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Issue 18 | September 2014
PLUS
ANDREAS GABALIER TH E VOLKS-ROCK’N’ROLLER F ROM ST YR IA
TOP ARCHITECTS GERMANY’S BEST SHORTTRIP DESTINATIONS HOW TO BOOST YOUR CAREER DESIGN, FASHION, CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
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Be part of the unique design festival at the Leipzig Trade Fair and across the entire city. , For the tenth time in a row, the Designers Open put forward latest trends in product, fashion and industrial design as well as in architecture.
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Discover Germany | Contents
Contents SEPTEMBER 2014
23
78
Photo: FEUERRING
Novartis Cube. © Damaris Betancourt
58 Photo: CUXLAND-TOURISMUS
COVER FEATURE 6
100 Top 3 Austrian Architects Austria’s finest architects have a passion for perfection. We introduce you to some of the greatest names in the country and their amazing creations.
Andreas Gabalier Meet Andreas Gabalier, Austria’s greatest phenomenon in folk rock music.The Styrian superstar talked to our editor Tina Awtani about his new show and how it all began with a love letter.
Climbing to the top of the career ladder requires more than just a good education. Excellent presentation skills, a clear understanding of what to expect from life and other important factors are equally as important. Brilliant career coaches help you to make the most of your skills.
Vienna’s hidden treasures Our journalist Jaime Schwartz went off the beaten track to discover the city’s hidden treasures. Read our insider tips for a trip to Austria’s capital.
46
Oktoberfest Special The tents are up and the Steins are ready as Munich prepares for the largest and the only truly original German beer festival on the famous Wies’n.
54
REGULARS & COLUMNS 10
12
Planning a quick visit to Germany? How about a Garden Kingdom or a lovely coastal resort? We have plenty of inspiration for you including theHotel Schindelbruch, a former hunting lodge in Germany’s Harz mountain region.
25 66
Top 10 Swiss Architects Swiss architects are world famous for their striking and understated designs. Our top 10 Swiss architects present their latest eye-catching projects.
Design This month’s picks are dedicated to the Oktoberfest, and we’ve added a little fun factor. Industry expert Barbara Chandler talks to awardwinning architectural interior designer Staffan Tollgard in his London showroom. And please meet our Swiss designers, who came up with some truly remarkable products.
Great Short Trip Destinations this Autumn in Germany
Hotels of the Month 36
Austria’s three Natural Beauties, DasPosthotel, HochLeger and the GolfLodge are the perfect luxurious hideaways in the popular holiday region of Austria’s Ziller Valley.
56
‘My home is your home’ is the motto at Germany’s Hotel La Casa, an oriental oasis in the town of Tübingen.
Fashion It is lederhosen and Dirndl time again. Oktoberfest, here we come.
Wine & Dine Wine expert Iris Ellmann recommends the ideal wines for BBQs and we present our three favourite Austrian vineyards, each of which is a family business with a long history and some truly amazing produce.
Restaurant of the Month Vienna’s El Gaucho steak house sources succulent Angus beef directly from Argentina, allowing guests an authentic and tasty gourmet experience.
110 BoostYour Career
SPECIAL THEMES 39
35
62
Business Our legal expert Gregor Kleinknecht treats us to a lecture about pensions. In addition, you will find world-class architecture studios, great career advice and a truly gifted business photographer in this section.
120 Culture Calendar What to do and where to go this autumn? Whether you’re planning a visit toVienna, a short trip to Germany or full immersion in the Oktoberfest, we have it all covered.
123 Barbara Geier Our columnist Barbara Geier explainsVolksmusik in her own special way.
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Dear Reader,
Discover Germany
Sales & Key Account Managers
Issue 18, September 2014
Emma Fabritius Nørregaard
Published 03.09.2014 ISSN 2051-7718
Laura Hummer Antonietta Cutarelli Noura Draoui Jennifer Martins
Published by Scan Magazine Ltd.
Advertising
Summer is officially over, the days are getting shorter and temperatures are plummeting. But as we sadly wave goodbye to the beach season, the jolly Oktoberfest celebrations are about to begin. On 20 September – and for the 181st time in history – the original beer festival will be officially inaugurated with the traditional tapping of the first beer barrel. With the words “O’zapft is! Auf eine friedliche Wiesn,” Munich’s mayor Christian Ude will get the party started.
info@discovergermany.com
Design & Print Liquid Graphic Ltd. Executive Editor Thomas Winther
Discover Germany is published by: SCAN GROUP Scan Magazine Ltd. 15B Bell Yard Mews Bermondsey Street London SE1 3TY United Kingdom
Creative Director Mads E. Petersen Editor Tina Awtani Art Director
Phone +44 (0)870 933 0423 info@discovergermany.com
Svetlana Slizova Copy-Editor
For further information, please visit www.discovergermany.com
Mark Rogers Contributors Barbara Chandler
With Dirndl and the lederhosen a must-wear for the season, who could be more suitable for this month’s cover than the man whose signature look is the full lederhosen outfit? Austrian singer Andreas Gabalier gives the traditional legwear a contemporary touch by adding a crisp white T-shirt and cool sunglasses. Just like his fashion sense, his music is a mix of traditional and modern styles. With his own interpretation of Volksmusik, he really rocks his audience. In our star interview he talks about life, his passion for Rock’n’Roll and how a broken heart led him down the road to success. State-of-the-art contemporary masterpieces are the stars in our architectural special theme. Read all about the top 10 Swiss architects and the top 3 Austrian studios, including their amazing stories and award-winning projects. From residential villas to striking office compounds, there is no room left for desire when it comes to the design of such structural masterpieces.
Emmie Collinge Elisabeth Doehne Iris Ellmann Barbara Geier Meryem Hauer Jessica Holzhausen Julika Huether Sonja Irani Gregor Kleinknecht Cordelia Makartsev Leonie Puscher
We also offer some great advice on how to improve your career in our business section. If you still have a few days off work and no plans as to where to go yet, take a look at our recommended short break destinations in Germany this autumn. If you prefer Austria, do not hesitate to read our insider’s guide toVienna. Our September issue is packed with inspiring content and there will certainly be something in the following pages that will brighten up your autumn days. Enjoy the magazine!
Dorina Reichhold Jaime Schwartz Marilena Stracke
Tina Awtani © All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of Scan Magazine Ltd. This magazine contains advertorials/promotional articles
4 | Issue 18 | September 2014
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Discover real Private Banking At SEB Private Banking, we acknowledge that everyone has a unique set of challenges. It’s why we do not offer ready-made solutions, concentrating instead on developing meaningful, long-lasting financial relationships and making the effort to really understand you and your requirements. Our international network of private banking offices will look after all aspects of your family business finances, from daily transactions to long term investments. Its services cover everything from tailored financial management, through to helping you to optimise the legal and tax structures within which your assets are held. As one of the world’s strongest banks and with more than 150 years of experience in private banking, we have just what it takes to ensure your future prosperity. To find out what SEB can do for your personal wealth, contact us in London: Christian A. Hvamstad +44 (0) 20 7246 4307 privatebanking@seb.co.uk
Sweden • Norway • Denmark • Finland • Luxembourg • Switzerland • United Kingdom • Singapore • Estonia • Latvia • Lithuania
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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Andreas Gabalier
Andreas Gabalier A Styrian superstar A love letter sparked what has turned out to be Austria’s greatest phenomenon in folk rock music. When musician Andreas Gabalier invented the Volks-Rock’n’Roll, so many of us were immediately hooked on the new sound that adds more than just a touch of rock to traditional music. TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: MICHAEL-MEY.DE
Although Andreas Gabalier began to study law, aiming towards a career in justice, destiny had a different plan in mind for this charmer. As a huge Rock’n’Roll fan, his passion for music was more of a hobby that he carried out in the basement at home with his buddies. As we’re chatting I ask him if he’d harboured dreams of becoming a rock star as a youngster, and he instantly exclaims: “Absolutely not!” With a grin, he explains:“It was a rather funny coincidence that started with a love poem for an exgirlfriend, that we
turned into a song.That is howVolks-Rock’n’Roll was born.” The passionate declaration of love, So liab hob i di [That’s how much I love you], that was supposed to win back his girl’s heart, shot up the Austrian charts overnight and the 29-year-old Styrian rose to fame in his home country. With the release of his first album Da komm ich her [That’s where I come from], he gained a loyal fan base. His second album Herzwerk [Matters of the heart] included a track that really caught the world’s attention, the brilliant I sing a Liad für di [I sing a song for you]. When he performed the catchy tune on a German TV show, the track – despite not having been officially released on the German market – earned him instant success beyond the Austrian borders. In 2011 Herzwerk made it to the top of the Austrian charts and remained on the charts for 74 weeks in total – a number only beaten by Michael Jack-
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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Andreas Gabalier
son’s iconic Thriller. Herzwerk was followed by Volks-Rock‘n’Roller and Home Sweet Home and by 2012 Gabalier has already scooped numerous prestigious awards for his work, including a Bambi, an Echo and several Amadeus awards. Rock’n’Roll and leather pants The first thing that springs to mind when confronted with Andreas Gabalier is tradition. Clad in Lederhosen [leather trousers], once the 29-year-old musician starts talking (or singing) there is no doubt that he is a true original from Austria’s Styria. He loves his roots and those who think he may just be a clever PR product can do little but admit defeat. A true homebody, he explains: “Everyone loves to come home. You can see that in every nation. We Styrians have a beautiful country, first class food, and the leather pants are simply a must-wear for us men on special occasions. This is what I embody and this is what I stand for with my name.”
derful to look out over the audience and see small children, teenagers and the older generation thoroughly enjoying my music.” With female fans often getting quite excited, if not hysterical, about Gabalier, Discover Germany wonders how he feels about that. “I would really be worried if that wasn’t the case,” he replies with a chuckle. Instead of hanging up his Lederhosen in his spare time, Gabalier uses his free time to climb mountains.“I love being up there a lot and I do lots of sport up in the Alps, from hiking to skiing to mountain biking,” he says. Occasional special treats are extended weekends with his old mates, when they take their motorbikes out for a spin. “We cruise through the mountains, through Italy, Croatia or Switzerland, depending on the season.These trips really bring me back down to earth and I need them for my inner balance.” The Volks-Rock’n’Roll-Show
As much as he loves tradition and folk music, he was drawn to Rock’n’Roll from a very early age – as you may have guessed from his hairstyle. Inspired by Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and other kings of Rock’n’Roll, Gabalier invented the VolksRock’n’Roll, which has become his signature folk rock style. “This was always my way. Blended with Styrian tradition,”he admits. Concert halls fill up quickly when Andreas Gabalier goes on tour. A recent milestone was his show at the legendary Berliner Waldbühne, where around 20,000 fans, from eight to eighty years old, all wearing the classic Dirndl dress and Lederhosen cheerfully sang along to his lyrics.“I didn’t know that so many Lederhosen could even be found there!”Gabalier jokes. A first for the Waldbühne too, Gabalier’s Lederhosen fest happened just weeks after the Rolling Stones held a gig here.“Berlin was amazing, it made me so proud that all these people had travelled so far to see me on stage,” Gabalier says in his charming Austrian dialect and he adds:“It feels won-
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Before celebrating his 30th Birthday on 21 November, he’s got an exciting September to get through first as the Styrian star launches his own primetime TV show. Gabalier – Die Volks-Rock’n’Roll-Show is an exciting mix of stage performances and a road movie, a musical and emotional journey through Gabalier’s repertoire. Guest stars include Italian singer Zucchero, the Brit James Blunt, the Scorpions, Germany’s national folk music treasure Peter Kraus, Ireland’s Rea Garvey, The BossHoss and UK rock band Status Quo. The show is very special to Gabalier and he is really looking forward to the exciting project.“It explains what Volks Rock’n’Roll really is, who I am and what made me who I am,”he says.The show features a lot of English elements and while Andreas Gabalier, who went on his first school trip to London when he was 14, enjoys the occasional drift away from his mother tongue, leaving his authentic Austrian dialect behind to reach a wider international audience is out of the question for the amiable singer. “There will always be the odd number in English, but I won’t
leave my roots. Besides, I am still overwhelmed by my success in Germany,”Andreas Gabalier confesses.
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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Andreas Gabalier
As he says goodbye in deep Styrian with his sweet voice, we’re left with no doubt as to Andreas Gabalier’s authenticity and it’s
clear why girls go crazy for this humble superstar in his Lederhosen. So while the love letter that sparked his career did not melt
his ex-girlfriend’s heart, Andreas Gabalier instead won the hearts of millions far beyond his hometown.
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Discover Germany | Design | Fashion Finds
Fashion Finds September marks the start of the Oktoberfest season, that time of the year when ladies can’t wait to drag the Dirndl out of the wardrobe (or alternatively have a good excuse to shop for a new model). Dirndl come in different lengths and from mini to maxi there is a hemline suitable for every girl. A good portion of cleavage is compulsory and thanks to cleverly designed Dirndl blouses even an A cup can magically be transformed into a true Oktoberfest décolleté. EDITOR’S PICKS
Munich-based designer Janina Maria is the mastermind behind the sophisticated label JAN&INA. Traditional creations with a contemporary twist define her signature style. Dirndl £390 www.janinatrachten.de
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Discover Germany | Design | Fashion Finds
The so-called Janker is absolutely essential when it comes to traditional clothing. We love this blue model with the flower embroidery. £135 www.janinatrachten.de
Beautiful Dirndl blouse by Mothwurf Austrian Couture. Cleverly designed to present Oktoberfest cleavage in the best light. £168 www.mothwurf.com
The romantic Christel clutch is handmade with felt. The red and gold design goes perfectly with every Dirndl and offers just enough space for all your personal belongings. £37 www.margritli-country-style.de
Cute little stag ring by Lilii, an accessory company that was founded in 2003 by Antonia and Thomas Kalle. £12 www.lilii.net
Another gorgeous Dirndl in a classic polka dot design. Do keep in mind that single ladies tie the bow to the left, while married women wear it on the right-hand side. £312 www.janinatrachten.de
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Discover Germany | Design | Dedicated to Design
Dedicated to Design... This month’s picks are dedicated to Oktoberfest. Since starting in 1810, the festival of beer, considered a staple food in Bavaria, has conquered the world. The original Oktoberfest takes place on Munich’s Theresienwiese, but celebrations span the globe from Brazil’s Blumenau, Canada’s Kitchener and Waterloo and Japan’s Okinawa to name but a few. We have picked some gorgeous items that will transport the Oktoberfest feeling right into your home. EDITOR’S PICKS
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The lederhosen is a must-wear this season. If you don’t dare to cover your derriere with it in public, try this smaller version for your smartphone instead. £23.30. www.proidee.de
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Add a bit of Bavarian Gemütlichkeit to your home with the Oktoberfest collection of cottage style cushions made by H.O.C.K. From £12. www.hock-dich-hin.de A personalised Stein is probably a good idea to stand out from the crowd. Even once the party is over, it’ll help to keep up the good vibes and you can drink beer in a truly Bavarian style. £12. www.design-3000.de
4
Yes, believe it or not, us Germans do like to take the mickey occasionally. The Bavarian Seppl hat can not only yodel, but also whistle and dance. It’s an ideal Oktoberfest party accessory. £20. www.proidee.de
Resembling the iconic German cuckoo clock, this traditional weather station tells you exactly what the temperature is outside. If the weather is good, the Bavarian lady steps outside, but once the rain comes her husband appears. £12. www.bader.de
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Staffan Tollgard: the eye behind the red thread I have come to London’s fashionable Chelsea, just a stone’s throw from the lush green grounds of the Royal Hospital and the upmarket antiques and interior design boutiques of Pimlico Road. BY BARBARA CHANDLER, DESIGN EDITOR FOR THE LONDON EVENING STANDARD | PHOTOS: STAFFAN TOLLGARD
Outside, around an imposing newly-paved square with contemporary sculptures and linked by elegant walkways, is one of London’s most exclusive recent developments: the Grosvenor Waterside complex of 800 high-end apartments. There is the faint sound of rushing water from a dramatic weir alongside a private waterway that leads, via a series of locks, directly into the river itself. Inside, where I am sitting, is a doubleheight über-modern space on the ground floor of an otherwise residential building, the sun flooding in through tall windows. It
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is exquisitely furnished and has the relaxed, comfortable feeling of a luxury home – indeed, many passers-by think it is one. But everything I can see all around, from the dramatic chandeliers to the sofas, rugs, tables and chairs – even the artwork on the walls – is for sale. This superb showroom is the result of one man’s passion, vision and determination, and took Swedish-born, London-based interior architect Staffan Tollgard around two years to make happen. “Everyone wants a place in London” Tollgard, brought up in Stockholm and trained here in London at the prestigious Inchbald School of Design, has been practising as an interior designer since January 2005.Through skill, hard work and personal recommendations, he now has an interna-
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Discover Germany | Design Feature | Staffan Tollgard
tional clientele that includes financiers, entrepreneurs, politicians, doctors, lawyers, and people in the media and the arts, including a conductor of world renown. He has been named twice in House & Garden’s portfolio of 100 Leading Designers and was on the Sunday Times’ recent list of the Leading 30 UK Design Practices.
Finding the right premises was a challenge, involving long searches on the internet and visits to around 20 disappointingly unsuitable units. Finally, success – a combination of luck and very shrewd judgment. The space in which we sit is conspicuous for its six-metre height, but was being used by the developers up to completion as a site office, with a lowered false ceiling, when Tollgard came to view it. He quickly realised the potential of the space up above and clinched the deal. Now, he not only has his beautiful, lofty showroom, but also a mezzanine for his 14-strong interior design team.
Whilst Tollgard’s practice fulfils commissions worldwide – from a chalet in Switzerland to a Saudi palace and Portuguese villas – London homes for London-based international clients are the main thrust of his work:“Nowadays, it seems, everyone wants to have a place in London.”
Thus, someone is always on hand to help with details of any piece of interest.“We believe that great design deserves to be sold by designers who can tell its story,”saysTollgard. Everything in his showroom is for sale or can be specified, from the architectural lighting and invisible wall speakers to the sleek, polished concrete floor and the sophisticated, textured silver grey timber cladding salvaged from Austrian barns. He adds: “And, of course, we greatly value the humans behind a piece: the designer and the maker.”
Tollgard, with his empathy, flair for originality and meticulous attention to detail, has built up a reputation for sourcing appropriate and interesting pieces for his clients, who benefit from his travels to trade fairs, factories and workshops worldwide in an ongoing quest for beautiful things. Over the past few years, he became aware that much of what he was tracking down was not available elsewhere in London, or was not being shown to best advantage. Domestic space of complete design So was born an audacious idea: to fill the most beautiful showroom he could find with beautiful, exclusive furnishings – and to use his skill as an interior designer to create the feeling of a home rather than shop:“Yes, above all, I wanted my space to be domestic… and a place where people can see complete design, all of a piece, not lots of separate pieces standing on their own,”he says.
Left: A home rather than a shop: Tollgard’s Chelsea showroom has the feeling of a luxury home – indeed, many passers-by think it is one. Below: Dutch brand Linteloo, established 20 years ago and named after its founder, crafts elegant and striking design pieces.
Stories of treasured suppliers The better to tell his stories, Tollgard has travelled all over the world visiting the designers and makers behind the exclusive brands he represents – around 40 in all. He becomes increasingly animated as we chat about some of his most treasured suppliers. First, the background to the chair I am sitting in: with graceful tapered legs, its back is a slender arch of solid wood, made, I learn, by Porada, an old, established Italian firm. “This chair is virtually backless,” Tollgard points out,“so you can see right through it. This means that all the details of a table beyond are visible – and stops that closed-in look you can get with a line of solid chairs.” Back or no back, it was very comfortable. Other Italian brands which Tollgard represents are Porro (with a tradition of craftsmanship dating back to 1925) and Driade, with distinctive and often quirky signature provided by a huge stable of modern designers that includes many pieces by ar-
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Tollgard’s originality and meticulous attention to detail has earned him a reputation for sourcing appropriate and interesting pieces for his clients.
guably the world’s best-known modern furniture designer, Philippe Starck from Paris. Also find Flos, a leader in technology for contemporary lighting, and the pioneers of great modern classics. Behind me are more chairs, each one set in its own boxed display, like a piece of art.
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Tollgard takes down another favourite in solid wood with a woven wicker seat by J. L. Møllers, founded in Denmark in 1944. He emphasises with a loving caress the lovely way the wood is shaped.“Each one arrives fully-assembled; it is literally impossible to take these chairs apart.”
Another of his favourites is the charming My Chair, made by the Swedish firm of Stolab, also with an impressive pedigree – they started making solid wood furniture in Smålandsstenar in 1907. Now the design studio of Space Copenhagen has brought them right up to date with a playful and poetic shape.
