What convinced you to join the hej.build Architecture Advisory Board?
I think it’s very important to intensify the dialogue between the construction industry and planners. A deep mutual understanding is essential, as is the willingness to set aside your own, often very specific interests in order to create shared solutions. After all, building doesn’t just consist of individual products, but of holistic concepts that should ideally be developed together. For that, it is sometimes necessary to find a common language and learn it together. Only by truly working together can all sides benefit and exceptional results emerge.
What is most on your mind at the moment in architecture, interior architecture or building products?
What’s on my mind is the question of how we can arrive at sustainable, future-proof architecture in a meaningful and effective way. How do we make working with existing buildings even more efficient and resource-saving? Which products are needed for this, and how can existing materials be sensibly recycled or even upcycled? Above all, I’m interested in how we can already integrate such sustainable processes seamlessly into existing construction workflows today, in order to bring about real change in the long term.
What does good architecture/interior architecture mean to you?
Good architecture/interior architecture always stands out for its innovative power: it thinks beyond the familiar, sets new standards and opens up new perspectives. At the same time, it is sustainable in that it conserves resources, acts with environmental awareness and lasts for the long term. But architecture is far more than just function and aesthetics: it moves people, inspires them emotionally and creates spaces in which they feel at ease, can develop and connect with one another.
Is there a current highlight or an all-time favourite project?
Our just-completed project, the WestendTower in Frankfurt, is more than just a building for us. It is a living example of how a once outdated property from the 1960s can come back to life through a bold design strategy and an innovative usage concept. Here, functionality, style and modern design merge with the city’s vibrant urban feel: a place that inspires and connects people.
Is there a question you would have liked to ask yourself?
»What attracts you to working with existing buildings?« For us, working with existing buildings means one thing above all: making the invisible visible and recognising the hidden potential of space and use early on. For us, this particular ability is the true art, the heart of every successful development of an existing building. Building on that, the result is not just good design, but a space that tells stories and inspires people.
More experts on the board
Which topic is keeping you busy right now?
Tell us briefly which building products it’s about and what you want to achieve. We’ll get back to you with an initial assessment. We often start with our »Day One« workshop: a day at your premises, where marketing, sales and senior management set priorities together.