten months of construction time, the Pestalozzi school in Stuttgart-Vaihingen was handed over to the client. The interim building comprises a timber construction, it accommodates 16 class rooms.

On the Campus in Horb the new lab and engine test stand has been handed over to the client, for the users to move in. At the heart of the new building are the engine test stands for research and teaching. In an open space layout, the operator rooms and the vehicle measuring and testing lab are arranged around it. All service areas outside, such as storage, installations (also on the roof), and the external staircase are wrapped into a second building skin of expanded metal.

Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten won the 4th prize in the architectural competition for the “New east building of the Bundesgerichtshof, the Federal Supreme Court of Germany" in Karlsruhe: “The architects have positioned the building as a compact polygon on the site. This expresses the central theme of a solitaire set in the park. With its five sides the polygon assertively produces an outstanding urban quality within a very heterogeneous environment. For instance, the welcoming entrance side guides the way to the main gate; the side of the canteen orientates to the Palais. The main entrance leads into a spacious foyer which provides short routes to naturally lit courtrooms, as well as to the cafeteria...", states the jury

From october 19 to 20 the 9th European Congress (EBH2016) "Bauen mit Holz im urbanen Raum" (buidling with timber in an urban context) takes place in Cologne. On october 20 Prof. Stephan Birk gives a lecture about education buildings made with timber.

The exhibition "35 x DIN A6 < 45" that takes place in the context of the “Architekturnovember” at the newly renovated WECHSELRAUM in Stuttgart, shows a selection of young practices, including Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten. The exhibition is going to be launched on 24th October 2016 at 7 p.m. with the participating practices presenting “20 slides in 6 minutes”. The closing night features a round table on the topic “Building Mission” which will also start at 7 p.m. on 28th November 2016.

Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten receive the 5th prize in the design competition "Bewegungskindergarten, Mehrzweckgebäude mit Bewegungslandschaften und optionaler Kletter- und Boulderhalle im Sportpark Rems."
"The extended building structure is prominently located on the competition grounds; keeping an adequate distance to the Richard-Kapphan-Straße, it is slightly tilted towards it. (…) The scheme’s undeniably high quality is rooted in the interior design. It demonstrates a clear functional concept that has been judiciously planned, including a refined layout of movement and circulation areas." (Excerpt from the jury report)

At present, we are planning a new research facility on the campus of Reutlingen University. This project comprises an adaptable hall construction that is going to be realised in the course of several construction stages. Through the selected geometric design and the clear-cut organisation in the interior the scheme allows for flexible extensions on the narrow side of the hall construction, towards the south-west. Thus, the extension scope, and the number of additional girders can be determined according to the future demand and the budget available. The hall that faces the campus towards the south-east provides the required floor space for the Logistics Learning Factory. Additional class rooms and offices are oriented to the north-west, and allow for an open view onto the green meadow. The load-bearing structure of the hall consists of pre-fabricated reinforced concrete pillars, slender glue-laminated beams, and laminated timber elements. For the façade the design features a cladding made of mill-finished aluminium panels.

Construction work has started on the clubhouse and gymnasium of TSG Rheinau e.V. 1901 in Mannheim. In 2012 we were able to win the design comptetion. The completion is planned for autumn 2017.

On 26 July 2016, from 2 pm we present our new project RADHÄUSLE Sindelfingen to the interested public. The event will take place in the foyer of the Sindelfignen town hall. “The RADHÄUSLE Sindelfingen, promoted by the association Region Stuttgart, is on the one hand a bicycle shed which allows cyclists to lock their bikes at a secure place, sheltered against the weather. On the other hand it is an attractive piece of street furniture which offers additional functions for the benefit of all citizens, whilst its appearance enhances the public space.” (Source: City of Sindelfingen)
The bike shed is made of native beech wood. Hence, in the future, cyclists make a double contribution to environment protection: whilst cycling and parking. The applied beech wood has been modified by means of acetylation, so that the RADHÄUSLE Sindelfingen can endure to be exposed to the weather.

We contribute to this year’s "Tag der Architektur” with the DLR Robotics and Mechatronics Center in Oberpfaffenhofen. On June 26, 2016 visitors have the opportunity to experience the lab and research building. See official website for more information.

Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten win the 2nd prize in the design competition "Kindergarten Kirchgasse" (children’s centre) in Müllheim: competionline

The DLR Robotics and Mechatronics Center in Oberpfaffenhofen is featured in the may/june edition of the Italian architecture magazin domus.

The DLR Robotics and Mechatronics Center in Oberpfaffenhofen has been nominated for the DAM architecture in Germany 2017 award. The award is offered by DAM Deutsches Architekturmuseum in Frankfurt am Main.

3rd prize in the design competition for the new German embassy in Vienna: “With its central design approach this project proposes the disintegration of the dominating block perimeter development. The scheme meets the representational competition brief by employing two proportionally balanced cubes. The choice of volume separation seems coherent and opens up the opportunity to design outdoor spaces of different qualities (...). The individual functional areas have been judiciously arranged, and feature optimal interconnections ...”, states the jury.

Stephan Birk presents the work of Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten as part of the lecture series "Junge Baukunst" at the Gropiushaus in Hannover.The talk starts at 7 p.m.

Liza Heilmeyer is a jury member at the BDA Architecture Prize "Grand Nike" 2016.
The award honors the collaboration of architects with their clients for an outstanding design or construction.
For more information: BDA Bund

On the campus of the Chamber of Crafts for Swabia in Augsburg the assembly of the facade for the new Center for vocational Training hast started.

New project for the Offenburg University of Applied Sciences - "The Regional Innovation Centre (RIZ) launches the project of the new campus. The RIZ comprises a zero-energy building.

Prefabrication and construction work on the Pestalozzi school in Stuttgart-Vaihingen has started. The completion of the modular timber construction with 16 class rooms is planned for this summer.

New assignment to design the new headquarter of the traffic authority and police station in Horb."The clear cut building cubature meets the request for more presence at the town’s outskirts. Due to the boundary conditions of the hillside plot, the scheme has been composed in a plinth level and two offset upper levels. According to the scheme, the solid plinth features an exposed concrete façade. The curtain wall on the upper building part benefits from the high performance of a timber frame construction. As a locally sourced building material with a long standing regional tradition, timber perfectly meets the design’s context, as well as future requirements"

Stephan Birk gives a talk about the buildings and projects of Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten as part of the lecture series "Dienstagsreihe" at the Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The series is organized by students. It starts at 07:00 p.m. at the Audimax, Design Campus, Coburg.

In its issue 40-41.15 architectural magazine Bauwelt is introducing the Science Park in Kassel: "Aesthetics of the unfinished"!

Karlsruher Fächer GmbH & Co. Stadtentwicklungs-KG plans to build a start-up centre for young creative companies. Our work has been nominated with the 1. prize in the design competition. Jury citation: “Overall it is a convincing and conclusive response to the brief”.

The new building for the DLR Robotics and Mechatronics Center in Oberpfaffenhofen has been completed. 8.000 square metres provide sufficient room for scientists to conduct interdisciplinary research at world-class level.

Shortly after the opening, the Science Park receives its first award! Extract from the call for entries: “The best architects award is regarded as a seal of quality for outstanding architectural performance..."

We contribute to this year’s "Tag der Architektur” with the children’s center Kinderzentrum Harheim. On June 27, 2015 visitors have the opportunity to experience this daycare facility for children.

After a good two years construction time, the 6.200 sqm Science Park Kassel was handed over to the client, for the users to move in. With the supply of office spaces, studios, workshops, IdeaLab, CoWorking area and a lounge the start-up and innovation centre is a source of enrichment for the new Campus Nord of Kassel University. Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten are delighted to have run the project in close collaboration with a fantastic client.

Honourable mention in the design competition for a multi-purpose hall in Hohberg-Niederschopfheim: “The cubature of the new building is refreshingly unpretentious; with the composition of the roof and façades it offers a vast amount of natural light. The compact shape suggests an economically efficient construction, which is also reflected in urban planning parameters (...). This compact and efficient proposal features an exceptional functionality of interior spaces.” (Jury citation)

Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten win the 2nd prize in the restricted design competition "Neubau Kindertageseinrichtung und Treffpunkt Familie Kath. Kirchengemeinde Heilig-Geist Schorndorf". Locating the building at the site boundary allowed for the creation of the largest possible coherent outdoor playground. The design of this area refers to the characteristic location on the river. Intertwined and arranged at an offset, the two building volumes define a generous public forecourt. A spatial separation between the childrens’ center and the family gathering place was achieved by a judicious composition of the floor plan. The daycare facility for children features two levels with six rooms each, which are arranged “freely”. This naturally creates play areas for children to jump about, and nooks that offer space for eating and resting.