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Discover Germany | Design Feature | Staffan Tollgard
Holland in recent times has become famous for its own brand of modern design, and new companies deliver a style that is lighthearted, witty – irreverent even. Moooi is a good example, founded by the maverick Marcel Wanders only in 2002. Moooi is the Dutch word for beauty:“We just added an extra o for extra beauty,”Wanders once remarked. Now his graceful yet bulbous white chandelier is suspended as an arresting feature of the showroom. Also from Holland is Linteloo, established 20 years ago and named after its founder. Now working with them is Piet Boon, famous for his signature furniture pieces, lending his name to the company he founded in 1983. Also from Europe comes Eggersmann, crafting tailor-made kitchens in Germany for more than a hundred years. Brokis glass lights come from the Czech Republic where master glassmakers can blow thin transparent shades for their Balloon range to an enormous size. These lamps can sit on the floor, or be adapted to wall or ceiling. De Le Espade is a Portuguese company making edgy modern furniture by the likes of Turkish Autobahn, and British designer Matthew Hilton. From Spain comes BD Barcelona with pieces by design greats such as Ross Lovegrove, Jaime Hayon, and Konstantin Grcic.
sign of the Glimmer rug on display is cool and contemporary, with its silky shades of grey and distressed texture. Shortly,Tollgard will launch his on range of rugs for German JAB, significantly called Red Thread. ‘Röda tråden’ is a powerful Scandinavian metaphor to describe a unifying principle in any creative work, be it a colour repeated in a painting or a refrain in a piece of music. Certainly, walking round Tollgard’s showroom you can sense a red thread at work in the personal and creative edit, which uses natural materials, valued craftsmanship, and subtle down colours in a restful, neutral palette with shades of cream, beige and grey, enlivened with subtle textures. You cannot see the thread of course, and it would rather jar the eye if you could. But a unifying force there certainly is – and one to enjoy, admire and trust.
Above & far left bottom: Piet Boon, famous for his signature furniture pieces, has conceived many of the pieces shown at Tollgard’s showroom, many defined by their minimalist elegance.
Staffan Tollgard Grosvenor Waterside, Gatliff Road, London SW1W 8QN; 020 7952 6070 www.tollgard.co.uk
Dubbed ‘the sharpest eye in London’, Barbara Chandler is a best-selling photographer and specialist writer on design and the home, among other things contributing regularly to Homes & Property at the London Evening Standard for the past 20 years and more. Chandler has won countless awards, including Contribution to the Design Industry, Furniture Writer of the Year, and Home Improvements Journalist of the Year, and she has written numerous books and sat as the chair of judges of many coveted designer awards.
Further afield furniture and flooring Travelling further afield, Staffan has recently been to the States to discover Mark Albrecht, whose furniture is slender in the extreme, just a minimal assembly of thin steel sections. Also from the States is Chilewatch, who has, a little improbably, made woven vinyl chic for rugs, tablemats and more. From Canada comes Bocci, with blown glass spheres grouped into a huge choice of chandeliers – a coloured one hangs in the entrance of the showroom. EOQ is a new brand from Hong Kong, and Neri & Hu are Chinese architects whose furniture designs are made by De La Espada.
Below: Striking Eggersmann kitchen, penthouse in Knightsbridge, London.
Flooring here is as intriguing as the furniture. Tollgard tells me about Kasthall, with perhaps the oldest credentials of all, weaving rugs in Sweden since 1889.Yet the de-
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Schlüsselbrett
Design Top Swiss design tips
Ingeniously simple. Simply genius. Design or function? Pretty or practical? Elegant or plain? Schluesselbrett.ch merges all of these aspects into a single product. When you come home and close the door behind you, what is the first thing you do? Chuck the keys and your sunglasses on the chest of drawers in the hallway? Right. So do many others, probably most. TEXT: LEONIE PUSCHER | PHOTOS: SCHLÜSSELBRETT
Swiss designer Karin Sieber was looking for a product to stylise the daily habit of throwing things down. As an interior designer she began to look for the perfect keyholder for a customer’s entrance hall. When she couldn’t find what she was looking for, she decided to design exactly that: a useful accessory that looks great while simultaneously fulfilling several functions. To keep things like keys,
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sunglasses, and a many other small objects in order, Karin designed the simple and smart solution of Schluesselbrett.ch. It started with a small number of products that Karin offered to customers when designing their living space. “It was such a success that I could hardly keep up with the demand,” the designer recalls. “Using this hype and launching my own label Schlüsselbrett.ch
Karin Sieber, designer and Schlüsselbrett.ch founder
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Discover Germany | Design | Top Swiss design tips
wood. Combined with design felt made from 100% new wool, in 20 different colours, it is truly an attractive piece of art. The sleek design of the exterior surrounds the tightly-pressed felt so keys can be securely pushed in and ensures they stay put. Clever add-on accessory options make it possible to even store sunglasses, towels, jewellery or a dog leash on the design ledge. A lovely look is also created by test tubes that can act as vases to hold single flowers. The designer is full of ideas and more great add-ons are already in the pipeline. A sneaky peak into future production reveals a picture ledge, which will let you display photos of your loved ones in a completely new and stylish way.
seemed like the right thing to do. I went from 0 to 100 with all that goes with it: searching for suppliers, creating a web presence, marketing, tradeshows – it was very exciting and it still is today. ”The effort was well worth it and Karin Sieber describes her work as “enjoyment, leisure and recreation.” The multifunctional organising accessory is made of anodized aluminium or oiled nut-
It was only at the beginning of 2014 when Karin Sieber founded her own company, Schlüsselbrett.ch and started production.The unique design accessory is produced in a small series and responsibly handmade using the best materials. Everything you buy from Schlüsselbrett.ch comes from the designer’s local region in Switzerland, St. Galler Rheintal. “Aluminium and nutwood are contrasting materials. When choosing the materials for the series I listened to my gut instinct. If someone doesn’t like one of them, they’re probably going to like the other one.”
meet the special wishes of her customers; a service that goes beyond the attractive web presence of Schluesselbrett.ch. A quick glimpse into the designer’s home shows you that she lives what she sells. As well as having two design ledges right next to the door, holding keys, sunglasses, a shoehorn and a dog leash, there are many more that make her everyday life stylish and organised. One for towels in the kitchen, one for belts in the wardrobe, one in the kids’room for the son’s collection of sunglasses and one in the bathroom for jewellery. Not forgetting the decorative 60cm design list with seven test tubes for fresh flowers that lightens up the living room instead of a picture. Along with her presence in her store and personal advice for customers, the designer has quite a few things coming up. To introduce and develop her simply genius product further, Karin Sieber is participating in several design awards over the coming years. On 25 and 26 October she can be found at Die Gustav, a special art and design fair in Dornbirn, Austria. Portrayed are products that combine design, taste and sustainability. Its slogan ”Dive into a world of good taste”provides the perfect platform for Karin Sieber’s keyholder. In answer to the question “what would you miss in a life without a schlüsselbrett.ch”, the designer says: “That’s clear and simple: I would miss my practical organisation helper. Since using the Schluesselbrett I’ve stopped searching for things. Everything has its place, which means more time and less stress.” Schluesselbrett.ch: simply genius. www.schluesselbrett.ch
The personality behind this clever design, Karin Sieber, is driven by her passion for new ideas and concepts.Taking care of customers and their specific needs comes with the job for the Swiss businesswoman. That’s why all her products can be altered to
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A ring of fire - a passion for life Objet d'art, a blazing fire and a handy BBQ all in one. Sounds too good to be true? Steel artist Andreas Reichlin has developed just that: The Feuerring [ring of fire] is the perfect contemporary outdoor sculpture and ideal for entertaining friends and family. TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: FEUERRING
Andreas Reichlin, Beate Hoyer, Regina Mathis and Verena Singer
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Discover Germany | Design | Top Swiss design tips
For over 20 years Swiss artist and steel sculptor Andreas Reichlin has been working with the powerful metal. The combination of his passion for the hard material, his sense of practicality as well as an outstanding talent to create timeless designs has resulted in the invention of the Feuerring: a sculpture, fireplace and BBQ all in one. Constructed from specific alloy steel, a 12mm thick ring is welded to a 6mm thick bowl.The ring serves as a handy surface to grill meat, fish or vegetables and thanks to a tiny incline, grease and juices run towards the centre of the Feuerring, while the bowl holds an open fire in the middle, creating a warm and cosy ambience. What may appear simple at first glance is in fact a perfect design defined by “the combination of aesthetic form, perfect craftsmanship and absolutely functional usability,” as Reichlin explains, and he adds: “The Feuerring is reduced to the bare essentials; the design, the installation, the BBQ function and even the cleaning requirements are minimalistic. It is an absolutely coherent object in itself, an all-round success.” The artist is truly proud of his creation, which now graces an astonishing number of outdoor spaces, impressing discerning customers worldwide. Curious as to how he came up with the idea of creating a BBQ, Reichlin admits that he has always been passionate about BBQs, but there were a few aspects of the classic ritual that simply took the pleasure away. “I couldn’t cope with the grease dripping down and the fumes rising up while grilling over charcoal. But I love nature, the open fire and a good BBQ. For me as an artist, appealing aesthetics are very important and after extensive research and some trial and error the Feuerring was born,” Reichlin says.
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Below: Swiss artist and steel sculptor Andreas Reichlin
Feuerring – a lifestyle choice From Austria to Australia, people are passionate about this artsy garden feature with its high entertainment factor. “Our customers love the simplicity in usability and aesthetics, but also the ruggedness of the material and the perfect craftsmanship. Grilling is done next to the flickering flame – there is no need to wait for the right moment when the charcoal has reached the perfect temperature,” Reichlin points out. “With the Feuerring, a BBQ turns into a social event where the host and guests joyfully come together around the sleek structure. And if the fire is not burning, the object serves as an attractive garden sculpture too.” But who are the people who acquire a Feuerring? The artist reveals: “Our clients are from all sorts of social and professional backgrounds, women as much as men, the old and the young. But they all have one thing in common: they love the open fire, indulgence and memorable evenings with friends and family around the blazing flames. Because it radiates heat, the Feuerring is particularly nice in the winter season.” Private clients are plenty, but professional hospitality providers have also discovered the beauty of Reichlin’s creations and their potential to please guests. Fine restaurants and luxurious hotels have incorporated Feuerring design objects into their outdoor space concepts. A great example of this is the exclusive and globally unique Willy Bogner-Chalet im Priesteregg in Leogang near the city of Salzburg, where an impressive Feuerring Ovum sits magnificently on the terrace against the backdrop of a spectacular mountain panorama. Feuerring originals can also be admired and experienced in Zermatt’s CERVO Mountain Boutique Resort, German Hotel Grenzfall in Berlin and many other distinguished houses.
Award-winning design Garden-designer Alex Schofield presented the Feuerring in his project for the competition for new talents of garden-architecture during Britain’s Cheshire-based RHS
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Flower Show Tatton Park in July. In the same month Feuerring proudly opened a new office and exhibition in Germany’s Limburg an der Lahn. From 25 to 28 September, the Feuerring model range is on display at the 2014 Swiss Design-Days Renens and until 12 October the gorgeous grills can be admired as part of the German Landesgartenschau Zülpich. But the excitement doesn’t end there; earlier this summer the Feuerring The Original scooped two gold medals in the most beautiful stand category at both Zurich’s Giardina and Lausanne’s Habitat et Jardins. The original Feuerring comes in three different diameters, and the product range also includes variations such as Luneli, Luna, Ovum and Gastro models, which range from 3,600 euros up to 8,600 euros. As the Feuerring is set on a foundation ring, it can also be placed on uneven gravel, making it ideal for use in mountainous regions. Of course, accessories are available too, including the handy Cube seat and cushion, steel brooms and scrapers, blankets and oil bottles with a pipette for easy cleaning of the Feuerring. The sleek structures may appear a little pricy, but once hooked on the Feuerring, there is no way back to the classic charcoal BBQ and the many design-savvy customers are living proof of this. www.feuerring.ch
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Discover Germany | Design | Top Swiss design tips
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Clarity. Recognition. Solutions. We listen to our clients. Sustainable, high-quality buildings are seen as a result of successful communication between everyone involved. The common goals are quality, sustainability and the economic viability of the building. The quality of our work as architects eventuates in the intertwining of innovation and experience. Stylistic surety and continous sustainability are guarantees for our success.
!"#$&'(#)**$+#,&-./,-(,'012 Refurbishment. Revitalisation. High quality private property. Luxury interior design. www.EHRICHarchitekten.de
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Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | The WineBarn Column
A BBQ and wine masterclass TEXT: IRIS ELLMANN | PHOTOS: THE WINEBARN
Last month my column was all about the wonderful world of rare and antique wines, a real passion of mine.This month I want to share something rather different…some tried and tested advice on the best wines to serve with your summer BBQ. In my experience of living in the UK, September often brings the best BBQ weather, so it’s the perfect time to talk about it! Robust flavours and darker meats need quality reds If I had to choose a favourite food for the BBQ it would have to be a butterflied leg of lamb. This can be done by your butcher, or if you are handy with a knife yourself there are some great videos on youtube showing you what to do! The lamb is best when marinaded in chilli oil, garlic and rosemary before being cooked on the BBQ. To accompany this and other dark meats I would recommend a fabulous red from the Aldinger estate in Württemberg. Gerd Aldinger, who is also President of the VDP Württemberg, heads this 28-hectare winery. Three generations work here and all share the philosophy of dry wines, low yields and the very best quality at all times.Traditional grape varietals, the careful usage of oak and the appreciation of nature form the backbone of the winery. My first recommendation is Aldinger: 2013 Estate Lemberger (£173.40 a case includingVAT and delivery). This wine is typified by an aroma of dark forest fruits, followed by herbaceous notes
and subtle tannins due to maturing in big wooden casks. It is currently being served in the following Michelin-starred restaurants: Chez Bruce, Restaurant Sat Bains and The Hand and Flowers (Tom Kerridge), so serving this to your friends is guaranteed to impress! My second choice has to be a top quality Pinot Noir from the Becker estate. Becker: 2011 Estate Pinot Noir (£204.00 a case including VAT and delivery). Becker and his family own around 14.5 hectares of vineyards in the southern part of the Pfalz region. He was the first of his family to distance himself from delivering the grapes to the local co-operative and instead decided to make his own wine. He immediately became known as one of the best producers in the Pfalz and one of the best Pinot Noir producers in Germany. This delicious Pinot Noir is aged for 12 months in oak barrels following careful hand selection of the grapes from the vineyard. It is a pleasing ruby red colour and a fine easy drinking Pinot Noir with a note of cherries, raspberries and some forest soil. It is currently available by the glass in Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants. A chilled rosé is best for chicken and fish For me, the only other choice to accompany your BBQ is a fine Rosé and they don’t come much finer than the 2013 Spaetburgunder from the Meyer-Naekel estate. It is
produced using hand-picked grapes that are gently pressed before clearing by sedimentation. The final stage is a cool, slow fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The resulting wine is a refreshing Rosé that has a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, with elegant flavours of strawberry, peach, honey, melon and red cherries – delicious! It is best served between 6 - 8°C and is the perfect partner for BBQ fish and lightly spiced chicken dishes. This is also available in some Michelin-starred restaurants: La Trompette, Midsummer House and Restaurant Sat Bains. Meyer-Naekel: 2013 ESTATE SPAETBURGUNDER Rosé (£198.60 a case including VAT and delivery). I look forward to sharing some more great wines with you next month. Happy Drinking! Iris
Iris Ellmann (above) is managing director at The WineBarn, an award-winning merchant of German wine based in beautiful Hampshire. The WineBarn, Clump Farm Barn, Farleigh Lane, Dummer, Hampshire RG25 2AF E-mail: iris@thewinebarn.co.uk www.thewinebarn.co.uk
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Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | Top 3 Austrian Vineyards
Wine & Dine
Top 3 Austrian Vineyards
Bründlmayer - in tune with nature Passion and hard work go into maintaining a vineyard. But it is that extra bit of dedication, the understanding that you can taste the grapevine’s story, combined with the vintner’s tender loving care that has made the Bründlmayer winery so special and turned it into the number one address for Austrian wines. TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: BRÜNDLMAYER
The lush terraced Bründlmayer vineyard seems to stretch endlessly towards the blue horizon. The glistening sun gently warms the ripening grapes, whilst the wooded hills
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protect the vines from cold winds from the North-West. Even the air seems fragrant here. Vincent and Willi Bründlmayer © Chris Rogl
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scape and of the people who harvest it. It communicates a sense of place. Acknowledging that the grapevine is alive, that it is deeply connected to our planet, literally and figuratively, and that the taste depends on how it is handled, can be seen as the pillars of Bründlmayer’s philosophy. The unique ecological diversity of the first class Bründlmayer vineyards, such as the Lamm, Heiligenstein, Kaeferberg and Steinmassel, allow for great variety. They are home to the famous white wine Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, several Burgundy varieties, Chardonnay, but also the sparkling wines Bründlmayer Brut, Brut Rosé and Extra Brut amongst others.
Left, main image: Terraced vineyard along the river Kamp Above, from top to bottom: Riesling terraced vineyard Heiligenstein Grüner Veltliner Vines
The most popular wine is the Grüner Veltliner. As Bründlmayer explains, it is consumed by the Austrians with almost any meal, as its discreet peppery aroma goes very well with so many other flavours. Olivier Poussier, French Sommelier World Champion says: “The Lamm is a perfectly vinified wine with remarkable body and freshness. Willi Bründlmayer probably produces the best GrünerVeltliner in Austria.” Bründlmayer adds: “With the Heiligenstein, we can offer one
Upstream along the Danube located in Langenlois, around 70 kilometres away from Vienna and right in the Lower Austrian Kamp valley, the vines benefit from the combination of cold nights and hot days.
Edwige and Cecile Bründlmayer
Looking at this scenery, one understands instinctively what vintner Willi Bründlmayer means when he talks about how the wine carries the story of the soil, of heat and cold, of storms and sunshine, of the land-
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of the top Riesling sites in the world. The soil of the Heiligenstein is absolutely unique and so is the wine it produces.”
and the sparkling wines, has what it takes to be the best of the vintage in its category.”
And the awards keep flying in. Bründlmayer, who ranks amongst the 50 most influential personalities in the world of wine, takes it modestly and adds: “Each vintage is a new challenge but thanks to our vineyards and our people we are able to convince our customers year after year, which makes us really happy.”
Because nature is all the vine needs
The top wine magazine Falstaff summarises in the Ultimate Austrian Wine Guide 2014: “Almost every wine, from the lightest Grüner Veltliner to the red
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After taking over his parents’ vineyard, Bründlmayer started to introduce sustainable viticulture. He remembers: “It was at the end of the 1970s when I began working at the winery, and the on-going shift to the industrialisation of agriculture annoyed me. I did not want my employees or myself having to deal with poisonous substances and possibly inhale the fumes when doing plant protection.The grapevine is actually a fairly undemanding plant, which takes what it needs from the bedrock through its
deep roots. Chemical fertiliser is completely unnecessary.” That is why Bründlmayer uses exclusively organic fertilisers such as green manure and compost. Exhausted vineyards are cleared and lie idle for five years before the replanting process. Small watering holes can be found around the vineyards to improve the microclimate and prevent erosion. Bründlmayer focuses on promoting natural processes instead of interfering - a strategy that has paid off. The family business has been running for decades and today the estate includes the vineyards, the main house and a top-notch
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war, the terraces were severely damaged, which made them affordable to buy, unlike today,” says Bründlmayer. The beauty of simplicity
Pinot Noir Cecile 2009
A typical day in September begins at 6:45am when the whole team meets and divides the workload from the vineyards to the cellar. Afterwards they start harvesting the grapes for the base wine of the Brut: “We cut fresh, intact grapes from the vineyards; grapes, where the acidity is still fresh but not aggressive anymore, where the sugar and aroma is light and modest.”
made local cuisine whilst overlooking the vines is truly an adventure itself. “A lot of great wines are coming out of Austria these days, but Bründlmayer’s seem to go a level deeper, a step further,”says Tara Q. Thomas of the Wine and Spirits Buying Guide. It takes time and genuine care to produce these outstanding wines and Bründlmayer knows that quality cannot be rushed. The ecological balance between plant and wine, between human and earth, is important and well respected here. Maybe this is the winning detail, the secret that brings such success to the Bründlmayer vineyard. www.bruendlmayer.at
Bottom: Rare vintage wines in the vinotheque
“The ideal grape for the sparkling wine has a faintly green-golden colour, just before it reaches its full ripeness,”explains Bründlmayer.“We select and clean every grape by hand. They are carefully put into small crates, never thrown! In the cellar we want to work with fresh grapes that are not crushed or damaged.”
wine cellar. Bründlmayer runs the estate together with his French wife Edwige and his son Vincent. Maintaining the premises with passion and respect has always been important. For Bründlmayer it was already clear very early on that he would take over his parents’ vineyard. “My early childhood memories from the 1950s include the cheerful oinking and romping around in the pigsty as well as the delicious milk, fresh from the cows. For as long as we can trace it back, my ancestors have produced wines as well as maintaining their farm. In the 1950s my parents decided to specialise in premium wines and quit everything else. Back then, after the
The grapes are pressed in two pneumatic wine presses, which are so gentle that the pressure is comparable to a handshake.The aging process then takes place in the very humid cellar, where the barrel stays between three and 18 months. Sharing the passion In the evenings and on weekends from midday, the Heurigenhof Bründlmayer, a fantastically preserved renaissance vintner’s house with its charming, timeless courtyard, is the place to be for food and wine lovers. If the weather permits, guests can sit among the vines and on chilly days an open fireplace keeps everyone warm. All wines and a selection of mature bottles are available by the glass and can be purchased at cellar price. Enjoying a glass with home-
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Schützenhof Exceptional family, exceptional wines Situated at the foot of the Eisenberg mountain in Austria, the Schützenhof vineyard produces exceptional wines thanks to the ferruginous slate of the mountain, a uniquely designed cellar and strong family ties that reach well beyond consanguinity. TEXT: JULIKA HÜTHER | PHOTOS: SCHÜTZENHOF
Mike, Markus and Karin Faulhammer
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A family business since 1816, the Schützenhof in the county of Südburgenland in Eastern Austria is run by the Faulhammer-Körper family. A true family business, all of the duties included in running a winery are shared between viniculturalist Markus Faulhammer, his wife Kristina, his parents Mike and Karin and his grandmother Hilde. “A categorical division of tasks is neither possible in a family business, nor is it desirable,” explains Markus Faulhammer. With the recent addition of the newly born Louis Felix,
four generations now live and work together at the vineyard, producing an exceptional choice of wines. And by tradition, the grape harvest at the Schützenhof is a celebrated get-together for the extended family and friends. Strong family ties, the support of friends, custom-made architecture and the unique blend of soil make the wines from Schützenhof so special. Friendship, not rivalry When asked about rival viniculturalists, Faulhammer denies that any exist. For him, there are only competing colleagues. ”Here at the Eisenberg and generally in Südburgenland, we have a wonderful sense of solidarity among the vine-growers. We get along brilliantly, talk to each other on a
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A custom-made winegrowing estate Pressing the best possible wine out of every vintage has always been the top priority at the Schützenhof. The best grapes are thus combined with plenty of experience and know-how and are gently matured with a great deal of personal dedication to produce well-rounded wines. But another equally important secret of the Schützenhof's success is their openness to technical innovations and the custom-made cellar. In 2004, the vineyard was completely restructured and new rooms for wine tastings, storage rooms and workspaces were created, comprising 1,000 square metres. A year later, the vineyard received a local prize for its outstanding architecture, which combines functionality and transparency. The cellar has been designed to allow Faulhammer to work mostly on his own with a minimum amount of mechanical operations needed, which benefits the diversity of grapes and prevents the loss of aroma.
cally matured in a large barrel and steel tank and the most popular DAC Reserve ‘Senior’. The latter has been named not only referring to our oldest vines but also as a homage to our recently deceased senior viniculturalist, Felix Körper.” Beyond the vineyard Visitors are welcome to attend wine tastings, stay in one of five cosy double bedrooms in the winery, or enjoy one of the many events held on its premises throughout the year. For those who want to discover the full culinary range of what the Südburgenland has to offer, the Paradiestage offers a perfect opportunity to taste local produce from wines, meats and fruit to chocolates and honey. The Faulhammer-Körpers are an exceptional family. Not just because they produce exceptional wines, but because they know they are best enjoyed in the company of good friends and family.
