Magazine

At the start of the year, Munich becomes the hub for the international construction industry. From January 13 to 17, the world's leading trade fair BAU focuses on building of tomorrow. The five key themes address the urgent transformations required. Natalie Kreutzer

Heimtextil is the world's leading trade fair for home and contract textiles. The next edition will take place from January 14 to 17, 2025 under the motto "Connected by Textiles." More than 3,000 exhibitors from over 60 countries are expected to attend. Silke Bücker

When planning children's hospitals, it's essential to consider the unique needs of young patients and the people accompanying them. Herzog & de Meuron kept this in mind when designing the new Zurich Children's Hospital, which will soon open in Zurich-Lengg. Katinka Corts

Interior designer Sylvia Leydecker from 100% interior has designed the interiors of a private acute care clinic specializing in psychodynamic psychiatry, psychotherapy and psychosomatics. A particular challenge was working with the listed building's historical fabric. Susanna Koeberle

Good lighting design should incorporate natural daylight wherever possible and supplement it with artificial lighting where needed for specific tasks. In the design of healthcare and nursing facilities, the partial or complete immobility of patients is an additional criterion that must be... Katinka Corts

Professor Dr. med. Gernot Marx is a specialist in anesthesiology and heads the Clinic for Operative Intensive Medicine and Intermediate Care at the Uniklinik RWTH in Aachen. We spoke to him about the challenges and advantages of digitization.  Susanna Koeberle

Light + Building 2024 had to congratulate on a world record title and many touchpoints: electrification, digitalization, recyclable materials, intelligent systems, and networked mobility. Editorial Team

Lighting design has come a long way in the last two decades. What used to be part of electrical planning is now an integral part of building design. One person who has made significant contributions to this field for 25 years, both in practice and in teaching, is Michael F. Rohde from... Thomas Geuder

Climate change is a fact, which is why for Nefeli Mavroeidi, moving away from fossil fuels is the only way for the necessary transformation, not only in the construction sector but in all sectors. As the team leader for Building Physics & Sustainability at Werner Sobek Green... Thomas Geuder

Keeping pace with the times: from 3 to 8 March, the world's leading trade fair for lighting and building services technology will showcase trends and innovations for future-proof solutions. With over 2,000 exhibitors, Light + Building 2024 is already proving very popular in the run-up... Editorial Team

Three examples from Africa show how architecture can respond to crises. The African continent is particularly affected by the impacts of climate change as well as poverty and associated diseases. At the same time, crucial decisions are being made in such places. Susanna Koeberle

Heimtextil, the international trade fair for home and contract textiles, will take place from January 09 to 12, 2024. It is a meeting point and melting pot for the international community from the fields of design and production, architecture and interior design, expertise, trend forecasting,... Silke Bücker

Creating well-designed hospitals is an enormous challenge, as they must cater to a variety of needs. Four examples from Europe demonstrate how hospitals can become places of recovery. Susanna Koeberle

Space Caviar and the Practice Lab at re:arc institute have launched “non-extractive architecture(s),” an online directory that aims to assist in the "creation and amplification of more equitable paradigms in architecture.” John Hill

Acoustics, lighting, and indoor climate are important factors in office planning, says Katrin Jacobs from the architectural firm HENN. However, the well-being of the people who will use the spaces always takes center stage in any room planning. That's why a detailed analysis in the... Thomas Geuder

Robi Wache, from the Stuttgart-based office Robi Wache Architekten, believes that the office is no longer just a place of work but primarily a platform for social exchange and building interpersonal relationships. Therefore, he emphasizes the importance of a flexible design for both... Thomas Geuder

Hadi Teherani designed the new wellness area of the Krallerhof Hotel. The exceptional building features downward opening facade elements from HIRT kinetics AG

In the special topic "Healing Architecture", we engage in discussions with important national and international experts about the criteria for creating high-quality environments in healthcare buildings. The topic will focus on the complex healthcare system, including such specialized... Katinka Corts

Once again, a host of innovations were on display at this year's ISH in Frankfurt. New developments from the industries promise to open up many possibilities for a construction industry capable of implementing a circular economy. Leonhard Fromm

Due to the pandemic, the last "real" BAU trade fair took place in 2019. Regardless of whether we are talking about BIM, energy, technology or simply standardization and legislation: the transformation of the building sector is in full swing and a four-year break is no mere trifle in... Thomas Geuder

ISH, the world's leading trade fair for HVAC and water, which will take place in Frankfurt from 13 to 17 March 2023, will focus on sustainable bathrooms and energy-efficient technologies. Martina Metzner

She has been office manager at Werner Sobek København since 2022 and Director Sustainability Strategies since 2021. We spoke with Dr. Stefanie Weidner about sustainability strategies and the future challenges in the construction sector towards resource-efficiently constructed buildings that... Thomas Geuder

Tilla Goldberg is Studio Director of the Brand Spaces and Product Design & Material Lab studios at Ippolito Fleitz Group. We spoke with her about her approach to special design tasks and bathroom concepts that are fit for the future. Thomas Geuder

At Heimtextil in Frankfurt, everything revolved around "circularity" — starting from procurement, material composition, production to the use and return of fabrics and wallpapers. Martina Metzner

Christina Dreesen, associate director at Arup and head of the Change Advisory department in Germany, has been accompanying office transformation processes for many years, also from a psychological perspective. Thomas Geuder

Claudia and Klaus de Winder from the Berlin-based office de Winder Architekten are convinced that the office will continue to exist, albeit in a changed form. So the question is what interaction models the office must stand for in the future and what the interior design should be like... Thomas Geuder

More than 2,200 exhibitors are expected to participate in Heimtextil 2023, the leading international trade fair for home and contract textiles, which will be held in Frankfurt in January — one focus will be on sustainability and the circular economy. Martina Metzner

Civic participation is booming. Better communication with citizens and their greater participation is being widely discussed. Should urban development become a common task? Or is it too complicated to decide on the many urban development issues in a democratic process? What should the... Christian Heuchel and Wolfgang Sonne

Prof. Christian Heuchel and his guest, Prof. Wolfgang Sonne (TU Dortmund University and Baukunstarchiv NRW), will discuss this topic. What are the rules that should be applied when building cities today? What are the basic principles of good urban development? How much democracy do urban...

Whether at Cologne Cathedral, the Colosseum in Rome or Notre Dame in Paris – natural stone has been a popular choice of material throughout human history and is now experiencing a renaissance in the age of climate change. Christiane Fath

Natural stone is one of the oldest and most sustainable building materials on Earth. Today, as people long for authenticity and nature, and environmentally friendly building is essential, natural stone makes a comeback.  Christian Heuchel

Paolo Cocconi and Carla Wilkins are designers at Lichtvision, an international office for lighting design. In this interview they speak about upcoming trends, the importance of sustainability, and what visitors can expect on their tour at Light + Building. Martina Metzner

Birgit Walter from Barcelona's BMLD is a lighting designer with a passion. In this interview, she is talking about the special challenges in the Spanish market, how important intelligent technology is, and what accents she is setting on for her tour of Light + Building. Martina Metzner

Light + Building will take place at its new date from 2 to 6 October. With around 1,300 exhibitors from 46 countries, it is well prepared for both lighting and building automation. Martina Metzner

Architecture shapes the identity of a location. Modernism, however, has brought about the emergence of a globalized aesthetic. Interchangeability and non-identity characterize many cities worldwide. How can this conformity of urban design be counteracted, how can a local identity be... Christian Heuchel

The material used to construct a building is decisive for its character and impact. Brick has been playing a central role in European building culture—building with brick was considered a status symbol for a long time.  Christian Heuchel