New CO2-neutral hotel building in Ludwigsburg, competitive multiple commission, 2nd level: “The scheme features a well balanced bright building structure (...). The roof and the calmly textured façade form a beautiful sculptural architecture. In a modern style, the slightly chamfered window recesses pick up on the baroque motif of shutters (...). The building has been designed as a systematic timber construction comprising prefabricated modules. The construction material reappears in the interior design, in particular in the guest rooms.” (Jury citation)

The daycare facility for children in Fechenheim has been handed over to the property developer. It is the third completed project from our series “Baukastensystem für Kindertagesstätten (modular design system for childcare facilities) in Frankfurt on the Main” (2009 design competition). The new building is a two-storey timber construction that meets the passive house standard. It provides space for another 100 children.

DHBW builds a new vehicle testing laboratory with two engine test stands in Horb. The brief included two major requirements. Firstly, the scheme was to respond to the close proximity to the recreational area on the banks of the river Neckar. Secondly, future developments on the site of the university campus were to be taken into account. At the heart of the new building are the two engine test stands for research and teaching. In an open space layout, the operator rooms and the vehicle measuring and testing laboratory are arranged around it. According to the requirements, the building envelope has been divided into two parts: a highly insulated plaster façade acts as the building's thermal enclosure. On the outside, the expanded metal curtain conceals storage and service areas, whilst presenting the new building on the campus with a homogeneous appearance. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2015.

The children’s centre "In den Schafgärten" in Harheim was handed over to the user. It is the second building from our series of modular design system for childcare facilities in Frankfurt on the Main.

Honourable mention in the design competition "Albert-Schweitzer-Schule Wiesbaden": “The comprehensible layering and overlapping of five building volumes, and their spatial arrangement, shape defined interior and exterior spaces. This proposal is also very suitable to meet the requirements on urban planning. The architects respond to the train line in the east by using the sports hall as a “sound absorber”. (...) The concrete volumes are characterised by their simplicity and robustness. They are structured by generous façade recesses. The proposed solid construction gives grounds to expect a cost-effective realisation.” (Jury citation)

Honourable mention in the design competition "Parkhaus und Pflanzenhaus Überlingen” (Car park and plant house in Überlingen): “The multi-storey car park and the plant house appear as two intimate, and yet according to their function differentiated buildings, which altogether manifest an appropriate modesty. From the perspective of the urban realm they are clearly positioned. Embedded in the surroundings, they create a place that has the power to enhance its sense of identity. The car park building is wrapped into a fine metal mesh fabric, which stretches at the upper levels over the edges of the floor slabs. With the emerging sculptural effect the building radiates an air of tranquil power, and captivates through its dynamic nature. Through its simplistic cylinder shape the glazed plant house meets its functional requirements. In its formal modesty it refrains from entering into a competition with the surroundings. The result is an almost nimble ease, an air of lightness under an umbrella-like roof.” (Jury citation)

In the east end of Frankfurt, construction work on the Dahlmannschule has begun. The school with sports facilities, as well as a pool, features a multi-storey timber façade, and meets the passive house standard.