Unique wines from Eisenberg
regular basis and exchange knowledge about technical novelties and future activities.” The small size of the area of cultivation and the fact that it produces outstanding and distinctive wines, full of character and one of a kind within Austria and even rare in international terms, helps bind together the community of viniculturalists in this area.“I personally try to make the best of the special natural environment we have been given. But what defines the Schützenhof is the personal relationship we have with wine lovers who will always receive a warm welcome here and who can enjoy our fine wines in a relaxed atmosphere,”says Faulhammer.
The special ferruginous soil around the Eisenberg mountain infuses the wines with an extraordinarily high degree of minerality and fruitiness, giving them a fiery, unique character. Interference with the natural maturation process is kept to a minimum at the Schützenhof and the full capacity of the storage potential is used for each wine. The maturation process thus lasts at least 12 months, with some having more than 33 months. Some supreme quality wines stored are over 65 years old. The variety of wines is exceptionally high for this area of cultivation and goes far beyond the indigenous reds Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch and include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and a semisparkling wine crafted out of yellow Muscatel and Welschriesling.
www.schuetzenhof.cc
Markus Faulhammer is especially proud of his signature wine:“Blaufränkisch from the Eisenberg mountain is a rarity in Austria, let alone the world. Thanks to the special ferruginous slate on the Eisenberg and in its vicinity, the Blaufränkisch has a unique, punchy and complex character which also makes it my personal favourite. We offer Eisenberg DAC Blaufränkisch ‘Pur’, classi-
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Below: Bienenfresser Reserve 2012 Middle: Johannes and Hans Pitnauer
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Pitnauer Austrian wine history in the 10th generation The Pitnauer family winery cultivates first-class wine and preserves a part of national wine history for future generations. TEXT: DORINA REICHHOLD | PHOTOS: PITNAUER
A colourful exotic bird represents one of Austria’s most famous wines. The Bienenfresser Zweigelt Reserve is the lifetime achievement of Hans Pitnauer. The dark red wine with a vibrant taste was created in 1986 and quickly became an iconic wine in Austria. It is named after the exotic beeeating bird, the Beecatcher, which mainly lives in warm regions. Its appearance in the Carnuntum vineyards is celebrated in Pitnauer’s famous Zweigelt Reserve.
Residents since the 16th century Situated in the small town of Göttlesbrunn in Lower Austria, a 40-minute drive fromVienna, the Weingut Familie Pitnauer lies in the heart of the wine-growing region of Carnuntum. The name is of Celtic origin, from a word meaning stone, cliff or firm place, and it was first associated with the region in Roman times.The area has been used for wineproduction ever since Celts settled in the region. The Romans built a military base in the Celtic town of Carnuntum, bringing about its rapid expansion. “In the year 300 there were already 50,000 inhabitants,” explains Pitnauer proudly. His own family has been living in the region since at least the 16th century.
working, the name was re-established in the wine region, making it a trademark for outstanding Austrian wine. Carnuntum covers an area southeast of Vienna and south of the Danube river. The close proximity to the river, the ideal microclimate and the stony lime and loess soils offer excellent conditions for producing high quality wines. Weingut Pitnauer is the most distinct wine producer in the area, having won several different awards and Pitnauer ranks amongst Austria’s top wine producers. This success is based on a long family tradition of winemaking. Hans Pitnauer passed his examination as a certificated wine producer in 1979 and has put an emphasis on high quality produce from the very beginning.
A family affair Today, he is proud to intensely immerse himself in producing his 42nd vintage wine. The wine estate’s roots and family
Through Pitnauer’s perseverance and skilful net-
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history are something Pitnauer holds in high regard and will never compromise. “We are a family-run business in the 10th generation and want to keep it that way. Our goal is not to be bigger and faster, but to maintain and improve life quality and have happy customers.” His whole family is involved in the day-to-day work. His wife Edith helps mainly in the cultivating and nurturing of the vineyards, while their daughter Theresia helps with the administrative side of the business. Their son Johannes has already passed his exams at the world’s oldest school for viniculture and enology, in Klosterneuburg, and will soon obtain a university degree in wineproducing and wine business. Hans Pitnauer exports his produce to Switzerland, Germany and even has customers as far away as the USA, though the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in Austria are also amongst his list of customers.
duces using only their own 22 hectares of high quality soil in their 20 vineyards and do not add any bought wine or grapes to their produce. The idea is not to produce quantity, but high quality.“Eventually, our wine will be sold out and drunk,”summarizes Pitnauer regarding the approach to his work. His produce is especially famous for its great development potential and solid storability. Beside the daily business, the family also finds time for new projects. One of the vineyard’s old wine cellars has been converted into a stylish and cosy wine-tasting parlour and offers temperate wine-safes to customers who wish to store their wines for future use. Every customer has his own key to ensure that the wine-safe is available at any time and, if they wish to invite friends for a private celebration, the Pitnauer family will provide the essentials, such as space, tables or cutlery.
Quality over quantity A long list of wine dealers is testimony to the demand for Pitnauer’s wine and he sometimes loses track of how widely his products are enjoyed: “I am always delighted when I am dining out and find our products on a wine list.”The family pro-
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Hans Pitnauer finds it hard to pick out a favourite wine. Naturally, he has a soft spot for his Bienenfresser and especially recommends the 2013 vintage. He also enjoys his Cabernet Franc because of its complexity and the red Cuvée Franz Josef. The
latter was named after his father and grandfather to say thank you for a proud and successful family business that does not forget its roots and one that is being led into a prosperous future. www.pitnauer.com
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Restaurant of the Month | Austria
Restaurant of the Month Austria
A whole bunch of deliciousness A place for foodies, families and friends, El Gaucho promises great meals, fine wines and an elegant interior. Based in Vienna’s Design Tower, this steak restaurant leaves nothing to wish for. TEXT: LEONIE PUSCHER | PHOTOS: EL GAUCHO
The best steak: from Buenos Aires to Vienna is the theme of the stylish restaurant in Austria’s capital. This is to be understood quite literally, as the meat that is served in the most mouth-watering variations is sourced directly from Argentina.The famous Angus beef is of highest quality and its mellow, tender taste makes it the most popular steak meat of all: outstanding in taste, while low in fat. The traditional Argentinian breed is traditionally farmed on large fields where it feeds on fresh grass. This natural freshness translates directly into the distinctive taste of the beef. Only the most exquisite meat enters El Gaucho’s kitchen, where it is almost magically grilled to per-
fection. With the choice of dry aged beef or Gaucho beef, a large variety of sides and special add-ons, every guest can design his own mouth-watering menu. For those wishing to unwind after a long day at the office and indulge in great food, El Gaucho is the perfect destination. The house specials are made to surprise and excite the taste buds. Guests may choose from a variety of starters that form a perfect beginning to a tasteful journey. An insider tip is the buffalo mozzarella with Spanish beef gammon and tomatoes. What’s more, El Gaucho is said to serve the “probably best lobster risotto in town”– grilled lobster,
homemade risotto and dried tomatoes. Another yummy house special is the signature lamb chops choice, served with peperonata and rosemary gnocchi. For the sweet tooth El Gaucho offers extraordinary desserts. Ever had strawberry tartlets with nougat chilli ganache and marinated strawberries on top? Or raspberry panna cotta with melon mint salad topped with honey ice cream? Awaiting guests inVienna’s Design Tower some simply delicious desserts that make the perfect finale to the best meat in town. El Gaucho restaurant is certainly a hot tip, not only amongst locals. www.elgaucho.at
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Hotel
of the Month
The incomparable charm of three Natural Beauties Allow me to introduce the 4-Star DasPosthotel, the Chalets Deluxe HochLeger and the GolfLodge, which together are known as the “Natural Beauties”. These three luxurious hideaways in the popular holiday region of Austria’s Ziller Valley each offer an outstanding design concept based on the combination of high quality wood and other natural materials, modern comfort and loving attention to detail. TEXT: CORDELIA MAKARTSEV | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES
”We are fervent supporters of the genuine, the authentic and the beautiful. For us, beauty is always found in naturalness,”explains Christina Binder-Egger, the host of
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the three Natural Beauties. The dominant material of the hotel and holiday apartments is wood from spruce, oak and Swiss pine trees.“The untreated wood continues
Austria
to live. We love to see it change its colour over time. The patina gives life and elegance to the rooms,”adds Christina BinderEgger. The unique result is a warm and exclusive ambiance, where the guests feel at home as soon as they set foot on the properties. Variety, individuality, quality of service and culinary delights are high on the agenda of the host family and the staff at the Natural Beauties. All the accommodation is certi-
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Discover Germany | Hotel of the Month | Austria Left: Posthotel Below: HochLeger Chalets
fied with both the Austrian and the EU Eco Label, ensuring that each of them offers its very own charm and advantages for its guests. Life is beautiful at the Posthotel There must be a reason why the German football club Werder Bremen chose DasPosthotel as the accommodation for his summer training camp in 2014. Flair, style and charisma characterise the design hotel in the centre of Zell in the heart of the Ziller Valley, a gateway to one of Austria’s best ski arenas in winter and its most versatile hiking area in summer. The possibilities to experience nature up close are endless, while you’ve also got smart boutiques, cafes and restaurants just round the corner. As the first of the three Natural Beauties, the Posthotel opened its doors in 2010. With the natural warmth of the materials, the harmonious interplay of fabrics, colours and light and the purist simplicity of the design, the hosts have created a home-awayfrom-home for their guests. Each room, apartment and suite is equipped with SkyTV, Wi-Fi and a SuitePad with the latest news, internet, movies and games. A read-
ing selection including the latest magazines and good holiday reads awaits on every floor. To ensure that their guests have the freedom to tailor their holidays to their individual wishes the host family have come up with some innovative ideas;“Book a cook” is just one of them. Guests who are reluctant to leave the cosiness of their apartment but do not want to miss out on a delicious dinner can order a cook who will treat them to freshly prepared Tyrolean cuisine made from local, organic ingredients. “Beauty means buying the products from the local farmer and thus being able to enjoy the full flavour of these honest dishes,” is the philosophy of the house, which is perfectly reflected in the breakfast buffet: Zillertal dairy products, handmade organic jams and honey from the hotel’s hives… After an active day in the fresh mountain air, a visit to the small but exquisite wellness area will be more than welcome. Four different saunas and a Turkish steam bath relax your muscles. The heated outdoor pool makes swimming a real treat all year round. Massages and beauty treatments from an
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Discover Germany | Hotel of the Month | Austria
experienced professional team complete the indulgent experience. High above of everyday life: the HochLeger Chalets Relaxation seekers, nature lovers and those who enjoy the finer things in life will find their holiday haven at the HochLeger Chalets amidst the untamed nature of the mountains. Following the same design philosophy as the Posthotel, the host family opened these luxurious mountain chalets in 2013. Wood types such as pine, larch and fir come together with natural materials to combine a warm and “fragrant” atmosphere. At an altitude of 1,054m the chalets provide unrivalled solitude and tranquility without compromising on service and comfort. Upon arrival there are organic foods such as farm-fresh eggs, milk, freshly baked bread, butter, and much more awaiting you in your food pantry. Wine lovers will find a well-stocked wine rack too. In the mornings, freshly baked rolls and pastries are delivered. And again, if you prefer not to cook, simply “book a cook”. With a private open-air hot tub at each chalet, the mountain sauna and a pool with a small waterfall guaranteeing pure relaxation after an eventful day outdoors, your
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body will be grateful and beauty treatments and massages can be booked at the Posthotel. Time out on the Green at the Golflodge Opened in January 2014, the GolfLodge is the youngest child in the family of the Natural Beauties. Located right by the 4th tee on the Zillertal golf course in Uderns, golf fans find an 18-hole championship course, large practice facility with a covered driving range, short-course and a PGA golf school on the doorstep. Guests are free to book as many or as few services as they like: fresh bread delivered for breakfast, book a cook, kitchen stocking service, to name but a few. For the ultimate reinvigoration, a pine sauna with a wellness shower, relaxation room and an outdoor pool await the tired guest. So, why not recharge your batteries before the Christmas hassle starts? The Natural Beauties offer great packages in autumn including three nights at the Posthotel, a pampering massage and dinner with a private cook. www.natuerliche-schoenheiten.at This page: Golflodge
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Culture & Lifestyle
Vienna’s Hidden Treasures
Exciting Vienna
Above: Strudlhofstiege. © BDA. Photo: Bettina Neubauer-Pregl
- by no means off the beaten path In many of the world's major cities one must be in-the-know to find all the great and often secret spots that locals take advantage of. Luckily, for visitors to Vienna, one does not have to stray far from the familiar tourist spots to be surprised. Its mix of contemporary culture and historical treasures lends Vienna a sense of magic and glamour that everyone can enjoy, outsider or insider. TEXT: JAIME SCHWARTZ
To get a feel for the creative pulse of the city one only has to head to the centrally located Museum Quartier. Comprised of a unique mix of 18th and 19th century architecture, the compound is home to the Leopold Museum, the Kunsthalle Wien, and the Museum of Modern Art (MUMOK), among other institutions. Its expansive courtyard is a cultural oasis where one can either hang out and soak up the atmosphere or enjoy numerous art and cultural events. Film, music, literary and art events can be taken advantage of by those of every age and across a myriad of inter-
ests. For those who are especially interested in contemporary art don't miss out on theViennafair, taking place at the beginning of October. With an early autumn visit one can also experience Vienna's museums during its participation in the Lange Nacht der Museen [Long Night of the Museums], which this year falls on 4 October. On this evening almost every museum in the city will stay open well past their closing times. With just one ticket, visitors can move between the extensive variety of museumsVienna has to offer
until 1am and a range of special events accompany the extensive choice of exhibitions. If your cultural interests lean more towards the historical, the city's Tag des Denkmals [Memorial Day] might be a more exciting option. Taking place on the last Sunday in September, this annual event allows free public access to otherwise inaccessible historical monuments. If you’re looking for something even more dynamic, the Haus der Musik [House of Music] offers a perfectly suited option. Here visitors are encouraged to discover and play with sound and music through the interactive installations, which actively engage all the senses. Their innovative approach to sound and music seeks to connect Vienna's musical past with its musical future. Be sure to check the Haus der Musik's on-line calendar for an updated list of special programming and concerts for adults and children.
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For more auditory adventures, autumn in Vienna provides options across the musical spectrum. For those looking to take advantage of Vienna's rich classical music heritage, September kicks off the re-opening of the city's opera season after the summer break. However, book tickets as soon as you book your flights as most shows will sell out quite early. In early October the Waves Vienna festival and conference comes to town. Fulfilling
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its “East meets West”mission, local and international alternative, electronic, rock, and club acts will be performing aroundVienna’s 1st district.The conference will feature panels and workshops that are also centered around this exchange and the music markets and scenes unique to each region. Vienna, however, does not only possess a multitude of cultural offerings, it has plenty
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Discover Germany | Culture & Lifestyle | Vienna's Hidden Treasures
Top left: Wiener Staatsoper. © WienTourismus / Christian Stemper Bottom far left: Annatheater. © BDA. Photo: Bettina Neubauer-Pregl Below from left to right: Dom zu Gurk. © BDA. Photo: Petra Laubenstein Schlosstheater Schönbrunn. © BDA. Photo: Bettina Neubauer-Pregl Hofmusikkapelle red salon. © BDA. Photo: Bettina Neubauer-Pregl
Of course, one cannot mention Vienna without mentioning its wines. September and October are particularly great months to sample what is produced locally. These two months are the city's high season for wine as the harvest is over, meaning the Junge Wiener, or young wines are being poured in the wine taverns on the edges of town. It's also the best time to try a glass or two of the Wiener Gemischter Satz, a mix of three different white wine varieties pressed together. With its incredible offerings of public events in some of the city's most beautiful and historic settings, the key to a good time in
to offer in the nature department as well. Just west of the city lies the picturesqueVienna Woods or, Wienerwald, a pre-Alpine landscape with both open spaces and four different types of forest. September and October are some of the best months to visit as visitors get to witness the dramatic
colour changes of the natural scenery. Fishing, trekking, hiking, cycling, climbing and horseback riding can all be done within the area. Great deals can be found on accommodation with autumn being the off-season for those who would like to overnight or stay longer.
Vienna is provided by the city itself. Due to its long and varied cultural history, architectural, cultural and culinary gems can be found in just about every corner of the city. It is no wonder that with such a plentitude of treasures Vienna has no reason to keep them hidden.
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Main image: Haus der Musik, Vienna. Photo: Inge Prader Left, from top to bottom: Sononsphere © Inge Prader Virtual Conductor © Inge Prader Waltz Dice Game © Inge Prader Zeitperlen (time pearls) © Wulz
spread over the courtyard and spanning four floors, each dedicated to experiencing the past, the present and the future of sound. “The Haus der Musik combines the musical heritage and the musical future in a globally unique way. Alongside from the historical elements, the interaction between natural and electronic sound creation, between analogue and digital, plays a vital role in our concept,” director Simon K. Posch explains. Visitors of all generations truly enjoy the interactive and playful journey of musical discovery offered in the form of exciting installations such as The Virtual Conductor, the Mozart name play Namadeus, the Waltz Dice Game, or the Virto Stage. Children are most welcome and the little visitors revel in playing gigantic instruments or making their own music with the help of a computer. School groups are flocking to enjoy the musical experience for all senses and, in some cases, one visit as a child to the Haus der Musik could spark a lifelong passion for music.
