Chris Middleton from our Architecture Advisory Board

Chris Middleton co-founded Kinzo and runs the practice as Managing Director. Kinzo combines interior design, new work and working with existing buildings, for example in the »Haus des Wissens« in Bochum, where the city library and a market hall are moving into the former post office building. He is interested in how existing buildings can be brought back to life with new uses and where re-use and recycled products fit in.

Role: Co-founder & Managing Director
Expertise: Interior design, New Work, working with existing buildings
Practice: Kinzo
Share

What convinced you to join the hej.build Architecture Advisory Board?

It makes absolute sense to learn from each other and pass on knowledge to make projects better. hej.build’s fresh approach and the high-level exchange of experience among colleagues convinced me to get involved here.

What focus do you hope to bring to the hej.build Architecture Advisory Board?

Alongside current topics around New Work combined with hospitality, I’m mainly interested in meaningful strategies for revitalising existing buildings, which can be met with exciting combinations of new uses.

What is most on your mind at the moment in architecture, interior architecture or building products?

The transformation and upgrading of existing buildings and the design of circulation concepts that create an experience are very much on my mind at the moment. All the more so when reused or recycled products can be put to use.

What does good architecture/interior architecture mean to you?

Good architecture or interior architecture doesn’t distinguish between the disciplines of inside and outside. Holistic design is developed both from the inside out, with the people who use it in mind, and from the outside, taking the surroundings into account. If, alongside an innovative concept, the details are right too, and expressive materials come into their own and tell an authentic story, then I would call it good architecture.

Is there a current highlight or an all-time favourite project?

The »Haus des Wissens« project in Bochum is one of our current highlight projects. It combines the city library with a public market hall in the former central post office building. The existing building is being extended with a new build. Alongside the adult education centre (VHS) and the alliance of Bochum’s universities, a rich range of public interiors is being created that invite more than one target group to stroll. The terraced roof with a rooftop bar and an impressive view rounds off the experience. What appeals to me most here is the variety and the exciting circulation through the open levels of an impressive space. At Kinzo, we are handling the interior architecture in close cooperation with Cross Architecture and are currently in the technical design stage.