Honourable mention in the design competition “Community Centre and Chapel in Manheim-neu” “The compact arrangement of chapel and parish house scores with its outstanding suitability for the village scale (...) The lighting concept seems to work well and radiates a feeling of comfort and security. The functional rooms of the chapel act as a protective shell. A special feature is the candle chapel in the foyer of the tower. It complements the large opening of the chapel room towards the square.” (Excerpt from the jury report)

Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten receive the 2nd prize in a design competition to provide the "Neue Mitte (new centre) Remseck on River Neckar - Town Hall, Bürgersaal (citizen’s hall) and Library". “The compact and clear-cut arrangement of building volumes, and the allocation of functional spaces generates well-proportioned volumes with a coherent façade concept. The design features consistent and efficient floor plans and provides for interiors from adequate to high-quality. They are functional and take the conditions and requirements for fire safety measures into account. The proposed materials and the façade concept featuring floor-to-ceiling box-window constructions promise a high-quality appearance. The thermal concept is simple, but coherent and effective.” (Excerpt from the jury report)

07 March 2014, the Spanish newspaper EL PAIS presents 40 viewpoints worldwide. Amongst these is the Jüberg tower in Hemer: 40miradasquevuelan

the groundbreaking ceremony for the first construction stage of the Centre for Technology and Vocational Training (BTZ) was held on the Handwerkskammer für Schwaben (Chamber of Crafts for Swbia) campus. In 2011 Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten won 1st place in the design competition. The design phase started in January 2012. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017. Buildings originating from different decades have created a rather heterogeneous structure on the premises of the Chamber of Crafts for Swabia in Augsburg. The Chamber of Crafts has spent the last ten years redeveloping the site. The new buildings for the BTZ (1. and 2. construction stage), and for the administration building (3. construction stage) are the largest and most important development step for the plot. One of the major challenges is to keep lessons running in the existing buildings during the construction period.

In this year’s AR+D Awards for Emerging Architecture the jury (Catherine Slessor, Eric Owen Moss, Manuelle Gautrand, Peter Cook) announces four proposals out of 350 submissions as winners, ten others are highly commended. We are pleased to be represented with the Jübergturm amongst award winning projects. Until 22 January 2014 the winning and commended schemes are on show at the RIBA in London and published in the December edition of Architectural Review.

Recognition in the limited design competition Neubau Gewerbehof Nord (new building for business park) in Munich: “The scheme stands out with its simple clarity, and yet dynamic design. The central entrance, inserted in the building establishes a connection between the Wilhelmine-Reichard-Straße and the depot situated to the south of it. (...) Along the lines “less is more” the minimalist façade is reduced to a classic modular order. The fact that it achieves much by using little is regarded as a positive feature. This way the business park holds its ground and draws attention to its outstanding architectural design. The scheme convinces with its well-structured layout of open spaces.” (Excerpt from the jury report)

Our office spaces published: "76 architectural practices offer insight into their workplaces. They work in skyscrapers and barns, in the city and in warehouses, by the water and in the woods. An introductory essay and a basic study of studio types complement these exemplary insights.

Topping-out for the Science Park was celebrated on the north campus of Kassel University. Upon completion by the end of 2014 the new Innovation and Start-up Centre will accommodate various sized offices, laboratories, shop floors, studios and a number of shared facilities.

The scheme by Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten in collaboration with Gramazio & Kohler, is short-listed for the design competition Parkhaus am Viehmarkt (multi-storey car park at the Viehmarkt) in CH-Murten: “With its standardization the inner room layout is remarkably simple. Building structure and materials have consistently been thought-out. An organic, self-contained volume directly derived from its function enters into a dialogue with its surroundings. Especially to the north it becomes tangible as a whole (...).” (Excerpt from the jury report)

Responsible - Diligent - Sustainable - Just - Open“, this is the manifesto of the brief (ArchitectureofNecessity - The Call) to the international Triennial „ArchitectureofNecessitiy 2013“, aiming at a holistic and sustainable building culture. From all submitted proposals 42 schemes were selected to be on show. The Lechsteg (bridge over the River Lech, 1st prize in the 2011 design competition) in Landsberg is one of the selected schemes. In the context of the Wood 2013 the works are on display in the Virserums Konsthall in Smaland, Sweden until 8. December 2013. A publication of the works has been released to accompany the show.

We are pleased that the projects KiTa Schöne Aussicht, Frankfurt on the Main and Jübergturm Hemer were awarded with the label "bestarchitects 14" Extract from the call for entries: “The award bestarchitects is regarded as a seal of quality for outstanding architectural performance and puts the prize-winners to the top of the international architecture scene. Now in its seventh year, the bestarchitects award is one of the world's leading architecture awards in the German-speaking countries.”