Discover the world of music The Haus der Musik in the heart of Vienna is an interactive award-winning sound museum offering visitors a new playful approach to music with a scientific note. TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: HAUS DER MUSIK
Besides giving you a unique insight into the world of sound, fun and entertainment are guaranteed when strolling through the Haus der Musik. Housed in the spectacular former Palais of Archduke Charles, further residence of Otto Nicolai, composer of The
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Merry Wives of Windsor and original founding place of the Vienna Philharmonic concerts, the museum opened its doors in the year 2000 and is honorary chaired by none other than Maestro Zubin Mehta. 5,000 square metres of exhibition space are
Highlights in autumn include the HOMECOMING music festival on 20 September featuring indie stars like Garish, Gin Ga andVelojet. On 4 October and as part of the ORF Long Night of the Museums the Haus der Musik offers entry until 1am in the morning. A special attraction is the new KLANG:TEPPICH [SOUND:CARPET], which has been installed by multimedia artist Tobias Hermeling. Yet there is more to look forward to as in November the STAIRPLAY will be inaugurated, an exciting interactive piano staircase with 13 touch-sensitive steps. Parts of the museum are available for private hire in order to offer event organisers a fantastic backdrop and backing track for their special occasion. Come in and find out about the wonderful world of music. www.hausdermusik.at
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Discover Germany | Culture & Lifestyle | Vienna's Hidden Treasures
SeeVienna in its best light Burgtheatre, Hofburg Palace, Parliament, Schönbrunn Palace – these are some of the most magnificent buildings to visit in Vienna. What could be a better way to explore the whole variety of Austria’s capital than sitting on a comfortable bus that stops at the most picturesque spots while shielding you from the wind? TEXT: LEONIE PUSCHER | PHOTOS: VIENNA SIGHSEEING TOURS / BERNHARD LUCK
Of course, this is not just wishful thinking: “Vienna Sightseeing: Simply the best” has been offering tours throughout the capital since 1972.The market leader for tours inVienna is popular amongst visitors as its HOP ON HOP OFF tour lets you see the city in a new and relaxed way. There is no schedule – just the one you set yourself. Choose your pace and hop on and off at one of the many stops aroundVienna. Depending on the season, there are between 25 and 37 options. There are four routes to choose from and these can even be combined with a boat ride on the Danube. Have your cameras ready! To make sure that tourists do not just observe the city but also truly get to know it,Vienna Sightseeing Tours offers audio guides in 16 languages and there is a kids channel available in German and English too. Additional benefits include Wi-Fi on all buses as well as a guided walking tour starting at the State Opera. For those wishing to explore beyond the capital, the friendly team fromVienna SightseeingTours also offers excursions into the greater area. For example, a half-day trip to the most beautiful sights in the southern part of theVienna Woods. Or perhaps a full-day trip to the romantic and picturesque Danube Valley, Salzburg, Budapest, Prague and Bratislava. No plans for New Year’s Eve yet? Vienna Sightseeing Tours’NewYear’s Eve Special Tour is a great option. Now HOP ON for your chance to WIN a free ticket for one of Austria’s best experiences:Vienna Sightseeing Tours has 5x2 HOP ON HOP OFF tickets up for grabs. These are valid for 48 hours on all routes – boat trips inclusive (cash pay-out is not possible). Simply answer the question“How many bus routes can visitors choose to explore?” For your chance to win, send the answer with “HOP ON HOP OFF Vienna” as the subject to office@viennasightseeing.at before 30 September 2014. www.viennasightseeing.at
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Goldsmith Nikl Individuality, art and tremendous skill Do you ever dream of an individual piece of jewellery, something that no one else has, something made just for you? Established Viennese goldsmith Nikl is the answer! With fine craftsmanship, decades of experience and a great sense for design, Nikl’s goldsmiths meet virtually any creative challenge. TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: NIKL
For goldsmith Karl Nikl it was not the 1920s that were golden but the late 1930s,
when he opened his own jewellery store and workshop in Vienna. From generation to generation, this successful business has remained in Nikl family hands and expanded in 1980 with a second store and workshop at 79 Taborstreet.
Stefan Nikl and Siegfried Baumgartner
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Today, Karl Nikl’s grandson Stefan Nikl runs the third generation family business. Having never planned on taking over his parents’ business, he eventually returned to his roots.“For a long time, it was not my intention to work as a goldsmith. After
graduating from high school, I studied medicine for three semesters and trained with the military for a year. It was only after that, when I was 20 years old, that I started the apprenticeship at my father’s workshop. I am grateful that my parents granted me complete freedom in my career choice,”Nikl says. After gaining his Master’s certificate as a goldsmith, Nikl continued his education and trained as a gemstone specialist. He also successfully finished his studies in business management at the Viennese University for Applied Science. Becoming a goldsmith certainly proved to be the right choice for Nikl as he adds with a smile: “To bring joy to our customers or eternalise a special moment in time through designing a piece of jewellery is our daily motivation.” The philosophy of goldsmith Nikl is to merge craftsmanship
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Discover Germany | Culture & Lifestyle | Vienna's Hidden Treasures
The Wiener Ring
different jewellery, from individual engagement or wedding rings to a chain for the university’s principle. We specialise in creating jewellery to our customer’s own design ideas.” Nikl and his team even take on strange requests, such as a locket carrying a little glass container of blood. The goldsmiths take it with a great deal of humour and are keen to find beautiful, creative solutions to meet any design demand, no matter how complicated. Of course, they also do repairs and redesign old jewellery.
holiday, Stefan Nikl and his team are happy to show their handmade treasures, or create one from scratch just for you! www.nikl.at www.wienerring.at
The most exciting project is without a doubt the new Wiener Ring (Viennese Ring). Together with architecture student and designer Siegfried Baumgartner, Stefan Nikl has created a beautiful ring in the exact shape of the famous Viennese Ring road. With its striking shape and distinctive name, the Wiener Ring has a lot of character and stands in direct reference to wonderful Vienna. The ring is available in different variations and comes as part of a series, like the two brilliants series or the princess series. For the customised version, one can choose between different types of stones as well as adding an engraving. The background for this smart creation is the 150th jubilee of the popular Viennese ring road next year.The special jubilee collection will be professionally showcased during the festivities and the Wiener Ring is already certain to be a real treat for Vienna enthusiasts. with art. This is also reflected in their logo, which symbolises the spiritual and the material world. The designs are timeless and elegant, occasionally with a simple touch of contemporary style. The store is a veritable heaven for jewellery lovers who appreciate the craft and look of sophisticated designs that stay away from mainstream trends. Whether it is for precious stone necklaces, classic cufflinks or star sign inspired brooches, a great range of fine materials is chosen and modern methods are used during the crafting process. Often Nikl and his team create unique pieces upon demand: “We do all kinds of
Aside from focusing on his remarkable creations, Nikl pays great attention to the next generation of goldsmiths. It is important to communicate the passion for the craft to young people, he says, and work as a role model. At his workshop, it becomes clear that being a goldsmith is anything but boring and does not automatically have to be old-fashioned. There is so much more to be said about the Nikl jewellery workshop and store, and the best advice is to simply go and have a look. Watch the goldsmiths at work, have a chat about the inspirational city of Vienna or find a precious gift for your loved ones. Whether you are in town for business or
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Oktoberfest history In October 1810, Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The new kingdom of Bavaria was only four years old at the time. The festivities lasted almost a week. An old style horse race was held to the south-west of what is now the Altstadt and this marked the close of the festival. The area in front of Munich’s gateway was christened Theresienwiese to honour the new Crown Princess. The horse racing was held every year as it proved so popular. TEXT: WWW.OKTOBERFEST.INFO | PHOTOS: GNTO
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Culture & Lifestyle | Oktoberfest Special
Culture & Lifestyle
Oktoberfest Special
– during the wars in particular. The horse racing was discontinued after 1945. This has only been held again to celebrate the 150th anniversary, and also in 2010 to celebrate the 200th. Horse racing was part of the Oktoberfest for the anniversary. The Oktoberfest is now one of the biggest and most popular festivals in the world. More than six million people visit the Oktoberfest every year, and they come from all over the world. As well as Italians, you will often meet Americans, Australians and the Japanese in particular. The Oktoberfest has also established itself in the homeland of foreign Oktoberfest fans: there are around 300 Oktoberfests around the world that follow the example of the original in Munich.
The character of the Oktoberfest has changed over the decades. More and more stalls and travelling game booths joined the horse racing and the first carnival rides soon followed. The current form of Oktoberfest, with beer tents and the festival lasting more than two weeks, evolved towards the end of the 19th century. The start of
the festival was also brought forward to September. Since 1850, the Bavaria statue has watched over the Oktoberfest, Munich and Bavaria. The bronze statue was designed by Ludwig Schwanthaler. The Oktoberfest is only cancelled very rarely. In 200 years, there have only been 24 years where the Oktoberfest has been cancelled
Main image: Munich: 'Himmel der Bayern', beer tent at the Munich Oktoberfest. Photo: Büro Gaff Adenis, Pierre From left to right: Munich: traditional costume at the Oktoberfest. Photo: Rainer Kiedrowski Munich: felt hat at the Oktoberfest. Photo: Rainer Kiedrowski Munich: dancing at the Oktoberfest. Photo: Rainer Kiedrowski Tapping of the first beer barrel, 2013. Photo: Nagy/Presseamt München Munich/Isar: Brass band in traditional costume on parade at the Munich Oktoberfest. Photo: Büro Gaff Adenis, Pierre
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Dirndl by Alpenmaedel - because it is more than just a dress If you have never been to Oktoberfest then it is high time to pack your suitcase. But what to wear? Don’t worry – Bavarian design atelier Alpenmeadel has got you covered. TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: ALPENMAEDEL
Every year millions of people from all over the world travel to Munich to take part in one of Germany’s most famous, traditional, beer-heavy holidays, Oktoberfest; one of the rare festivals where guests are wholeheartedly encouraged to adopt local customs and wear traditional clothes. To tell you the truth, one simply cannot go to the Oktoberfest without the obligatory Dirndl dress or typical Lederhosen. It just would not be as much fun. So, ladies, if you go, do it properly. But doing it properly means choosing a Dirndl that re-
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flects your personality and emphasises your individual body shape perfectly. And because that is generally quite a mission, it is best to consult an expert. The inspiring Neuburg-based mother-daughter designer team of Alpenmaedel is just that, and so much more. The Alenmaedel team designs lovely traditional German dresses that have a very special and appealing modern touch, without compromising the classic cut. Claudia Nowka and her mother Marion, two warm-hearted and creative ladies, have long designed traditional costumes for his-
toric festivals together, but it wasn’t until 2005 that they launched their own dress collection. Their unique, custom-made designs are fresh and fashionable while still oozing the enchanted Dirndl flair. Claudia Nowka explains: “A Dirndl combines fashion, tradition, couture and art in one dress. That is what we always keep in mind when we design our distinctive Dirndl. We only use high quality fabrics from all over the world such as silk, brocade or hand embroidered lace from France, Italy and England. A lot of the fabrics are often made exclusively for Alpenmaedel.” Creating the perfect fit with a passion for detail, the mother-daughter team has successfully managed to design a distinctive style and completely re-invent the classic
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Discover Germany | Culture & Lifestyle | Oktoberfest Special
Dirndl. “We design our Dirndl with traditional patterns, but by combining unusual material and colours with glamorous accessories we create a new and very individual look,”explains Nowka. The well-crafted Dirndl complements the shape of a woman’s body perfectly. It is the ideal piece of clothing for women of all ages, so it isn’t just for Oktoberfest. A cute, little Dirndl for the baptism ceremony, communion Dirndl for the next generation, as well as playful Oktoberfest Dirndl for the youngsters are part of the Alpenmaedel collections. Nowka says:“Of course, we also do exclusive couture Dirndl for the fashion conscious trendsetters amongst us, but we also offer bridal Dirndl for that very special day. Furthermore, we have the more subtle but still very sophisticated Dirndl for the older generation.”Alpenmaedel dresses are in demand and there is even a collection for pregnant ladies. Due to the clever designs, these Dirndl can still be worn post-pregnancy without any special alterations.
Working as part of a mother-daughter team is a very special situation and Claudia Nowka praises the good working relationship with her mum: “Our relationship is based on intimacy and deep trust. I owe my mother so much. Without her I simply would have never been able to build the label and manage the workload. In fact, I am very grateful to my entire family and friends for their support!” “Naturally,” Nowka reveals with a smile, “my mother and I do argue occasionally, mainly because I am quite impulsive. But my mother is more laid-back and just waits until I have calmed down.” That sounds like a typical mother-daughter relationship, and maybe that is the final ingredient that one can feel in the soulful creations that appeal to so many different types and generations of women. Only recently, in 2012, the Alpenmaedel team, which used to have just one store at Munich’s Viktualienmarkt, opened a sec-
ond store in Austria’s Kitzbuehel. The courageous step turned out to be very successful. Now, two years later, Alpenmaedel has become a household name in the distinctive village and mother and daughter are very happy that the expansion has worked out nicely. From an international perspective, Alpenmaedel is still an insider’s tip, but it certainly will not stay a secret for long. Whether you choose a dress from one of the collections or opt for a tailor-made design, all their creations are absolutely fabulous. And if you do not happen to be in Bavaria right now, the Alpenmaedel’s website offers a great way to explore the current collection of gorgeous dresses. But beware, it may trigger your desire to attend the Oktoberfest and use it as a runway for one of those stunning Dirndl. www.alpenmaedel.de
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Wimdu Simply better than a hotel Wimdu is an online portal that lets you book private accommodation, holiday homes and apartments. So whether you are searching for a city apartment in downtown Manhattan, a beachside villa on the island of Mallorca, or even a houseboat in Amsterdam, Wimdu have a vast spectrum of properties to match every taste. TEXT: LEONIE PUSCHER | PHOTOS: WIMDU
In Wimdu's home country of Germany, a multitude of accommodation enables the visitor to explore this vast, central European country. Oktoberfest, the world-renowned boisterous beer festival, is a staple on the Bavarian calendar. Originally conceived in 1810, the city's breweries, beer taverns and cobblestone-squares chink to the jovial clink of stein glasses and mirth each October. For those wishing to explore something a little more intimate, a few steps off the tourist track – a variety of Oktoberfests, set in different German cities, take place each
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year.The Münsteraner Oktoberfest may not have as many illustrious beers as those on tap in Munich, but Pinkus Beer - a traditional, Münsteranean brew - has delighted the taste buds of locals and foreigners alike since 1816. Wimdu have a variety of accommodation options on offer in the city and, with prices as low as 30 euros per night, allow visitors to base themselves in one of the city's neighbourhoods and gain a greater understanding of the place. Even Frankfurt – synonymous with business and the economy – now has an Okto-
berfest. The Binding brewery is an official partner of the Frankfurter Oktoberfest, and its local house brew is enjoyed across Germany. Wimdu have a variety of city centre apartments and holiday villas in Frankfurt, enabling the visitor to scratch beneath the surface of its somewhat spotless, sterile exterior and discover exactly why the city is
Arne Bleckwenn (left) and Hinrich Dreiling
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Discover Germany | Culture & Lifestyle | Oktoberfest Special
the perennial winner of the ‘most liveable city in Germany’award. Wimdu was started in 2011 by two friends, Arne Bleckwenn and Hinrich Dreiling. Both are passionate travellers who had grown tired paying extortionate prices for featureless, impersonal hotel rooms.The idea of private accommodation with city-specific information provided by locals seemed so appealing that Wimdu was born. Wimdu aims to bridge the passion for exploration and travel, with technical know-how and individual customer wishes.The Wimdu team is dedicated to providing a real alternative to a hotel, providing quality, caring, handpicked accommodation across the globe. The fact that over one million people have booked Wimdu accommodation might be down to the prices – up to 50 per cent lower than a hotel. Or it might be down to the variety of offerings, or the everexpanding list of countries in which Wimdu properties now feature – over 150 at the last count. Wimdu's concept is simple and accessible. Just type in the location you want to visit and Wimdu will provide you with a variety of urban apartments and holiday homes in your chosen destination. If you want to rent out your apartment, you can register on the website too. As many glowing testimonials from hosts on the website testify, hosting a Wimdu property can be rewarding. Wimdu offers photo services and free customer support to their hosts. Melenia, a host in Germany states: “My experiences with the guest were all positive – they were all so nice!You develop a personal relationship, it’s so different to being in a hotel.” Are you exploring the numerous Oktoberfests all over Germany? Or just want to enjoy the variety of different landscapes Germany has to offer? Whatever your plans are, staying in overpriced, faceless hotel room doesn’t need to be part of your journey. Enjoy Wimdu’s private accommodation at friendly prices and make your holiday experience more authentic, more intimate, and more enjoyable. www.wimdu.de
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Exploring Germany by coach The coach provider city2city offers value-for-money travel to major cities throughout Germany, such as Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Cologne. TEXT: DORINA REICHHOLD | PHOTOS: CITY2CITY
Passengers have the luxury of travelling with an ultra-modern fleet of Mercedes Benz coaches at the best value ticket prices. The service is aimed at travellers looking for an environmentally friendly, affordable and comfortable travel option with a high standard of safety. Long-distance coaches were only recently introduced in Germany. In 2013, the market was liberalised and ever since coach travel has been booming in the land of the Autobahn. city2city belongs to the five leading coach companies on the market. Fifteen metropolises are part of the constantly growing city2city route network so far. Running from Hamburg in the north to Munich in the south, the network also includes major airports such as Cologne or Frankfurt Airport. Passengers can enjoy a relaxed travel experience with few stops on each route.The service operates seven days a week and offers travellers three to five connections a day. A cooperation with the coach operator berlinlinenbus.de adds many more destinations to the network that can be booked online.
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Ticket prices start from 8 euros and are supplemented by a variety of special offers, which are regularly promoted. Students, youths, children, seniors (from 60 years), disabled people and groups get a discount on regular prices. Spontaneous travellers can buy last-minute tickets on board too. city2city was the first coach provider to offer a loyalty scheme for frequent travellers. With BusPlus each booking earns customers points that can be redeemed later on for free tickets and exclusive discounts. Loyal customers also enjoy more flexibility when changing and cancelling tickets. Passengers are guaranteed a reserved seat in an air-conditioned, comfortable Mercedes-Benz coach with XXL-legroom. With free Wi-Fi and ample sockets on-board, passengers can stay connected while travelling. “We aim to be the friendliest coach provider with the best customer service,” explains city2city Managing Director John Gilbert.
“We are proud of our high punctuality and the excellent value for money we offer.” With the upcoming Oktoberfest, why not hop on a coach to Munich and try out city2city’s vision of modern travelling? Ticket prices from Frankfurt, for example, start from 17 Euro. www.city2city.de
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ADINA . EU | T OGAH OTE L S .CO M ADINA.EU TOGAHOTELS.COM
APARTMENT SPACE HOTEL SERVICE ADINA STYLE
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BERLIN | FR BERLIN FRANKFURT ANKFURT | HAMBURG HAMBURG | BUDAPEST BUDAPEST | COPENHAGEN COPENHAGEN SYDNEY ADELAIDE CANBERRA WOLLONGONG S YDNEY | MELBOURNE MELBOURNE | BRISBANE BRISBANE | PERTH PERTH | A DELAIDE | C ANBERRA | DARWIN DARWIN | W OLLONGONG
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Discover, enjoy, sustain The nature resort and four-star superior wellness hotel Schindelbruch in Germany’s Harz mountain region takes its principles seriously, offering supreme relaxation without leaving a carbon footprint.
ural that his spa hotel would follow strict green guidelines. Embracing sustainability
TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: HOTEL SCHINDELBRUCH
In the southern part of the Harz, in the heart of central Germany, nestles the wellness hotel Schindelbruch. This beautiful spot was first used in 1928, when Earl zu Stolberg-Stolberg built his lavish hunting lodge right upon it. Today this historically significant building has been carefully renovated and turned into a lovely garden café and grill restaurant, which form part of the hotel. From meadows to forests, lakes and highlands, the Harz is known for its natural diversity. Looking at the scenic environment it should come as no surprise that the hotel’s philosophy is based on sustainability. It
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is the management’s mission to show that tourism and ecology can go hand in hand. Owner and CEO Dr. Clemens Ritter von Kempski, has been interested in sustainable forestry and the questions raised by climate change since the 1990s, so it was only nat-
Earning the title climate-neutral did not happen overnight. After an 18.5 million Euro investment, the hotel now uses 100% green electricity, works with local producers, has its very own water treatment system and pellet heating as well as water and energy saving features in each of their 98 rooms and suites. And those are just a few
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Discover Germany | Culture & Lifestyle | Great Short Trip Destinations this Autumn in Germany
state’s tourism award ”Vorreiter”(pioneer) and is often held up as a shining example since it is also the first climate-neutral hotel in Central Germany. A green spa is possible It is remarkable how efficiently the hotel has embedded this fantastic approach, even incorporating it into their new spacious wellness world.Yet what looks effortless is in fact the result of hard work and commitment to the cause, something that is increasingly appreciated by today’s sophisticated and nature-conscious traveller.
Culture & Lifestyle
Great Short Trip Destinations this Autumn Germany
of the ever-optimised methods, which make the hotel unique in its comprehensive approach.The staff are well trained not only in hospitality but also in sustainability and can advise on green travel arrangements. “What makes our wellness hotel quite special is our careful handling of natural resources, which is incredibly complex, consistent and based on achieving long-term results,”says hotel manager Susanne Kiefer. In 2009 the hotel was presented with the
At Schindelbruch guests can enjoy luxury with a clear conscience. The excellent spa area measures 2,500 square metres and includes a large family-friendly swimming pool as well as a newly built bathhouse with a second larger pool for guests over 14 years. “Natural materials promote a cosy atmosphere and invite one into a kingdom of rest. Lights, acoustics, colours and fabrics are harmoniously aligned and allow guests to immerse themselves in our sensual water world. In various relaxation rooms, guests can unwind on heated waterbeds or vibration loungers whilst looking at the beautiful landscape outside. And on our roof terrace we have comfy sun loungers,” SPA manager Tanja Peters says enthusiastically. Various treatments and training sessions can be booked individually. Also worth mentioning is the hotel’s sauna village, which is comprised of four different types of saunas, such as the steam or fragrant sauna. All the saunas are connected through the rustic village square, which transforms into a romantic outdoor backdrop as the fireplace and candles are lit in the evening, making it in a firm favourite with guests.
