News
best architects 27 award - zwei Projekte ausgezeichnet
Since 2006, the best architects award has recognized completed projects that stand out for their high architectural quality and distinctive approach. Originally established for the German-speaking world, the award has been open to architectural firms from across Europe since 2015. The award is presented annually in several categories, including residential, office, educational, and public buildings, as well as renovations, infrastructure projects, and interior design. We are very pleased that two of our projects - the KIT Learning and Application Centre in Karlsruhe and the Depot Wangen in Stuttgart -have been honored.
The book “Circular Timber Construction” has been published by Detail-Verlag
Wood is a key building material for the construction transition. This book, published by Detail-Verlag and written by Sandra Schuster and Stephan Birk, shows, how buildings can be designed and constructed so that they can be dismantled, reused, or recycled after their useful life. It situates timber construction within the ecological, social and economic challenges of our time and highlights the role of forests, the availability of resources, and the climate protection potential of timber construction.
The practical guide “Circular Timber Construction” covers fundamentals and concepts such as the shear-layer model, system separation, and Design for Disassembly, and links the current state of research with real-world examples. Topics such as circular design and manufacturing processes, business models, and digital documentation are covered, as are structural solutions for reversible fasteners and component joints. Contemporary buildings and their structural details illustrate the implementation of circular timber construction methods. Supplemented by in-depth approaches to evaluation and implementation, the volume offers planners a comprehensive guide to resource-efficient construction practices using renewable raw materials.
112 pages, 21 x 29.7 cm
images, drawings
Hardcover
EUR 54.90
German
ISBN 978-3-95553-682-4
Third Place in the competition in Wehrheim
Our competition entry for the “New Fire Station and Community Center, Wehrheim” was awarded third prize. The jury stated: “With the clearly defined arrangement of two cubic structures rotated relative to one another, the architects have succeeded in creating a clear urban design solution that also demonstrates high quality in the use of open spaces. Thanks to their good proportions and appropriateness, the fire station and community center provide the framework for spacious and varied outdoor spaces and a harmonious overall ensemble. (…)”
Baden-Württemberg Timber Construction Award 2026
The Tuttlingen Footbridge - designed and engineered by schlaich bergermann partner in collaboration with Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten - has been awarded one of this year’s four Baden-Württemberg Timber Construction Awards. The jury’s statement reads: “The Town Hall Bridge over the Danube in Tuttlingen gently guides pedestrians and cyclists into the city center while thoughtfully meeting the multifaceted urban planning, design, and technical requirements of a civil engineering structure. Its understated, functional, semi-integrated construction of wood, concrete, and steel leaves unobstructed views of the city as well as the river and riverside landscape. The bridge girder, made of glued-laminated timber, consistently follows the path of forces and the principles of structural wood preservation. This creates a unique underside of the bridge that, together with the slender steel struts, presents a harmonious and light appearance within the landscape. The bridge space is clearly defined by the protective reinforced concrete deck for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as a appropriately understated railing. All components are exemplarily designed, engineered, and coordinated in terms of their function, efficiency, resource conservation, design, and interaction with the surroundings. In Tuttlingen, infrastructure becomes building culture!”
Competition win in Horb am Neckar
Our design for the new three-court sports hall in Horb am Neckar was awarded first prize by the jury in the competition: "The architects develop the urban spatial concept of their proposal based on a precise urban analysis of the site: By positioning the building structure in the eastern part of the site, they establish an appropriate spatial presence toward the roundabout while maintaining a suitable distance from the street and traffic. The two entrances—one to the south on Stadionstraße and one to the north on Ihlinger Straße—are well positioned. (…)
The building’s construction is equally intelligently conceived. The ground floor, which is largely embedded into the slope, is appropriately designed as a solid-structure building. A timber structure is planned for the upper floor. Special praise is given for the proposed truss roof structure, which is to be constructed in a reversible manner with a high degree of prefabrication. (…)
“This entry is a thoroughly thought-out design that confidently masters the challenges posed in terms of urban planning, design, and functionality.” (Excerpt from the jury assessment)
First monograph published!
About twenty years after the firm was founded, Quart-Verlag has published the first monograph on our work as part of its “De aedibus international” series. The volume opens with an essay by Christian Holl, who reflects on the firm’s architectural identity and working methods. This is followed by presentations of eleven selected projects—from the very first design to a building nearing completion.