From today, after a stop at the Deutsche Architekturzentrum Berlin the wechselraum presents the AKJAA exhibition "Aus allen Richtungen - Positionen junger Architekten im BDA" including works by Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel. In individually filled show cases the exhibition presents found objects related to the daily production process and reveals a free-spirited insight into the personal venture of architecture.

The construction works on the five group day-care centre for children, Schöne Aussicht, at Riedberg in Frankfurt on the Main are completed and the KiTa was handed over to the user. The two-storey building is the prototype of the building block design system.

As part of the lecture series "Bottomup" by Wüstenrot Stiftung and Peter Behrens School of Architecture, Stephan Birk speaks today at 6 p.m. in Düsseldorf.

At the invitation of Prof. Riklef Rambow, Stephan Birk gives a talk as part of the 2013 summer semester series "Wir müssen reden!” (We must talk!) at KIT. It starts at 7 p.m., lecture room Egon Eiermann, Englerstrasse 7, Karlsruhe. Organisers: Fachgebiet Architekturkommunikation (a*komm) Institut Entwerfen, Kunst und Theorie (ekut) Fakultät für Architektur Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT).

The new building for the innovation and start-up centre is an essential part of the new North Campus of Kassel University. The groundbreaking was celebrated with representatives from politics, industry and the university, as well as with participants of the start-up programme.

Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten win the 3rd place in the design competition Dreifeld-Sporthalle Nordstadtschule (three-span sports hall of Nordstadt School) in Pforzheim: “With its distance to the Nordstadt School the sports hall maintains the necessary respect for the building and demarcates a stone-tiled schoolyard of sufficient size. The design responds adequately to the given topology of the site. Judiciously designed the building is layered into a stone plinth, dug into the ground, with an elevated, well proportioned, translucent superstructure. With its grace the stance of the building volume responds adequately to the Nordstadt School. (...) The structure appears to be well thought out and comprises an important element in the trio concept proposed by the architects. This consists of a solid plinth, a translucent envelope and a timber structure. These elements are determining factors for the inner and outer spatial quality, and for the atmosphere of the building.” (Excerpt from the jury report)

Groundbreaking for the Robotik und Mechatronik Zentrum (RMC) took place on the DLR Campus in Oberpfaffenhofen. The new construction aims at combining the centre’s research activities in one building, in order to establish highly efficient and interactive collaborations between departments. The different areas of the RMC are organised in a large compact building that is structured through four inner court yards. The plinth houses most of the laboratory and research areas. The upper floors accommodate offices and meeting rooms for scientists. In 2010 the design competition was won and the new building is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.

Successful house warming party! Thank you for celebrating with us!

Stephan Birk is guest in the "Vortragreihe Architektur” (architecture lecture series) of the architecture faculty of Bochum University. The talk starts at 6 p.m. in the BlueBox.

The construction work on the Science Park Center on the university campus in Kassel has started. The Gründerzentrum (start-up centre) is to be completed by the end of 2014. The design phase started in January 2012 after the award of 2nd prize in the design competition.

The construction work on the KT96 in Frankfurt-Harheim has started. The childcare centre (timber structure, passive house standard) comprising six groups follows KT Schöne Aussicht as the second project, based on our building block design system for childcare centres (Design competition 2009, 1st prize). It is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013.

The construction work for the Robotik und Mechatronik Zentrum has started on the DLR Campus in Oberpfaffenhofen. After the 2010 design competition (1st prize) the planning phase began in January 2011.

The Jüberg tower is presented in the international publication "Backstage Architecture”:Backstage Architecture is the second edition of a scouting that takes place every two years to individuate young promising architects worldwide, aged under 35. This book presents one best project per nation, selected by a young architectural critic who works in the same country. The book has been curated by Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi, Bernardina Borra, Nicolò Lewanski, Rosella Longavita, Federica Russo.

We moved into our new office spaces in Adlerstrasse 31 in Stuttgart’s South. Our email addresses and telephone numbers have changed too - From now on you can call us on +49 711 664 822 0 or send us a fax on +49 711 664 822 28.

After seven successful years as Birk und Heilmeyer Architekten we now teamed up with Martin Frenzel and operate under the name of Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Gesellschaft von Architekten mbH.