Three restaurants, the bar and the garden café make sure food and wine lovers are well cared for. Chef Markus Koindek spoils guests with local culinary delights and finds his inspiration in the surrounding nature. Dishes of wild game and freshly caught trout come highly recommended. “The membership in the Slow Food Association stands for the thoughtful handling of food, for freshness, liveliness and health,”Kiefer adds. A lot to discover With its forests and cliffs, the Harz area is perfect for outdoor activities such as walking, hiking and climbing. The famous Brocken is the highest mountain in northern Germany and can also be reached by a charming steam engine. On guided tours nature enthusiasts can visit the moors, hidden orchid meadows and caves. Nearby lies the picturesque first historic European town of Stolberg with its historical half-timbered houses. Monuments and castles throughout the Harz remember a forgotten time of kings and emperors, who left their mark more than a thousand years ago. The staff are happy to point out many more attractive destinations for culture and art fans, for sporty guests or history buffs. But you can also just stroll around the hotel’s own forest and enjoy the comforts of nature while keeping the accommodation and spa in close proximity. The fabulous facilities at Schindelbruch allow guests to regain their natural balance. Indulging in luxury without harming our planet is more than just a holiday; it is a lifestyle to take home with you. www.schindelbruch.de
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Mi Casa es su casa es ‘La Casa’ Hospitality, fine cuisine and an oriental oasis in the southwest of Germany – whether you are visiting or here on business, Hotel La Casa in Tübingen will make every wish come true. TEXT: LEONIE PUSCHER | PHOTOS: HOTEL LA CASA TÜBINGEN
If you want to feel like you’re on the other side of the world but you don’t fancy travelling too far around the globe, then the beautiful Hotel La Casa is the place to go. In southwest Germany’s city of Tübingen, you can experience a unique oriental stay with a relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff and fine cuisine guaranteed. Be prepared for love at first sight.Your arrival in the well-decorated entrance hall will immediately get you in the mood to relax. While a pianist provides the soundtrack to your welcome, a small fountain in the centre of the entrance hall catches your eye.The family-owned five star hotel was built and decorated by the owners themselves.Taking
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inspiration from the Iberian peninsula, the European Orient, the design emits an unparalleled feeling of freedom with its special light and color choices. With stone elements from southern Spain, lamps from Venice and mosaic from the Provence, the owners have succeeded in creating a truly special atmosphere.“Hospederia La Casa” is the philosophy the staff aspires to: Welcome to a different world. Thirty-four individually decorated rooms welcome guests with elegance and a Mediterranean touch. The hotel also offers five suites and apartments with fully-fitted kitchens; this is where you sit back and enjoy a bit of peace and quiet.
Do you feel stressed and exhausted? Not for much longer: the La Casa has an extensive array of facilities to pamper your senses.The wellness facilities are located on the upper floors, including a rooftop with stunning views over the surrounding area. The two areas, La Casa Spa and Arabic Bath & Hamam, will allow you to forget about work and chores. The look of the facilities reflects warmth and ocean freshness. If this is not enough, you can enjoy the hotel’s sauna, massages, cosmetic treatments, steam bath or tepidarium, which are comforting and purifying on all levels. The hotel’s own restaurant offers guests top class dining and promises tingling taste buds. Thanks to its Mediterranean feel, every evening feels like a lovely summer evening in the La Casa. The menus are an exquisite composition of amuse bouche, appetizers, intermediate courses, sorbets, main courses and a selection of cheeses or
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Discover Germany | Hotel of the Month | Germany
desserts. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays your meal is accompanied by live piano music, and in summer you can enjoy your meal on the lovely garden terrace. Alongside the first-class menus, the hotel also offers a la carte dishes, typical Swabian meals and different pastas. The tasteful journey doesn’t quite stop here though; all the ingredients are carefully selected from local, organic farmers to ensure that only the freshest and best ingredients are served. For ultimate variety, the menu changes weekly.
Hotel
of the Month Germany
Whether you are on vacation and looking to relax, travelling through and in need a good rest or are here for business to use one of the hotel’s conference rooms, the hotel has endless possibilities. The friendly staff make it their mission to make sure you feel welcome and carefree. Courteous, alert and always there to make your stay as enjoyable as possible, the staff of the hotel La Casa have received excellent visitor reviews. Made up of great personalities, the team works in a familial-like atmosphere, which is positively received by the guests.
In addition to the regular entertainment from the local pianist, La Casa also offers a number of special events. For example, make the most of an exquisite brunch that will leave you with nothing else to wish for. Sparkling wine, a large selection of juices and a great variety of food: egg dishes, salmon and fish specialties, cheese and sausages, fresh fruit, homemade Bircher muesli, sweet cut-up pancakes and waffles and much more. If that’s not enough, they also serve a variety of starters, two main courses with side dishes and dessert varieties. This brunch is accompanied by live classical piano music and evergreens with Reimer Treplin. Dates for out of the ordinary brunches are the 5th of October 2014, 9th of November and the 7th of December. If you feel like experiencing an extraordinary evening, you should not miss the “Pasadena Roof Orchestra”.Their fourth live performance in the hotel La Casa guarantees an evening you will never forget.The intimate concert evening is a feast throughout as an exclusive seven course menu will complement the evening. www.lacasa-tuebingen.de
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Autumnal short-breaks and tidal treasures Over two hundred years ago the first bathing house was built in Lower Saxony’s Cuxhaven. Today, a quick glance at Google Maps is all we need to tempt us to visit this unspoilt coastal area of northern Germany. TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: CUXLAND-TOURISMUS
Set in amongst the Wadden Sea National Park, the tranquil region of Cuxland, which stretches from the North Sea to the rivers of Elbe and Weser, is one of Germany’s bestkept holiday secrets. A state-recognised seaside wellness resort for almost fifty years, it attracts hordes of holidaymakers seeking that much desired fresh sea breeze and an almost unparalleled level of natural beauty. Perhaps more than any other coastal region, the Wadden Sea’s appeal comes from its ebbs and flows, from the natural forces that shape the landscape, from its thou-
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sands of years of evolution. Since the Ice Age, the sea’s omnipotence has created a flat panorama, one that changes in an instant as the tide comes in. Where fresh water meets salt water, birds soar above and crabs scuttle across the sand, its importance was recognised officially in 2009 as the Wadden Sea was granted a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Running from Denmark through to the Netherlands, it’s the Lower Saxony area of Germany that tempts Discover Germany on a trip during autumn, an ideal time for some outdoor exhilaration, local culinary treats and natural wonders.
Coastal comfort Whether you’re reclining in one of the iconic German beach chairs on one of Cuxland’s white sandy beaches or kicking back amongst the daisies on a grassy expanse of coast, this seashore couldn’t be more inviting. As the kites circle above, held aloft by the ever-present gentle breeze, a picnic and a ball game are called for. In the port town of Cuxhaven, the shore has been developed and a 1.5 kilometre promenade is now present. Not just easy on the eye, it works as yet another sea defence, while also providing space for outdoor cafes and chilled-out areas from which you can gaze over the expanse of sea. Despite the odd lighthouse and harbour, it’s the vastness of the mudflats and the salt-
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Discover Germany | Culture & Lifestyle | Great Short Trip Destinations this Autumn in Germany
marshes that draw the eye in. Home to remarkable nature, seals are prone to wallow on the sandbanks and there are seahorses lurking in the shallows. Hiking as you’ve never experienced it before Mudflat hiking, one of the region’s most popular activities, is the key to one of those precious memories that you can cherish for years. Enticed by the fauna, flora and 10,000 different species of land and water-living animals, a barefoot hike across the mudflats to one of the Wadden Sea islands gives you a rather different experience to the usual stroll through a town. With various routes possible, each one strictly marked to avoid dangerous tidal areas, Discover Germany has chosen a route that spans 10km from the port of Cuxhaven to the island of Neuwerk. Given the tides, it’s a journey against the clock but one that can be enjoyed at leisure. For those less keen on cleaning between their toes, there are quite a few carriages drawn by horses who are more than willing to make the crossing to the island and for morning risers, there’s one ferry that crosses to and from on a daily basis. More to the Wadden Sea than meets the eye
chitecturally impressive, it provides you with a sea of knowledge to accompany you on your exploration of the region, while also introducing you to everything that resides there – including, of course, Gabi the hermit crab. Peering into her aquarium, try and spot the delightful sea urchins and fellow creatures that share the space. Getting there The region of Cuxland includes Beverstedt, Cuxhaven, Hagen, Hemmoor, Lamstedt, Loxstedt, Otterndorf, Schiffdorf, Stadt Geestland, the Wingst and the Wurster Nordseeküste. These locations are all suitable bases while on holiday for wider exploration of the region. www.cuxland.de
Left from top to bottom: The 12km stretch of sandy beach and Cuxhaven's landmark, the Kugelbake. An aerial view over Cuxhaven with the islands of Neuwerk and Scharhoern visible. A fishing boat in Wremen passes by the Kleiner Preuße lighthouse. Nordholz's jetty into the Wadden Sea. Below: The Wadden Sea's mudflats render it one of the world's most remarkable areas of natural beauty Bottom: The fishing boat habour in Nordholz-Spieka
Spread across the Wadden Sea National Park are several interactive and inspirational visitors’centres. Directly on the mudflats stands the Cuxhaven visitors’ centre, where an experienced guide waits patiently for the right moment to cross the mudflats. Placing our trust in the guides and their knowledge of the tidal flows, we prepare for a hike like no other. Before embarking on a mudflat hike it’s vital to ensure that the tide is on your side. With a packed schedule of workshops, guided tours, mudflat hikes, bike rides, seminars and craft sessions, the site at Cuxhaven gives you much more than just an overview of the nature, it’ll take you on a complete journey through the habitable mudflats. Top left, main image: A popular way to make the crossing over the mudflats is by the 'Wattwagen', a traditional horse and cart. Photo: Nordseeheilbad GmbH
Speaking of habitats, the region’s second visitors’ centre in Dorum-Neufeld has just undergone a very striking renovation. Ar-
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The Garden Kingdom of Germany Retracing history, everything seems untouched in the Garden Kingdom of DessauWoerlitz, creating an incomparable cultural landscape with palaces, gardens and countless intricate architectural creations. A masterpiece of architecture and gardening, it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
tury fit harmoniously into the landscape. The country house in Woerlitz, built between 1769 and 1773, has since become known as the first fully-furnished NeoClassical building in Germany.
TEXT: MERYEM HAUER | PHOTOS: KULTURSTIFTUNG DESSAU-WOERLITZ
Leopold III Friedrich Franz Prince of Anhalt-Dessau is regarded as the creator of the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Woerlitz, which is located between the Elbe and Mulde rivers. After travelling Europe, and England in particular, the prince returned inspired and in 1764 the monarch began to transform the landscape according to the English model.
buildings, sculptures and various plants. The basic principle was to combine the useful with the pleasant.
”It is now infinitely beautiful here” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1778)
Initially he focused on the gardens of Gorlitz, which became the first landscape garden in Continental Europe. In cooperation with his friend and architect, Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff, Prince Franz created each one of the gardens in a new style by involving the existing countryside meadows. To embellish the landscape, he added
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Connoisseurs like to call it the birthplace of landscape gardening in Continental Europe because of its unique fusion of culture, nature and art. Nowadays, it covers an area of about 142 square kilometres. The buildings constructed in the 17th and 18th cen-
Built between 1788 and 1794, the Stein island in the gardens of Woerlitz is a spectacular attraction as Europe’s only artificial volcano. The island with its grottos and caves, the artificial volcano and the Villa Hamilton represent the memories Prince Franz collected from his visits to Italy. What makes the Garden Kingdom still unique nowadays is the diversity of epoch styles, ranging from Baroque, Rococo and Classicism to Bauhaus architecture. Within the narrowest of spaces, the visitor is able to experience these differences in their full beauty. A unique cultural landscape Constructed between 1773 and 1813, the Gothic House heralded the beginning of
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the Neo-Gothic style. Over a period of forty years, the area around Dessau grew and became interconnected to other gardening projects as well as to some existing gardens like Oranienbaum and Mosigkau.The landscape seemingly has a life of its own, as over the ages it has turned into an architectural encyclopaedia from classical antiquity to the modern age.
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Princess Anna Wilhelmine into a foundation for unmarried noble ladies, which existed until 1945. Another significant sight within the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Woerlitz is the Georgium. It was created by Prince Johann Georg, the younger brother of Prince Franz, in 1780 and it is named after him.
Top left: Chinese house in Oranienbaum Gardens Top middle: Toleranzblick in Woerlitz Top right: Lake Concert in Woerlitz
In 1683, the Dutch architect Cornelis Ryckwaert began the construction of Oranienbaum on behalf of Princess Henriette Catharina of Orange-Nassau. With this work, a balanced, mainly Dutch-inspired Baroque garden was created. After the death of the princess, her son Leopold only used the house as a hunting lodge, but later generations took care of the palace and gardens again. The palace of Mosigkau is also considered a pearl of the Rococo period, as it is one of the last works remaining from this period. Inside the palace are 17 rooms, partly originally furnished. Furthermore, Mosigkau has an exclusive art collection of Flemish and Dutch painters. Originally built in 1752, the house was converted after the death of
The Luisium, the Neo-Classical country seat of Princess Louise of Anhalt-Dessau, the wife of Prince Franz, is one of the most idyllic areas within Dessau and Woerlitz. The delightful house has most of its original furnishings and was built between 1774 and 1778 by Prince Franz. The cubic building is a typical example of Erdmannsdorff’s architecture and it is influenced by the famous Italian architect Andrea Palladio. The English-style landscape is surrounded by a number of Neo-Gothic and Neo-Classical pieces of architecture, such as the Schlangenhaus, the Orangery and the Ruined Arch. The view leads from the Luisium towards the church in Waldersee, which is crowned by a striking obelisk. Its tower contains the tomb with the remains of the princely couple.
Above left: Luisium Castle Above right: Great Hall in Gothic House
Near the old fishing village of Vockerode, where the river Elbe makes a bend, Prince Franz created a woodland park. This historically important area served as a meeting point for Prince Franz’s diplomatic negotiations at the time when some minor German princes formed a secret alliance against the House of Habsburg. A little spa was built to ease Prince Franz’s disease as he suffered from rheumatism. Additionally, an underground pipe system was established to provide a water supply. www.gartenreich.com
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Discover Germany | Business | Solicitor Column
Pension Potty Training TEXT & PHOTO: GREGOR KLEINKNECHT
If you are anything like me, and in fact probably like most other people, few things will make you glaze over more quickly than the word ”pensions”. Assuming that you are, again like me, of average intelligence and reasonably educated, you will have, like me, no idea what the difference is between a personal pension, a stakeholder pension, an occupational pension, a group pension and a workplace pension, if there is any difference, or what bits of pension you have with what provider, which took over your previous provider who merged with the provider before that. You may at best have a vague idea where the box of unopened letters marked ”pension stuff” is in your attic. You may have lost track of how and when you are allowed to save money and what the tax thresholds and tax rates are, given that ISAs that were here yesterday, have been replaced by NISAs for today, which will be replaced by something else again by tomorrow. You may also share the view that only two bodies are guaranteed to do well out of your retirement: your pension provider and the government. I think there can be few countries anywhere whose pensions system is quite as fragmented and incomprehensible as the British system, and has been tinkered with more incessantly by every successive government in living memory. However, one thing is clear: I don't know about you but the maximum basic state pension of £113.10 per week for a single person is not going to see me through retirement gracefully. So, very helpfully, the current government, knowing that you and I can't be trusted with our own money, has come to our rescue by reforming pensions some more: not by clearing up the mess and creating a ”plain English” pension system, which pools pension information for each individual and makes it accessible through a single portal, or enables working people to engage with pensions and to understand how to save for their retirement in a predictable manner, but by deciding to add another layer of regulation on top of the existing system and attempting to force you into yet another pension scheme. This is called ”auto-enrolment”. You are not even allowed to
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opt out before you have been enrolled, only afterwards; the anticipation presumably being that many employees won't bother to go through the formalities of doing so. Even then the government will not take ‘no’as an answer and you will automatically be re-enrolled every three years – until you eventually give up opting out. The basic idea appears to be that every employee is, by hook or crook, a member of at least one workplace pension scheme. The employee puts in some money by way of payroll deduction, the employer makes a compulsory contribution, and even the government chips in by way of tax advantages. So hopefully there will be some form of pension at the end of the day for the government to tax, for the pension provider to charge management fees on, and maybe even to top up those weekly sums of £113.10. The auto-enrolment reforms sprang from a decade-long process that started in 2002 when the Turner Commission was set up to address long-standing concerns about the inadequacy of pension savings (or should that be pension legislation?) in the UK. The Pensions Act created the legislative foundation for reform in 2008 and a raft of detailed secondary legislation (there are more than 30 separate statutory instruments containing implementing legislation) has subsequently been brought into force. The original Pensions Act 2008 was amended by the Pensions Act 2011 and will be amended some more by the Pensions Act 2014.The Labour opposition has already indicated that they will carry on tinkering with the legislation even further should they come to power after the next election. Not surprisingly, a whole satellite industry of pension advisers has since sprung up to guide employers and employees through the thicket of piece-meal rules that do not exactly appear to be logically thought through and clearly structured. As matters stand, the following are some of the key aspects of the reforms as they are now being implemented: • All employers subject to the new employer duties are required automatically to enrol all eligible jobholders as an active member of an automatic enrolment scheme unless the job-
holder is already a member of a qualifying scheme. • The new employer duties are being implemented over a five-and-a-half-year staging period that started on 01 October 2012, larger employers passing their staging dates first, smallest coming last. • The employer of an eligible jobholder who has been auto-enrolled must pay mandatory minimum contributions to a defined contribution scheme or offer a minimum level of benefits in a defined benefit scheme. • Eligible jobholders have the right to opt-out of their employer's scheme but must automatically be re-enrolled every three years. • A jobholder is defined as a worker who ordinarily works in Great Britain under a contract (which need not be a contract of employment, need not be in writing, and need not be permanent), is aged between 16 and 75, and is paid qualifying earnings; but not all jobholders are eligible for auto-enrolment. Better go and get some advice then; be quick though before the rules change again …
Gregor Kleinknecht LLM MCIArb is a German Rechtsanwalt and English solicitor, and a partner at Hunters Solicitors, a leading law firm in Lincoln’s Inn. Hunters Solicitors, 9 New Square, Lincoln’s Inn, London WC2A 3QN, E-mail: gjk@hunters-solicitors.co.uk www.hunters-solicitors.co.uk
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www.econstra.de
econstra
速
mit
Trade Show for civil engineering, architecture and building maintenance
Architektenforum
The parallel congress
Find us on facebook
Q architecture and engineering Q structural fire protection Q construction methods Q consulting Q renewable energy
October 22 + 23 Exhibition Center Freiburg, Germany Access to the convention programme
Q infrastructure Q steel-, concrete-, reinforced concreteand timber constructions
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The best you, you can be For Markus Püttmann, business photography is more than just creating a good first impression. It’s all about who you are, what you have to offer, and what makes you unique. TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: MARKUS PÜTTMANN
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In today’s fast-paced business world, convincing professional images are crucial – whether they’re for an application, an online profile, a corporate strategy, or attracting new employees and customers. In order to
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Discover Germany | Business | Markus Püttmann Photography
present yourself in the best possible light, it makes sense to consult a professional business photographer like Markus Püttmann. “My specialty is that I spend time with the people to figure out what effect they would like their photos to have as opposed to what they want to look like,”explains the experienced business photographer who prefers to specialise in the field he has spent years perfecting. “Those who become true experts are those who concentrate on one specialist subject instead of trying to be good at everything. In my case, it’s the authentic portrayal of people and companies, the liveliness of personalities, their accessibility and credibility. My portraits are filled with honesty and authenticity.”
boost it: Make an impression – quietly and unobtrusively. Even impress yourself. Look at yourself and fall in love. And get some great inspiration.” Corporate imagery The business clients that approach Markus Püttmann include a wide range of professions such as entrepreneurs, self-employed freelancers, doctors, lawyers, attorneys, (tax) consultants and coaches, but also top managers. What they all have in common is the quest for the perfect imagery set that transfers their message as well as attracting new customers or employees. Images are key to understanding what makes a particular person or company special: The key to his, her or its authenticity, potential, strengths and essence. “My clients start thinking about what it is that their customers want to see from them,”says the photographer.“Unite your brand image with your identity. This way, you will find the customers that fit in perfectly with your business – simply because they share the same values as you. After all, relationships in the business world are not that different from love relationships. I will help you and your customers to ‘fall in love’ with each other. That’s the key to your success.”