The book will be presented on April 16 as part of an official book launch. Longtime collaborators and project participants will share their perspectives, offering insights into the creative processes and shared experiences.
96 pages, 22.5 × 29 cm
105 images, 37 plans
Thread-stitched brochure
CHF 48.00 / EUR 44.00
German/English
ISBN 978-3-03761-352-8
First place and contract awarded for new AWS depot
Our concept has won the day—we are delighted to have been awarded the contract for the new construction of the AWS depot on Bruno-Jacoby-Weg in Stuttgart. The waste management depot creates a space that is clearly defined both functionally and in terms of urban design within a diverse commercial environment. A precisely staggered ensemble of building volumes serves as effective noise protection for the residential development to the west while simultaneously defining the depot’s exterior appearance. The reinforced concrete base and the timber structure built upon it combine robustness with high ecological quality. Clearly organized floor plans, short distances, and logically directed traffic flows enable efficient, largely maneuver-free operations. Horizontally structured wooden facades organize the complex into a calm, well-proportioned ensemble.
Topping-out ceremony for new DLR staff restaurant with conference center
With the topping-out ceremony, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has reached an important milestone in the construction of a new staff restaurant with conference center on its campus in Oberpfaffenhofen. Centrally located on the site, the building designed by Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architekten deliberately sets an example for personal encounters, informal exchanges, and spontaneous communication in times of home office and virtual collaboration.
The diverse range of uses – consisting of a staff restaurant with a live cooking area, conference and seminar rooms, a working lounge, a school lab, a barista bar, and an à la carte restaurant – is reflected in the clear spatial structure and shapes the character of the multifunctional building.
From the end of 2027, the building will offer space for up to 500 restaurant guests and up to 700 conference and seminar participants at the same time. A total of around 1,500 meals will be served here every day in the future.
Laying of the cornerstone at HLRS III
In the presence of Finance Minister Danyal Bayaz, the cornerstone was laid for the third expansion stage of the HLRS III high-performance computing center. The new building will create a new high-performance computing center for supercomputing and artificial intelligence on the campus of the University of Stuttgart. From 2027, it will house the European exascale supercomputer Herder and the AI factory HammerHAI.
The building, designed by Benthem Crouwel Architects and Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten, combines high-performance computing and modern workplaces in a clearly structured building. At its heart is the column-free HPC room with optimal connections to electrical and cooling technology, which is being realized in timber construction for the first time. A well-thought-out security concept separates the sensitive server area from the office space and allows controlled views for employees and visitors via a light-flooded atrium, which also serves as a showroom and access point.
The office areas are planned as a wood-concrete hybrid construction and accommodate 40 workstations in flexible open-space areas. Photovoltaic systems on the roof and facade generate electricity. The waste heat from the supercomputer is fed into the campus heating network. HLRS III is an innovative research cluster in terms of both construction and technology and an important building block on the Vaihingen campus. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2027.
Zeitreise (time travel)
Liza Heilmeyer and Stephan Birk took a trip down memory lane with the magazine wettbewerbe aktuell: "The summer of 2003, after we graduated from the University of Stuttgart, brought record temperatures and, initially, gloom regarding our career prospects. There were no vacancies in architecture firms in the midst of the construction crisis. The general recommendation for graduates was to look for another field of activity. The fact that this did not happen in our case is thanks to Kurt Ernsting, a textile entrepreneur with an affinity for architecture in the Münsterland region..."
It all started in 2004/05 with the car park in Coesfeld-Lette.
Completion of AWS Depot Gingener Straße
The new AWS depot on Gingener Straße offers a clear and functional response to a challenging urban context. Positioned between residential buildings and an adjacent industrial zone, two precisely placed structures define and organize the site. A compact operations building along the street edge houses offices, changing rooms, and a canteen, while also acting as a noise barrier for the neighboring housing. In the southern section, a generous canopy shelters all waste collection vehicles, ensuring efficient use of space. Together, the buildings establish a coherent site layout and support smooth operational processes. The facility has now been completed and officially put into operation.
20 years
We are celebrating BHundF20! On May 1, it has been exactly 20 years since Liza Heilmeyer and Stephan Birk founded the company at home, at their kitchen table. What began modestly in 2005 is now a multifaceted architecture practice, supported by a remarkable team and enriched by years of experience. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this milestone. We’re looking forward to everything that lies ahead!