But what is it that the German entrepreneur himself finds most fascinating about his work? “People who have found their place in the world and have established a connection to their inner core,”he reveals. “These people have a particular charisma for me. It’s difficult to describe. Have a look at my website, the people you see there have all had contact with their inner core – at least in that moment.” So regardless of what business goal you’re after, a coach like Markus Püttmann can certainly help you to find your core strength. www.markuspuettmann.de
Fall in love with yourself In addition to his photography venture, Püttmann also runs his own business coaching company called impulsraum and conveniently located just 20 minutes from Frankfurt airport. As a coaching expert, he has the advantage of knowing exactly how to create that convincing effect powered by people’s individual strengths.“Photography is 10% technical and 90% psychological,”he explains.“Coaching covers this part. It helps me to quickly engage with different personalities and their individual characters.” Püttmann is always trying to discover what is real about his clients and how to show this off to the outside world. “A portrait photo shoot does not only produce portraits; it is an emotional journey to your true self.‘What’s important to me and us? What defines me and us?’A portrait shows your inner attractiveness and can even
Employer branding When it comes to talent that drives your business forward, employer branding is the way to go.“It is all about what makes your company attractive as an employer,” Püttmann expands.“How do you impress the employees that you already have and those that you would like to have on board? Through photos, we can present people who have found their perfect workplace – at your company. In turn, they will attract those for whom working at your company could be the right fit, too.” If you’re after marketing goals, go for character boards. This is a range of photos of the same person aimed at different target groups that a company or a business professional is looking to win over. Using either a type 240 Leica M, a Canon 1D X or the 40 Megapixel medium format camera Hasselblad H5D as well as the highest possible quality of branded materials, you can be sure to expect premium products from Püttmann.
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In Arosa in Canton Graubuenden, at an elevation of 1,850 m, the famous Swiss architect Mario Botta constructed 'Light Trees' or 'Light Sails' covering the wellfeeling facilities of the Grand Hotel Tschuggen. ŠSwitzerland Tourism. swiss-image.ch/Christof Sonderegger
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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top 10 Swiss Architects
Special Theme
Top 10 Swiss Architects
Switzerland's architecture shows its strenghts
Switzerland’s home builders are to thank for the high standard of architecture in this country. As befits Switzerland’s discrete nature, illuminated towers are few and far between, and the grandest and the most expensive houses can be found elsewhere. Instead, it is the diversity and depth and breadth of quality that is impressive, stretching across the mountains and into the lowlands, from the border regions into the cities. TEXT: FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, PRESENCE SWITZERLAND | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE
The public sector plays a central role in Switzerland’s architecture culture. With many architectural competitions often won by public developers, this allows up-andcoming firms to step up to the professional market, and this type of contract procurement remains at the core of established firms as well. The close ties between policy makers, building owners and users benefit projects too. Architecture should rise above its regular function as the backdrop to our lives, reaching a more alert, more observational standpoint. It should, providing the observer is in certain circumstances receptive to beauty, be attractive. In addition, the work – at least to those with knowledge of the field – should be seen as a valid contribution to architecture as a discipline. The work should therefore be granted entry into the imaginary Museum of Architecture, yet not based on masterpieces of certain epochs, but instead each work should be considered in its own context. Nicolas Bideau, Head of Presence Switzerland
When we speak of Swiss architecture, we
could speak of realism.Yet this term, which continues to rear its head in discussions of architecture in Switzerland, is rather eclectic. However, it does capture one significant feature of this country’s architecture culture: its foundation in the concrete reality of the everyday, that is then duly interpreted and transformed into a distinctive work of art. Stemming from the polytechnic culture of problem solving, it is architecture that creates meaningfully valid pieces of work, which go far beyond appropriateness and purpose. Over the course of the last few decades, a considerable number of Swiss architects have received widespread international recognition. In the 1980s,Ticino’s Tendenza movement received extensive acclaim for its precise formality and artisanal qualities. Since the 1990s, German-speaking Switzerland and Romandie’s austere Minimalism has attracted similar attention. These trends have launched many architects to international fame, such as Ticino’s Mario Botta and the Basel-based Herzog & de Meuron. Anchored internationally, Switzerland’s architecture shows its strengths. Shaped by the constructive thinking of the engineers and the architects, it remains, despite its sensitivity, reserved and minimal. www.swissworld.org
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Aldo Cacchioli Exceptional, continuous and distinctive creativity in architecture After working for a renowned architectural office for more than fifteen years, Aldo Cacchioli successfully founded his own architectural office in 1997. To summarise Aldo Cacchioli’s ideas: “On the one hand, an architect has to think of the people, but on the other hand he has to accept challenges and let a certain amount of interference happen.” Residential projects are part of the architect’s current portfolio.
dices. For nearly 20 years, Cacchioli’s work has thrived on this concept.
TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: © MATTEO AROLDI
“When I think about our architectural office, I like to use the word‘atelier’and think of everything this term implies,”says Aldo Cacchioli. An atelier is the workplace of creative people with great and new ideas; for architecture, this means that every pro-
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ject is unique, each one is the product of exceptional, continuous and distinctive creativity. But it also means that an architectural project is influenced by its surroundings, the location and the inhabitants, without being restricted by preju-
Aldo Cacchioli © Chiara Tiraboschi
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lies in the province of Parma in Italy. After completing his PhD studies in Lugano, he worked as a project manager from 1981 to 1997 at a large architectural office in Locarno before founding his own independent architectural office in the same city. Initially the office counted just three staff members. Since then the number has constantly grown and today 14 skilled experts work in Aldo Cacchioli’s office. The team is responsible for the planning, the architectural management, the construction management, the cost control, the hand-over and the guarantee. Their main focus lies on single- or multi-family houses, but the office also designs commercial and administrative buildings. Tradition and new challenges are part of modern architecture Liberty in design is important for the architect Aldo Cacchioli. “Of course, sometimes a design is stretched to its technical or economic limits, but we always find a solution that pleases the client.”Not only does architecture constantly present new technical and technological challenges, the architect has to consider the art of construction and its ancient rules; tradition and new challenges go hand in hand.
Above: Casa Roes Below & right: Villa Urbana
The architectural office is constantly growing Head architect Aldo Cacchioli was born in January 1959 in Borgo Val di Taro, which
Villa Urbana in Ascona has a double façade and is reminiscent of Max Bill and De Stijl A prime example of a recently finished project is the Villa Urbana in Ascona, a building that plays with two independent frontages. The first façade is a closed wall that faces inwards towards the quarter, while the second one opens up towards the park. One side is made from quarrystone, which provides the surface with a vibrating optic as its colour changes according to the naturally shifting daylight. Inspired by Max Bill and De Stijl, the other side is linear and chromatic. Another great project in Ascona is the loft and atelier Casa Roes, which involved a complete renovation of an existing building and can be held up as a prime example of the aesthetic use of colour elements. Three new elements were used for the street-facing front façade: a socket (acting as a platform/foundation) on the ground floor, an arcade or portal that frames the public part of the building and at the same time is used as lookout point for the onebedroom studio on the first floor. Finally the façade ends with a high gable. The main part of the building is painted black while the upper balcony is bright red and
“Our common themes revolve around the use of certain forms and colour elements that can be found – in a diverse and independent way – in nearly all our projects. These reflect our philosophy and vision,” says Aldo Cacchioli.To get a better grasp of what this includes one could take a look at some of the architect’s more recent projects.
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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top 10 Swiss Architects Left: Eos Uno Bottom left: Due Vizi Right: Ca’roma Far right: Paola Bottom right: Villa Minusio
a sophisticated building for owner-occupied flats. Aldo Cacchioli has been successful in his attempt as his design speaks of originality, individuality and functionality, integrating two different main bodies in complex surroundings.
the new portal is made from grey concrete. Two residential buildings in Ascona display Aldo Cacchioli’s architecture and ideas The Residenza Eos Uno in Ascona is an entirely freely designed body without any restrictions to form or context.The body rests on a fixed, geometric structure. Two volumes, which were deliberately chosen to be different in form and material selection, are in contrast to each other, repel each other and finally harmonise. The first volume used is a monolith from Pietra Dorata [golden stone] with a rough surface. The
façade is composed of thick plates that determine the interior of the building. The second volume is a platform made of concrete that raises the building from the soil and defines its independence. Another Aldo Cacchioli residential project in Ascona is the Residenza Due Vizi that is defined by its irregular form. It is part of an as yet finished plan for the area.The idea for the building was inspired by the plot of land and its form is reminiscent of a triangle with a tip. The tip forms the northern part of the building area. The special layout as a triangle was a true challenge for the architects when planning and designing such
The first part of the building faces south towards the base of the triangle, the second part is aligned from east to west.The building has a strong architectural identity and embodies a simple rule: it allows its users, the architect’s client, and even the whole city, to have more than one perspective. Seen from different angles, the building changes its look and attitude constantly. A further bonus for the flat owners is the location’s good infrastructure. Ca’roma – terraces define the building structure A free form is the signature look of the Residenza Ca’roma in Losone with its alignment from north to south. Built in 2010 and 2011, the freedom in design is found in the different terraces in particular, as they vary in size and form, in expanse and height. The surface consists of exposed concrete and perforated aluminium plates line the terraces. As the main focus, the terraces define the building’s complete composition. Railway traffic was the challenge when designing the residential building Paola The Residenza Paola in Gordola lies in an urban area, south of the railway line be-
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ning standards. The building gains uniqueness by its use of materials and by incorporating a coloured wall in a dark but bright red.
tween Locarno and Bellinzona, therefore a noise-insulating wall had to be integrated into the design concept. The building’s body is covered with travertine tiles. While the first element is aligned along the railway line, the second element is designed to meet the city’s plan-
Using design elements to emphasize a building Last but not least, Aldo Cacchioli designed a villa in Minusio. He designed a spectacular renovation and expansion of a building from the 1960s. For this, he used protruding structures and slender, bent pillars. A wavy wall is the main outer element of
the building that forms the complete exterior of the building. This also serves as an element to separate the building and the developed part of the property from the rest of the valley. www.aldocacchioli.com
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The symbolism of a city Never one to shy away from challenging projects, the intimate team at the Zurichbased studio Hosoya Schaefer Architects are working on a range of projects, from large-scale urban redevelopments (most notably, Areal V-Zug) to public buildings and spaces, residential properties and multimedia installations. Something of a polymath, Hosoya Schaefer takes a wider approach to urbanisation. TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: HOSOYA SCHAEFER
The combination of Hosoya’s Japanese aesthetics, succinct urban planning and the team’s foresight has garnered the studio an international following since opening in 2003. Named after its founders, Hiromi Hosoya and the Swiss Markus Schaefer, the studio doesn’t limit itself to restrictive briefs and instead is dedicated to “the process of finding and formulating the correct question.” As vague as that sounds, an important part of their expertise, explains Schaefer, is how to understand a project in its larger context, leading them to a holistic and systematic approach to architecture and urban design.
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This altruistic manner of thinking has led the team to the fore of Swiss urban planning and testament to this is their position at the helm of this year’s Salon Suisse at the
Venice Biennale for Architecture 2014. Schaefer’s enthusiasm for this prolific venture is contagious as he outlines the studio’s discursive approach to Switzerland’s future, a topic they are broaching in a series of dialogues, under the title The Next 100 Years, Scenarios for an Alpine City State. Bottom: The graphic patterns of the AnAn restaurant were designed by a select group of young Japanese graphic designers. Photos: Iwan Baan Bottom, opposite page: The light and airy Butterfly House keeps the garden as the focal point. Photo: Visualisierung Rendertaxi
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Right, below: The project 'Europahof' on Zurich's Europaallee. Photo: Visualisierung Rendertaxi Left & below: VZug project. Photo: Visualisierung Rendertaxi
Right, middle: The Badrutt's Palace Hotel and an added extension to house a new NOBU restaurant. ® Adrien Buchet
based studio benefits from Hosoya’s Japanese roots, where architects have been forced to respond to radical urbanisation.“Japanese cities are fascinating in the density of experience they provide,”continues Schaefer.“Many functions that are private in European cities are public and shared in Japan. The individual consumes less space; communal spaces gain importance.” With Hosoya’s touch of Japanese design, the studio are ideally placed to deal with these matters in Switzerland.
The urban predicament The urbanisation of his home country fascinates Schaefer, which, he explains: “stubbornly resisted the accumulation of urban mass as well as of political power and built a federated, polycentric country held together by a perfectly oiled clock-work of infrastructure and common sense.”Across the Alpine landscape, there is, however, a growing dissatisfaction with services, he says.“The biggest gap is where the desire for urban convenience meets the idyllic dreams of living in the countryside. In Switzerland, the urban periphery is called the ‘agglomeration’ or ‘agglo’ for short. Neither urban nor rural, we are only gradually finding the tools to support this agglo.” The role of the architect While urbanisation appears to be inevitable, Switzerland’s attitude is uncertain. With space at a premium for ensuring our quality of life, architects and town planners have to not only tackle current infrastructure and administrative boundaries, but also the overwhelming necessity to find environmentally sound ways of accommodating this urbanisation. Yet the Zurich-
Regularly approached to take on more unconventional projects, ones demanding a wider, more holistic approach, Hosoya Schaefer enjoy a variety of projects.“Good clients who bring the right mix of tenacity in vision and openness for solutions are necessary for any good project,”says Schaefer keenly. “For such clients we travel the path together from initial idea to final result as a team. Such collaborations are ultimately what we live for.” Citing their areas of expertise as building design and realisation, media installations, strategic planning and consultants, the team of 12 full-time architects (specialists in urban design and/or technology) recognise that outside input can be invaluable in certain projects. In the light open-plan office there is also a scenographer and an art historian working alongside the team. Notable projects include a refurbishment for the iconic St Moritz landmark, Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, which now includes the celebrated NOBU restaurant. In Ain, France, the team’s efforts to create a second home alongside the client’s parents’ house, resulted in the delightfully light and airy so-
called butterfly house given its wing-like structure and the garden as the focal point. In Toronto, the studio created a unified image for four train stations on the new Union Pearson Express line, with London’s Winkreative developing the overall corporate identity. Relying on local and natural materials, and in collaboration with local firms, these stations are reaching the end of construction phase while the entire project has already won several international awards. A more long-term project that veers away from traditional architecture towards media comes in the form of MobiGlobe, a ‘visual databank’made in collaboration withVolkswagen that addresses questions relating to the future of transport, lifestyle, resources and city development. An infrastructure for culture Architecture projects in their wider context have an irrefutable appeal to Hosoya Schaefer, as Schaefer explains in his eloquent manner:“Cities feel right when they are built for people and their manifold ways of exchange, not cars or GPS systems. Cities resonate with us.They are an infrastructure for culture; they form us while we form them.” www.hosoyaschaefer.com
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Award-winning G3 Shopping Resort in Vienna. Rendering: ATP architects engineers Photo: ATP/Florian Schaller
ATP – a new DNA for integrated design ATP architects engineers, short ATP, is one of Europe’s leading architectural offices. What makes ATP special is its design culture: The architectural office is known as a pioneer of integrated design throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
explains the group’s constant growth, the well-developed structures and the outstanding know-how in this field of architecture.
TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN
A European architecture network
The renowned British architecture magazine BD listed ATP among the top three offices in continental Europe and amongst the top 35 worldwide. In 2013, IDA, the US-American Int’l Design Award, nominated ATP as architect of the year in the field of sustainable design and planning. A year later, in 2014, ATP were honoured with the Green Building Integrated Design Award. Integrated design 520 architects and engineers work for ATP at eight independent offices in Europe – five of which are situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. On average the ATP supervises 155 projects in 14 coun-
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tries. What all the offices have in common is their planning culture and the desire to make the world a little bit better by creating outstanding buildings. ATP is a pioneer in the area of integrated design, which involves the perfect interaction between architects, structural engineers as well as the engineers for building services and object monitoring – all of them in-house and integrated in the ATP offices’ teams. For the past 35 years ATP have been developing and refining this planning method that is uncommon for the DACHarea.Today, ATP is the only architectural office worldwide with an ISO 9001 certificated integrated design process. This also
ATP works internationally but has a clear focus on the European market.“We like to work together with people who have the same cultural identity and live for European values,”says Thomas Mattesich, Partner at ATP Munich, the first ATP office to open in Germany in 1989. www.atp.ag
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ATP Munich – a big player in the south of Germany ATP Munich was the first ATP office in Germany and today it is still one of the company’s main pillars. ATP Munich has been designing production and research facilities for the automotive industry for years, working for brands like Daimler, MAN or BMW. ATP Munich have also developed a prize-winning prototype for the German supermarket chain EDEKA Süd. Even before the ATP office in Munich was founded in 1989, ATP’s activity on the German market represented 50 per cent of the group’s overall work. Munich became the third ATP office after Innsbruck andVienna. “To open an office in Munich was the right decision,”says the company reflectively. ATP Munich is a success story. Soon after opening, the office won first place in a competition run by the Süddeutsche Verlag and could therefore be counted among the first league of design offices in Bavaria.Temporary offices in Leipzig, Dresden and Prague followed, cooperating closely with the office in Munich.Today ATP Munich has 70 members of staff, making it one of the big players in the Southern German architecture scene – especially when it comes to design buildings for automotive or retail use, as well as office buildings and hotels. Munich’s “Admin Schwabinger Tor”is set to be a fine example of a five star plus hotel with approximately 280 rooms. Central to the hotel is a building integral to the whole quarter as it links the surrounding buildings and functions in an energy-saving capacity.
To work most effectively on projects such as the Schwabinger Tor project, ATP uses modern planning tools. In 2008 ATP architects and engineers were one of the first offices in the German-speaking regions to use Building Information Modelling – an important step into the future. Today, all of the ATP offices work with virtual BIM building models that optimally depict the integrated design process, allowing obstacle-free planning and a smooth process promising strong results for clients as the process runs much more smoothly. Clients can virtually walk through the 3D-model of their buildings even during the early planning stages and simulate possible overheads in advance.
Below: Thomas Mattesich, Partner, ATP Munich. Photo: ATP/Becker Lacour Below middle: BMW-GAZ. Munich. Photo: ATP/Sandra Goldschmidt Bottom: Kemmelpark, Murnau. Aesthetic design for a retail park. Photo: ATP/Florian Holzherr Bottom left: E-center, Ingolstadt. Award-winning design: Corporate architecture EDEKA Süd. Photo: ATP/Engelhardt/Sellin
Even though ATP Munich’s main focus may be in the German region, the office works internationally too. “Often enough our German clients want us to accompany them to foreign countries,” says Thomas Mattesich, partner at ATP Munich. German companies operating in other European countries or worldwide rely on ATP to design their buildings not only in their home country but also abroad.
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Above left: Ansgaritor, Bremen - competition winner. Rendering: ATP Top right: Dresdner Bank ”Gallileo”, skyscraper, Frankfurt. Photo: ATP/Dziallas
ATP Frankfurt
Right above: Office/retail Göppingen, competition. Rendering: ATP
– a fast growing member of the ATP group ATP Frankfurt, formerly ATP N+M, is one of the most sucessful ATP offices. With its origins as a well-known Frankfurt architectural office, it has been reborn as part of the ATP group and the office has since gained a wider architectural spectrum and witnessed a return to success. In 2007 the well-known architectural office N+M – best known for its skyscrapers in “Mainhattan”in Frankfurt – needed to redefine itself when the founding fathers left the office. It became a member of the ATP group and therefore part of one of the leading architectural and engineering offices in the DACH area. Back in the fast lane in only five years “After being a full member of the ATP group for five intensive years, we can say today that we are able to plan and design outstanding buildings integrated and up to the highest standards,” says Ulf Bambach, partner at ATP Frankfurt. “In this short time we have brought the office back into the fast lane and increased our staff from 25 to
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70. ”This increase went hand-in-hand with the widening of their performance spectrum; ATP Frankfurt now also works with existing building stock in the housing industry, trade, industry and science alongside its previous (but ever present) competences of designing new high-rise offices and administration buildings. In the last three years ATP Frankfurt has won eight architectural competitions and is today expanding its portfolio towards healthcare buildings by establishing ATP health.
find individual solutions according to place and situation. We have a lot more potential – either with new buildings or in existence with current building structures.”This includes questions of sustainability and modern technology. With ATP sphere and ATP sustain, ATP runs its own research facilities. New insights and technological developments find their way into ATP planning processes – regardless of whether the projects are conducted by ATP Frankfurt, Munich or another of the younger offices.
Integrated design is well percieved “In our experience integrated design for complex challenges is well perceived especially in Germany, Austria and Switzerland,” says Ulf Bambach. “We are able to
Ulf Bambach, Partner, ATP Frankfurt. Photo: Becker Lacour
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ATP Zurich – a competence centre for residential buildings By integrating the domestic Zurich architectural office kfp into the ATP group some years ago, the new office strengthened ATP’s presence on the Swiss market, although ATP had worked for regular clients there before.
Today 35 employees work for ATP Zurich, more than twice as much as in the founding year of 2010. ATP Zurich functions as a competence centre for “residential construction”. Working together with other ATP offices they support each other in realising projects or exchanging staff and expertise. This network – of which ATP Zurich is part of – makes ATP unique.“Using the same planning tools company-wide enables a smooth and non-stationary staff employment,”says the ATP Zurich general manager Matthias Wehrle. Strategies according to the clients’ needs Clearly defined strategies and a full understanding of the client’s requirements are the basis for a successful project:“We know our clients’ needs and processes before we even make the first draft. If necessary, we help our client to develop a strategy and initiate a project.”All of this happens in a simultaneous and integrated process.“At the end of every stage we ensure that we are on track to meet the project’s aims, which are
Currently ATP Zurich is constructing a complex of 150 flats in Cham, Switzerland and a residential and commercial building for the Losinger Marazzi AG Zurich in Lenzburg, Switzerland. Situated in a former industrial area, the second example requires the firm to integrate the historical identity into a new and modern environment. Last but not least, ATP Zurich is planning a new watch production facility for IWC Schaffhausen.Together with the client, ATP is designing the manufacturing complex in line with the corporate identity and supports an optimised process layout by design.
outlined and defined before embarking on a project.” Successful projects In summer 2012 one of ATP Zurich’s more recent projects was finished: The BMG MIS research and production complex in Ulm, Germany – an industrial building requiring sound interaction of architecture, technical and media equipment. One of the key areas of their design was to make sure that this building did not resemble a factory, instead it should fit the urban context.
For Matthias Wehrle there is no recognizable “ATP-style” – rather, every project is unique and therefore treated as such to make it even more specific.“A project’s aim is the optimised synthesis of functionality, genius loci and the client’s own identity.”
Above: Matthias Wehrle, Managing Director, ATP kfp Zürich. Photo: ATP/Becker Lacour Bottom left: Morges – Gare Sud, Morges, CH. Competition. Rendering: ATP/Nightnurse Bottom middle: Zürcher Kantonalbank ZKB, Steinfels, CH. Photo: ZKB Bottom right: Im Lenz, Lenzburg, CH. Rendering: ATP/Atelier Achermann
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Corporate architecture beyond the obvious
OOS AG creates spaces on all scales Good architecture and good design can make a vital contribution to the effectiveness of brands, companies and institutions. Yet good design is not simply about looking good. Ideally, it also performs, converts, astonishes, arouses all senses and fulfils a purpose. TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE
OOS is in the business of purposeful design. The Zurich-based architecture and interior design firm specialises in corporate architecture and builds spaces and environments that create, establish and maintain an identity that resonates with clients and all its users. Driven by curiosity and creativity, they go beyond the obvious. OOS strive for innovation, added value and benefits for their customers – through planning spaces that
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embody a company’s culture on several dimensions. Because architecture surrounds everybody and everything, their approach is to consciously design intelligent and inspiring environments. “We create spaces on all scales, and design it comprehensively. Our team is made up of specialists in architecture, interior design, urban planning, scenography and branding. We transform the requirements, subjects and values of users and clients into a cus-
tomised spatial environment,” says the OOS management. Thinking with and for their clients The Swiss architects and design specialists Andreas Derrer and Christoph Kellenberger founded OOS in Zurich in December 2000. Both partners are members of the Management Board, which leads a team of 15 to 20 highly skilled and motivated architects. OOS’s open, airy and inspired studios in Zurich are the firm’s headquarters as
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Left, main image & right top and below: Novartis Cube – a multilevel and mix use building. © Damaris Betancourt
well as the melting pot for ideas, discussions and creative work. The young, ambitious and multicultural team and their trans-disciplinary approach set OOS apart from many other design firms in Switzerland.“Teamwork is a basic principle of our corporate culture. We place great value on transparent and solutionoriented dialogue. The interaction within the OOS team and in the network is based on a successful exchange of know-how, experience and ideas,”says OOS partner Andreas Derrer. The firm’s artistic inspiration and joy also comes from the passion of working with people; the process of directly liaising with clients and helping them to manifest their thoughts, ideas, visions and goals into an actual room, building, or surrounding.
the company states, a result of tailor-made adventures that explore the many facets of a client’s company culture or vision. Eventually, with their creative work, OOS wants to trigger emotion, convey, create and represent a corporate identity and increase productivity or service. From the first project phase of planning and consulting, OOS always looks at spaces holistically. Their perceptions of an environment are consciously controlled on all sensory levels (sight, hearing, smell, touch, surface, taste). By merging different concept levels (including organisation of space, materialisation, lighting, construction, acoustics, furniture, structure, facade) the team can propose a unique, holistic project that has an intimate yet professional atmosphere. Lean processes and holistic methods
Moving the abstract towards identity Corporate Architecture is the conscious design of spaces and atmospheres in which a company or institution can express their values, culture and goals. According to OOS, it is a three-dimensional, spatial and emotional form of communication that can create differentiation and a strong identity. This relatively new form of architecture optimises the use of space, expressions and atmosphere that attract customers (outwards) and also motivate employees in their work (inwards).
While OOS places great emphasis on both the content and the quality of their designs, the same demands hold true for an effective and efficient cost and process management. “We make use of forward-looking technologies (BIM, Parametric Design, etc.) as well as lean processes in all the phases of consulting, design and planning,”explains the OOS management.
OOS know that building an identity is a strategic process. It means moving away from the abstract ideas of buildings and environments in their isolated form. Rather, they incorporate all contexts and seek to provide specific insights into the tradition, the functioning and the self-understanding of businesses and working or living spaces. A holistic approach to building Above & far above: Novartis Basel – a multilevel and mix use building. Bottom left: OOS studio, Zürich Bottom right: CLAUDIA - House of Sounds, Zürich. © Michael Egloff
Certainly, a large part of the firm’s success is their drive to support and promote communication and increased productivity, and quality of life through atmospheric and spatial organisation. Their designs are, as
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Above & left: Wüest+Partner office, Zurich. © Damaris Betancourt Below: Urban development project, First District, Zurich
“In addition to our wide experience, we continually observe new trends and developments and ensure that the knowledge gained flows into the projects. A trans-disciplinary approach and holistic methods characterise the development process and the results of our work.” In the last few years and up until to now, the firm has completed numerous success-
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ful projects that range from temporary shops and showrooms, to corporate offices, health clinics, catering establishments (restaurants, bars), hotel buildings, manufacturing plants, and industrial and laboratory buildings. Through their strategic approach and by focusing on the needs and goals of customers, users and other stakeholders, their solutions have always proved to be innovative yet effective.
Successful projects and moving forward The OOS team has worked with a variety of customers and industries, from start-ups like Urban Farmers to global corporations such as Novartis or IBM. A recent example of their work is the project Claudia-House of Sounds, a space where musicians, creative start-ups and entrepreneurs work, create and bring life into the rough industrial environment.
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Other highlights in the history of the young firm include their house for the only Swiss astronaut, a ”James Bond” house design in the Brazilian jungle, the remodelling of a 16th century castle, and the transformation of the Old Stock Exchange in Zurich into a modern exchange of knowledge and ideas for a leading real estate consulting firm.This project expertise in a broad range of industries, creative strategy consulting and interior designs, strengthen OOS’s vision to develop their corporate architecture branch even further. Recognition and awards In addition to their on-going projects, the team has also been recognised with design awards and nominations for their creative work. They are currently nominated for the German Design Award – Nominee 2015 (Claudia\Dental Club Luzern). Previously, OOS Architects won the AIT International Retail Application Award 2011 – Best Shop Concept (Reichmuth), the IALD Lighting Design Award 2002, Special Citation – Glowing Wall, and the Swiss Art Award 2011 – ENTER OO(S)PACE IV. “WE CORPORATE DESIGN THE FUTURE” Having worked in many branches and successfully mastered a plethora of projects, OOS
is confident and excited to help shape the future of corporate design solutions. Within the next decade, the firm seeks to specialise and focus even further by customising and helping companies translate their vision into enticing designs. This future development also applies to their own company.
nities and career prospects. And we will accompany companies and brands in the future. Our vision is that ”WE CORPORATE DESIGN THE FUTURE.”
“We will continue to create a high-performance team with development opportu-
Above: Albert Reichmuth wine store, Zürich. © Dominique Marc Wehrli
www.oos.com
Below: Dental Club, Lucerne. © Claudia Luperto
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Every building is unique Quality before quantity – that is one of the main principles of Mueller Sigrist Architects, a dynamic company with the aim to provide sustainable building methods and long-term benefits for society. Their buildings have the ability to change the whole identity of the surrounding environment in an entirely natural way. TEXT: MERYEM HAUER | PHOTOS: MUELLER SIGRIST ARCHITECTS
The newly built Festival Hall Pentorama captivates admirers from far beyond the borders of Amriswil, a small village in Switzerland. It took three years to create this beautiful copper giant, which had its ceremonial opening in November 2007. A historical village, Amriswil is first mentioned as Amalgeriswilare in the year 799 and now the region counts 11,500 residents and the community flourished thanks to its textile industry. Since 1907 people have celebrated every festivity in the original hall,
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which was located directly in the centre of the village. Mueller Sigrist Architects from Zurich then received the mission to build a new Festival Hall. With their design for the new building, they aimed to create a connection between the village and its surrounding landscape.
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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top 10 Swiss Architects Left, main image: Festival Room inside the Festival Hall. Photo: Hannes Henz Bottom left: Festival Hall. Photo: Hannes Henz Bottom right: House in Bern. Photo: Ariel Huber
The Pentorama now acts as a magnet for the region as well as enticing lovers of culture and art there. According to the motto of Amriswil, ‘Living the Culture’, the venue provides enough space for concerts, banquets, events and other festivities. A fascinating building that hides the inner life in a clever and elegant way through the closed facade. The entrance area offers a brief glimpse of the mystery behind the 28 tonnes of copper, which allows a seamless transition from the roof to the facade. But that is all part of the plan. The building is supposed to be full of life and therefore the surface was shining during the grand opening and it is gradually changing its colour. The sculpturally concise impression of the building is created through the use of copper, concrete and steel as the main materials. Once inside, there is a pentagonal central festival room and the full effect of the impressive tent-like roof can be seen above
the heads of the visitors. While one panoramic window looks at the landscape, the others are hidden behind perforated plates. Wood panelling embellishes the festival room, which contains acoustic-enhancing, oblong-shaped holes for an unforgettable sound experience. With the installed special illumination system it is possible to adjust the light to suit the particular mood. Special perforations, colour designs and lighting communicate an impression of a textile-like surface. It was very important for the architects to integrate the background of the Amriswil village, which has long excelled in the textile industry. Hundreds of heat pumps that use underground pipes supply the Pentorama with energy in a sustainable way. The Festival Hall stands out first and foremost for this economical exemplary function.To describe the Pentorama Festival Hall in three words: ideology-free, empiric, pragmatic.
Passionate to be one of the best But who are these passionate architects with the far-sighted attitude? Mueller Sigrist Architects was established in 2001 by Peter Sigrist and Pascal Mueller, and a third partner, Samuel Thoma, joined them in 2007. The company is now able to call several awards their own: the Award for Marketing and Architecture in 2010; the Award for Good Buildings in 2011; and the Europe 40 under 40 Award in 2009, to name just a few. Furthermore, the architects also double as teachers, inspiring the next generation. Pascal Mueller was visiting professor at the Bern University for Architecture between the years 2010 and 2012. At the Tongji University in Shanghai, Peter Sigrist acted as a visiting teacher in 2010.The architects gain acceptance through their interest in taking architecture beyond ideological principles and dogmatic architectonic attitudes.
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Architecture as a reflection of society One challenging project stands out for Pascal Mueller and Samuel Thoma: the cooperation with the cooperative Kalkbreite, which involved 97 apartments and commercial premises in the city centre, behind the train station of Wiedikon, Switzerland. With environmental awareness and sustainability of
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the utmost significance for the architects, instead of an underground parking, the building has 300 ground level parking spaces for bicycles.The first tenants moved into the new city sector, as it is called by the developers, during April 2014. The tram depot of the Zurich Public Transport was integrated into the project too, posing a unique plan-
ning challenge for the team. Living space overlaps with public transport and industry within one building as the whole area encloses the tram depot and presents itself in a yellow-orange-blue cover. While many of the apartments do not have a private outdoor area, that is all part of the
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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top 10 Swiss Architects Left: Kalkbreite yard. Photo: Martin Stollenwerk Bottom, from left to right: Kalkbreite outdoor. Photo: Michael Egloff; Kalkbreite living space cluster. Photo: Martin Stollenwerk; Kalkbreite foyer. Photo: Martin Stollenwerk. Rendering: Atelier Brunecky Bottom right: Suurstoffi visualisation
concept to bring people together within one of the community areas, such as the shared kitchen, garden, cafeteria, studio or roof terrace. Of course, most people need to get used to the glass entrance doors and the open view into their apartments. But communal living has its advantages and it is part of the concept to find tenants who are interested in sharing space and living in a social, economic and ecological way. The green roof terrace, located 8.5 metres above the city, offers a beautiful view and can be used by anyone for free, also by non-tenants.Thanks to the integrated playground as well as a day-care centre, the new building has also become a centre of attraction for families. As with all of their projects, sustainable energy provision was an absolute must for the architects. The air conditioning equipment has energy-optimised components as well as efficient heat recovery systems. Additionally, photovoltaic
systems have been installed on the roof to use the produced energy for the building control system and the operation of the heat pumps. A wooden construction settlement During 2010 the construction of what is currently the biggest wooden construction settlement within Central Switzerland began. Having been founded by the Zug Estates Group, Mueller Sigrist Architects received an offer to be part of this construction project. The client was convinced by the fact that one of their main ideas is that the work integrates itself into the surrounding environment confidently. Through multi-sided apartments it is possible to realise versatile views and to leave common line structures behind. Point-like building seems to be a new trend, which may lead to higher quality outdoor spaces.
A combination of high glazing to 3-4 sides and open relationships between the living and cooking areas create oases for wellbeing. The facade has a direct connection to the wooden constructions on the inside, these are built as ventilated wood casings. The area itself has apartments for 1,500 tenants, 2,500 jobs within the commercial premises as well as an after-school care centre. Wooden surfaces need to be protected by weather protection, and it is thanks to exactly this lacquering method that gives each building a shimmering silver surface.The whole area is operated with zero CO2 emissions and completely free of pollutants. Wasted heat during the summer is collected and stored with underground pipes, meaning that it is efficient to heat up the pumps during winter and results in an economic energy cycle throughout the year. www.muellersigrist.ch
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The perfect blend of old and new Zurich-based architectural practice Pfister Schiess Tropeano & Partner Architekten AG impeccably masters the art of combining beautiful old buildings with forward-thinking installations necessary for the security of the future. TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: PFISTER SCHIESS TROPEANO & PARTNER ARCHITEKTEN AG
In today's crisis-ridden architectural industry, it's not always easy to establish an architectural practice and then stay afloat over the years. Talent and qualifications are needed, of course, as is the ability to adapt.
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The architects that really stand out nowadays are the ones who are not afraid to embark on a project with a particular idea in mind and then totally discard this first idea because the circumstances have changed.
Another important factor that sets one architectural practice apart from another is a varied portfolio too. In Switzerland, celebrated architect’s office Pfister Schiess Tropeano & Partner Architekten AG is clearly a company that embraces a challenge and can present an impressive portfolio including many distinctive projects and prizes.“In job interviews with new applicants we always hear that it is our versatility that makes our architectural practice so different from
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weakness. Something we’ve noticed is that the competition is getting increasingly fierce, as many architects become better experts in their field. At the same time, traditionally craft-oriented architecture faces new challenges due to the fact that the financial crisis has made property an attractive investment object once again.” Flexibility is key
Left & above: Villa Patumbah. Photos: Pfister Schiess Tropeano Bottom right: Jumbo Arbon. Visualisation: Vis-Steffen-3d
others,” says Rita Schiess, one of the main architects at Pfister Schiess Tropeano & Partner Architekten. “We work on entirely new constructions as well as on old buildings, investment buildings and cultural landmarks. And we do both the planning and the realization of these projects.”Within the German-speaking Swiss architecture market, it has become particularly important to set one’s company apart from the competition as Rita Schiess recounts:“The market is small and has clear boundaries. The fact that the same players encounter each other in different constellations again and again is this market’s strength as well as its
Given the competitive nature of the market, it is crucial for any architectural practice to act with flexibility, so that plans can be changed quickly if an unforeseen factor suddenly arises. Luckily, flexibility is a core strength of Pfister Schiess Tropeano & Partner Architekten. Their highly qualified masterminds often have to think outside the box as every building task is different. The main question the architects have to ask themselves every time is whether or not an already existing building can continue to‘live’. That’s why they simply cannot use the same procedure for every project.“Instead, a rational and architectural design analysis determines our approach to a particular project,” explains Schiess. “The complexity of building tasks has grown a lot. New constructions usually require conversions and the other way round, the boundaries between pure new construction and pure conversion increasingly combine and disappear.” This is precisely why Pfister Schiess Tropeano & Partner Architekten’s website
simply says that the architecture designed by their team is precise, persistent, economical, quick and always exciting. This sentence captures the fundamental difficulty of an architectural plan.“In particular, that’s pursuing the most different design sketches under pressure and over the duration of several years,” adds Schiess.“What really helps us to do this is the variety of our building tasks and the internal discussions in our office.” Villa Patumbah One example of how Pfister Schiess Tropeano & Partner Architekten have solved the numerous challenges of a complex historical building restoration is embodied in the Villa Patumbah in Zurich – a project conducted between 2010 and 2013. Originally built between 1883 and 1885 by Swiss merchant Karl Fürchtegott Grob, who had made his fortune on tobacco plantations in Sumatra, the villa combines the historical architecture of the time with its owner’s exotic vision. Elements of Gothic, Baroque,
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Renaissance, East Asia, Art Nouveau, Swiss Domestic Revival and the Industrial Age can all be found within the beautiful building, which nowadays also serves as the head office of the Swiss Heritage Society. Because the technical equipment installed in the 19th century was long out of date and various conversions had damaged installations and paintings, the project
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proved a highly tricky one for the architects. They had to find ways to renovate the faรงade, the roof and the terraces. They also had to start a long quest for the ideal solution of how to integrate modern technology in a manner that would be invisible and cause no damage. Finally they had to unite all the rooms, including the adjoining rooms, into the all-encompassing design
concept. Due to the many artistic connections that were only discovered when the work had already begun, many measures had to be rethought several times. This required the architects to adopt a way of thinking, which instead of having a reliable, valid project in mind was navigated by an internal compass. In the end, this led to an impressive result.
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Left & below: Hotel Paxmontana, Flüeli-Ranft Obwalden. Photos: Francesca Giovanelli
Pierre Dubois right behind the head-end building. Jumbo was planning to demolish these historically important halls because this was seen as the only way to make room for its newer, much bigger product range. But Pfister Schiess Tropeano & Partner Architekten then conducted a feasibility study, which showed that thanks to a different driveway onto the premises, the halls could be fully integrated into the new construction site. The Swiss Heritage Society has since given up its resistance and both parties are on the right track to come to an agreement.
Winning ideas for a better future On other occasions, Pfister Schiess Tropeano & Partner Architekten has even helped to resolve a conflict. In Arbon, Switzerland, the Swiss Heritage Society objected to the construction of a new DIY superstore by project owner Jumbo. The reason behind this was the existence of halls designed by acclaimed architect Georges-
application for the prize of earthquake-resistant construction in the historic monuments category. If we win this prize, we will naturally be very proud.” Meanwhile, the architects have enjoyed success beyond Switzerland. One example was the commission to convert a Grade II listed late Georgian/early Victorian Nash type house in the conservation area of Little Venice, London where their precise planning style "à la Swiss" really stood out.“Our proposal to integrate the technical equipment in a similar way as in theVilla Patumbah was seen as very innovative in England,” recalls Schiess. www.pstarch.ch
Similar tact and sensitivity were displayed when Pfister Schiess Tropeano & Partner Architekten renovated, extended and converted the 100-year-old, six-storey wooden building of Hotel Paxmontana in central Switzerland between 2006 and 2011.“As a matter of course we used a wooden construction to make the building earthquakeresistant. That was quite a challenge,”says Schiess.“In January 2015 we will submit our
Above: House in Little Venice, London. Photo: Edmund Sumner Bottom, from let to right: Hallenstadion, Zürich. Photo: Giorgio Hoch Hallenstadion, Zürich. Photo: Onorato & Krebs Central station, Schaffhausen. Photo: Pfister Schiess Tropeano Hamel, Arbon. Visualisation: Raumgleiter GmbH Residential project, Rapperswil-Jona. Visualisation: 3D Kraftwerk GmbH
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Left & above: Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin. Photos: Jan Bitter Below: Wim Eckert and Piet Eckert. Photo: Christian Aeberhard
E2A
Two brothers build their success Piet and Wim Eckert’s approach to architecture can be described as down-to-earth and modest. Designing buildings that they can be proud of, putting a lot of heart into their projects and finding solutions for the impossible, is their secret, which has led them to on-going international acclaim. TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: E2A ARCHITECTS
The history of our cities has always been shaped by one task: every building and streetscape has to master the challenge of merging visual aesthetics with the practical requirements of its users, its people. Talented architects are the masterminds behind such clever building processes and in our modern times they often have to handle complicated circumstances. Such architectural artists are Swiss brothers Piet and Wim Eckert, who have what it takes to combine function with beauty, simplicity with sophistication, whilst keeping an eye on sustainability.
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Their architecture firm E2A, based in Zurich, has been running successfully for over thirteen years. The headquarters of the Heinrich-Boell-Stiftung in Berlin, the expansion of the Centre of Hearing and Language Zurich and the current planning of the new publishing house of the major German daily newspaper tageszeitung (taz) are only a few handpicked examples, which literally stand for the success of E2A. The brothers’ creative power is based on a solid foundation. Born into a family of architects and structural engineers, Piet and
Wim studied architecture at the renowned Technical University in Zurich. Piet brought fresh ideas home from his continued studies at Columbia University, New York and the brothers were once again united in Rotterdam as they worked at Rem Kolhaas’s architecture firm OMA for several years. In 2001, after gaining valuable experience, the natural step for the Eckert brothers was
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to open their own firm back home in Zurich. The brothers love the challenge of ambitious and complicated projects: “We think that we work especially well when the circumstances of a building project are complex. For example, when the context is difficult, when the client is demanding, the agenda extensive, or when the budget is tight.” Thanks to their architectural creativity, they succeed in overcoming such obstacles and harmoniously balance vision and reality. The projects of E2A stand out through an interest for classic conceptual architecture, which the Eckert brothers take up innovatively and review to what extent those concepts are still sensible at the present time. “We are most comfortable when our clients are looking for content over representation,” explain the two architects of their work preferences. “We understand our work as an intellectual discipline, which does not chase a certain design but a certain thought.That is the reason we often design cultural buildings and spaces for the public sector, but equally for private investors, who also see the building process as an expression of cultural activity.” The size of a project only plays a secondary role. From a small detached family home to the spacious Baufeld H of the Europaallee in Zurich, the portfolio of E2A contains commissions of various dimensions. The work of E2A is highly regarded nationally as well as abroad, which is manifested in the many awards Piet and Wim Eckert have received in past years. In 2009 the brothers won the prestigious BDA Award Berlin 09 from the German confederation of architects, followed by the Green Good Design Award for the building of the HeinrichBoell-Stiftung in 2010. Amongst other praise, E2A can also be proud of the Swiss Solar Prize, which they received in 2008.
ity to realise the headquarters of the Heinrich-Boell-Stiftung in Berlin with a tight budget but with maximum architectural design. Close to our hearts is also the expansion and redevelopment of the Centre for Hearing and Language, where severely hearing-impaired children receive high quality education.The project was only possible with a great deal of personal commitment and has been on-going for over ten years now.” The next projects are already in the pipeline. After finishing the planning phase for the publishing house of the taz in the very heart of Berlin, E2A will focus on the biggest housing project in Hamburg outside HafenCity, the Pergolenviertel, which will house 1,400 flats. E2A has already developed the overall design concept for this
huge project and is ready to move into the next phase. E2A will also be responsible for the re-development of a 50,000 square metre industrial site near Basel. This makes for happy architects but does not mean the brothers rest on their laurels. “We always look for new challenges, which spark our creative juices and result in innovative ideas,”they add with a smile. www.e2a.ch Top left: taz Berlin. Photo: E2A Above left: Zentrum für Gehör und Sprache, Zürich. Photo: Dominique Müller Above right: Echer-Terrassen. Photo: Jan Bitter Below: Europa-Allee Baufeld H, Zürich. Photos: E2A
As flattering as these awards are, the Eckert brothers simply focus on the work.“To us the awards are not too important,”the two heads of E2A admit.“We just try to create buildings that we can be really proud of. What matters to us is, for example, our abil-
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Space, structure, light - building as an expression of a way of life Kรถnz architectural firm has been creating designs for over twenty years and takes its name from its founder and principal architect, Jachen Kรถnz. Considering itself a traditional design studio, the small firm successfully demonstrates an ability to work within a large perspective. TEXT: JAIME SCHWARTZ | PHOTOS: Kร NZ ARCHITECTURE
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Before basing the firm in Lugano, Switzerland, Mr. Kรถnz worked in both Germany and Spain and lectured at various international institutions such as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Zurich), the Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, USA)
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and the Accademia di architettura (Mendrisio). Holding a degree in Urban Planning and Design too, Mr. Könz's broad knowledge across the field is put to use on many federal and local architecture boards. The influence of Mr. Könz's background is evident in the way the firm's projects take shape. “My personal experience includes architecture and urban design, which are inseparable from my point of view,”explains Könz. “Every building, whether large or small, is produced in a built context where it must exist as one part.”This great consideration given to a project's surrounding context is part of the way the firm is able to achieve such meaningful designs. According to Könz,“each building has an inner life and outer life.Therefore, as important as the living room is, so is the geographical area to which it refers.” Encompassing context into the design helps to establish relationships between people and place and can relativise the actual object. The work Könz Architecture is involved in spans from designing office furniture, to small or large scale building projects as well as urban infrastructure projects such as dams and bridges. The main philosophy and the driving force behind all of the firm's designs is the desire to create something that allows the space itself to become an expression of a way of life. For the firm, this is achieved by engaging the relationship between volume and the consequent space; and its interplay of texture and light to reveal an inherent logic. By paying attention to the synthesis of perception created by light, materials are brought to life in a spe-
cial way.“Light exposes what is discernible in a room and is what makes materials perceptible. It determines, for example, what is rough, soft, angular, or curved,”Könz points out. By thoughtful application of light's influence into a space it thus increases the ease and comfort one feels in that space. The firm is comprised of a team of designers that can deftly handle the diverse tasks of each project from the initial planning to final execution. The highly professionalised team is comfortable working anywhere in Switzerland and beyond due to its impressive language competence in Italian, German, French, English and Spanish. Project ideas are developed from initial client requests and the relationship with the client is very important throughout the planning process. The firm makes sure they have a deep understanding of the client's needs, leading with their expertise and including the input of an outside network of specialists when needed. Mr. Könz sees the potential in the role that all sides can have in the design process.“As important as it is to have a clear idea, it is also important to fully communicate these ideas to all interested parties in order to develop the project together. Through this collaboration and exchange, an idea is put to the test and optimised.” The team's working method can be seen as split into two phases: one of perception and one of interpretation. The former being more open and analytical and the latter more focused. Mr. Könz explains: “In the analytical phase, everything can have an impact on the work: art, literature, nature, everything that has to do with life. The second phase is where space is created.” Equal
and simultaneous attention is given to a project's smaller scale details of design, material and costs and the larger scale concerns to the surrounding landscape, topography, and urban context. However, enabling a creation to overcome the personal motivations of its original inception is an important goal for Könz Architecture. For Mr. Könz and his team, the end result of a project is the power of a space to speak on its own. “At the end a project must be self-reliant, with a life of its own, independent of the designers and the client. The architect designs through material and technique a form, a space in which life should unfold.” www.koenz.ch Left, main image: Vertical dwelling, Lugano. Photo: W. Mair, Zürich Above: Casa Accademia, Mendrisio, Ticino. Photo: W. Mair, Zürich Bottom, from left to right: Galleria Miler, Lugano-Capolago. Photo: J. Könz, Lugano Totenzimmer, Mendrisio, Ticino. Photo: J. Könz, Lugano Quartier Mariöl, Zuoz, Engadin. Photo: J. Könz, Lugano Chesa Mariöl Sur, Zuoz, Engadin. Photo: W. Mair, Zürich Casa Camar, Lugano-Montagnola. Photo: P. Brioschi, Bellinzona Suspended-house, Lugano-Pregassona. Photo: W. Mair, Zürich
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Architecture that integrates As one of Switzerland’s most respected and celebrated architecture firms for over half a century, Zurich’s Stücheli Architekten are not one to rest on their laurels. Constant developments, efficient processes, rapid responses and responsible planning are just some of the characteristics that shape this forward-looking firm, although their past is not one to be overlooked. TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: STUECHELI ARCHITEKTEN
Counting 90 members of staff in its stylish inner-city office with an almost equal gender split, the firm can gaze out proudly over a city that they, in part, are responsible for. Founded in 1946 by the renowned and somewhat revolutionary Swiss architect Werner Stücheli, one of the earliest advocators of high-rise buildings, the company’s rise to prominence was rapid and today it is led by senior architects Christof Glaus, Andreas Mosimann, Matthias Roth, Eva Schaub, Heinz Wegmann and Mathis Tinner. The first generation: rising high
The Stucheli team
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Born to a large family in Zurich in 1916, the spirited Werner Stücheli studied architecture at the ETH in Zurich. Whilst there, he studied under two key figures of the Swiss Modernism movement, Rudolf Salvisberg and Hans Hofmann, and their influence
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nine-storey residential building.This year saw the building take on a new purpose as it was transformed into a photo gallery and it was once again central to Zurich’s design scene. Werner Stücheli’s interest remained in“the architecture of appropriateness” and he dived headfirst into substantial projects, with Zurich’s population as his focus, such as the G59, the Schweizerische Gartenbau Ausstellung 1959 [Swiss Gardening Exhibition 1959]. Revolutionary for the Swiss horticultural scene, the riverbanks were transformed for a period of six months to purvey the importance of green spaces – something that remains important to the firm today. A second notable example from the firm’s socalled‘First Generation’was the building for the SIA (the Headquarters of the Swiss Engineering and Architecture Association).
residences, retail and office spaces, museums and public spaces. UBS Grünenhof: Interest in the city Just a stone’s throw from the infamous Bahnhofstrasse, the firm have recently carried out the renovation of UBS’s central office building. Since Werner Stücheli’s time
Main image: Europaallee Right top: Holbeinstrasse Right: Porsche 356 speedster - an example of Werner Stuecheli's admiration for 'weightless elegance', simplicity and precision Far right: Helvetia AG, City Centre Männedorf, Leue Right bottom: UBS AG, Grünenhof, Zurich
on his development was significant, instilling in him the yearning for simplicity, precision and relevance. Upon graduating, Werner Stücheli went on to win the 1946 competition to design the Tierspital [Animal Hospital] and his overwhelming commitment to architecture led him to create his own multidisciplinary practice. According to Stücheli Architekten’s Mathis Tinner, Werner Stücheli showed real“precision in his incisions in the city fabric.”Still very much visible in Zurich’s cityscape today, Werner Stücheli broke new ground with Zurich’s ‘zoning’ scheme and is considered “one of the most inspiring and important architects of Zurich’s post-World War II generation.” Most notably, he created the Bastei Hochhaus from 1953 to 1955, which went down in history as Zurich’s first inner-city
The red thread of Stücheli Architekten Not dissimilar to the firm’s approach today, the results of Werner Stücheli’s work were “based on a timeless aesthetic in the search for weightless elegance.”The firm is not restricted to a predictable style and each site’s own context defines the style. Ever aware of the impact that buildings have on local residents, the environment and the region, the firm insist on possessing an unparalleled awareness of the landscape and its dwellers, proclaiming that “architecture is subordinate to the city.”During initial discussions, they want to define the client’s vision, the feasibility of the project and, in terms of sustainable design, the harnessing of natural light and locally sourced materials is of key importance. While the firm work predominantly in Switzerland, they have also covered extensive ground across the globe with private
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at the helm of the firm, their interest in inner city urban developments has done little but grow. With this 12,600 square metre project, the mass renovation of this protected building has resulted in a new energized building with a contemporary feel, entirely at home between the two original structures that flank it. Bürgenstock: The place, the crevices, the materials and the light With over 60 per cent of the firm’s commissions coming from highly competitive architecture competitions, the spectacular 400 million Swiss Franks put into the traditional Bürgenstock mountain resort have made it perhaps one of the most impressive and aesthetically-pleasing resorts within Switzerland.The location itself was the sole influence for the form of the expansive hotel resort. “The crevices in the mountains over which the hotel gazes inspired us.This lead us to a thorough investigation of potential materials and we ultimately‘carved’ the site out of the present rock. In terms of the light and the orchestration, it was the magnificent views over the Vierwaldstättersee (Lake of Lucerne) and the crevices imprinted into the Swiss Alps that prompted our decisions.”
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Credit Suisse Uetlihof: Surface and history Zurich is perhaps embodied in the extensive Credit Suisse Campus, a cluster of buildings not unlike a natural “cell structure”. In Stücheli’s capable hands since the 1970s, the firm are now in the 8th stage of a continuous development. In 2011, the Uetlihof 2 was completed. It is the largest Minergie P Eco building in Switzerland,
the most coveted label for sustainability, comparable to LEED Gold. With the site’s history as a clay pit, the firm’s interest was piqued and their choice of materials inspired, leading them to a building whose form takes on that of a microscopic look at cells, most visible as one gazes up from inside the atrium.
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the world’s most prolific architects, including Sanaa from Japan and Peter Eisenmann from the USA, the feedback given to Stücheli for their noteworthy design has been nothing less than glowing. Europaallee: Building in the city centre As a result of a competition for the Swiss Federal Railways, the team designed the entrance building to Europaallee, one of Zurich’s largest developments. The firm’s on-going interest in the urban context of the city led them to the conclusion that “structure becomes architecture and thus creates urban relevance.”Due for completion in 2017 and pre-certified with the DGNB Gold label from the SGNI, the firm convinced the jury of their design for Baufeld B with their “simple and elegant sculptural form of an elongated building... leading to a welcome urban ensemble.”
Taiwan: Urban planning and the weaving of two functions (library and museum) A recent achievement on the international stage was a commendable place in the final of a 250-strong competition to design a dual-use (library and a museum for the fine arts) Cultural Centre in the City of Taichung, Taiwan. Pitched against some of
As the population grows and urbanisation shows little sign of abating, it’s dynamic firms like Stücheli with the tools to develop liveable and practical spaces that hold the key to our contentment. Ensuring that urban aesthetics remain at the core of their creations, they do not forsake function. With the hazy border between urban and rural living, it’s vital that our cities maintain their public spaces, their natural light and the accommodating atmosphere. For the 90-strong international team, their objective is to create architecture that integrates, but does not confront. www.stuecheli.ch Top left: Credit Suisse, Uetlihof, Zurich Below: TBZ School Bottom, from left to right: Neue Zuricher Zeitung, Head Office, Zurich Swiss Management AG, Bürgenstock Resort, Bürgenstock Stansstad
TBZ: Urban context, building in the city and structure
Swiss Life AG, Splügenstrasse, Zürich
Taking on a project for Zurich’s Technische Berufsschule [technical college for further education] led the firm to place an emphasis on the materials, conflicting the concrete and glass structural exterior signifying discipline and rigour with a softer interior compiled of wood, composition rubber and tapestries.
Taichung City Cultural Centre, Competition, Taichung, Taiwan
The Bastei Hochhaus, one of Switzerland's first high-rise buildings designed by Werner Stuecheli
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Simply stunning kit architects combine creative ideas from vibrant global hotspots such as New York and London with the simplicity of traditional Swiss architecture. The result is a refreshingly new, award-winning concept.
Top: March District House © Dominique Marc Wehrli Above: March District House, concept model Below: Fire Station Weindelden
TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: KIT ARCHITECTS
Starting your own architecture business in the midst of an economic recession was certainly brave. But founding kit architects in 2009 was more a matter of heart than an economic calculation for Andreas Schelling, Gianet Traxler and Roman Loretan.“We all focused on applied sciences in school,”says Schelling, as he reminisces over the days when the three Swiss design experts studied architecture together at ETH Zurich.“At the same time, we’ve always been very interested in the arts. It’s great to now do both.” Their commitment didn’t take long to pay off. In 2010, kit architects received the “Foundation Award” for promising, up-
From left to right: Andreas Schelling, Gianet Traxler, Roman Loretan © Marc Wetli
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and-coming Swiss architects. Decisive for winning this prize was the international experience Schelling and co. gained while working in London and New York after their studies.“These cities are tremendously rich in terms of culture,” says Schelling. “Trends develop and disappear again quickly. Through this, we have become excited and open to new cultural influences.” They now aim to re-define those international impressions in Swiss architecture, which Schelling describes as low-key and honest. “Our architecture is a mixture of loyalty to our local ties and openness towards cosmopolitan influences,”explains Schelling. “Each of our building projects has its own subtly independent character without imposing itself. The radical simplicity of the functional organisation stands in contrast to a varied atmospheric experience.You can see the interplay between our ‘essentials only’and‘playful design’themes in all of our projects.”Another specialty of kit architects is in the exchange of job functions as lead designer, wingman and critic for every project:“We allow the critic complete freedom, which often leads to questioning the design
draft and new creative impulses.”The results of their innovative practice include the unique split-level residential home in Switzerland’s March district, the workshop for the disabled in Schönegrund and the fire station in Weinfelden. “With all three projects, we managed to translate our architectural ideas into reality,” rejoices Schelling. www.kitarchitects.com
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Atraction of the Month Switzerland
Swiss architectural history in a European tripoint The S AM Swiss Architecture Museum presents contemporary Swiss Architecture to a broad audience.
operation. Diener & Diener in Cooperation with Martin Steinmann and Josef Felix Müller / Peter Märkli and Hans Josephsohn is part of this series. It examines the synergy between artists and architects working closely together on a project from the beginning. The exhibition contains installations of models, plans, drawings and sketches.
TEXT: DORINA REICHHOLD | PHOTOS: S AM SWISS ARCHITECTURE MUSEUM
Merging the old and the new, with architecture that spans the last millennia and its numerous epochs standing alongside various contemporary buildings that were planned by prolific architecture award-winners, the city of Basel is an obvious location to house the S AM Swiss Architecture Museum. There are two core themes that the museum addresses in one exhibition each per year. The first one is History and Present where architectural themes and expressions of the 1950s, 60s and 70s are explored and their value and importance for today are discussed. The second core theme deals with ‘Interdisciplinary’. “Through this, we can explore different crossroads within architecture,” explains Hubertus Adam, Director of S AM.
A successful example of this concept was the exhibition entitled In Space and Marked by Time. Anna Viebrock – Stage Design as Architecture, which examined the work of the stage designer, costume designer and director Anna Viebrock.“The exhibition was well received by a professional audience, but it also attracted a great number of cultural enthusiasts, without pushing a blockbuster-style theme or a star architect,”explains Adam cheerfully. Completing the museum’s content, there are an additional two exhibitions per year from a series addressing the topic of “Spatial Positions”. These exhibitions examine the positions of contemporary architects and artists as well as interpreting the historical architectural position from a modern point of view.The upcoming exhibition Co-
As the leading institution for Swiss contemporary architecture, S AM focuses on addressing a broad audience that includes professionals as well as anyone who has an interest in architecture. It has already staged more than 150 temporary exhibitions as well as numerous accompanying events such as podium discussions and workshops. Situated in the tri-border area between Switzerland, France and Germany, the museum attracts a large number of international visitors and is therefore a great supporter of transnational dialogue and networking. Founded in 1984, S AM is celebrating 30 years of exhibiting world famous Swiss contributions to contemporary design and architecture. www.sam-basel.org
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Top 3 Austrian Architects
Form and sensibility The designs of CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR ARCHITEKTEN are characterised by their objective of exploring the relationship between order, structure and natural beauty. By drawing influences from their immediate environment, using existing materials, modern structures and resources, the firm’s creative work has set a new benchmark for Austrian architecture. It is an interpretation of Austrian building traditions in a modern context, one that always draws on all senses. TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR ARCHITEKTEN
To build, to think, to sense, and to live are the maxims of their creative work.To install order in a perceived natural chaos and to enhance existing structures, CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR represent a new generation of Austrian architects. In its essence, their homogenised architecture is stylistic yet natural, sustainable and integrative. “The reduction, the peace that we seek, the concentration on individual and specific topics, all of this can create sensuality. This
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sensuality is neither a single point nor can it be reduced to a material alone. It always comes with the entirety,” states CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR. Building on a history of success The firm is led by Andreas Cukrowicz and Anton Nachbaur-Sturm, who returned to their nativeVorarlberg, Austria, after studying architecture at the Technical University ofVienna and the University of Fine Arts in Vienna, and working on several creative
projects. It was in Vorarlberg that CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR was founded in 1992. After launching their careers more than 20 years ago, both partners have successfully established their architecture firm as one of the most advanced and integrated design firms in Austria, southern Germany and Switzerland. In fact, their creative work and organic approach have been widely recognised and applauded. Andreas Cukrowicz explains: “Our potential is that we find a coherent, self-evident and adequate solution for each task and generate additional added value. We place emphasis on moods, atmospheres and materialisations, to appeal to all senses. We mostly use natural, sustainable materials and work environmentally and economically.”
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Austrian traditions in a modern context Their space-driven architecture is heavily influenced by the culture and mentality of their native land and people.The landscape of Vorarlberg, Austria’s westernmost province, is known for its timber structures. Similarly, CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR’s architecture is unpretentious, natural and sustainable. It explores the relationship between the pastures, Alpine setting, rustic terrain, and timber in a modern context. Both traditional and cosmopolitan, it is just like the people who live there. The firm’s team is currently made up of 15 architects. From their spacious office in Bregenz, Austria, they plan, consult, manage and discuss a variety of projects. From private houses to trade centres, municipal buildings, schools, churches, community centres, firehouses, and EU-headquarters for global corporations, the firm can look back on a broad portfolio of constructions. In recent years, CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR have completed a number of publicissued projects, and they have often built contemporary timber structures that combine wood and concrete with large glass surfaces. Classic examples are the Firehouse and Cultural Centre in Hittisau and
the applauded Vorarlberg Museum in Bregenz. All constructions are clear, calm, pure and integrative in design and functional in use. Reaching beyond the obvious Even though these buildings may seem simplified or minimalistic at first glance, they contain a great deal of complexity and thought. They are a reference to the land and resources.Their design explores far beyond the visual and moves beyond the obvious. All senses are evoked to contextualise these constructions according to their history, locale or social function they perform.
Left, main image: Main entry and front of the Vorarlberg Museum. ® Adolf Bereuter Top: Vorarlberg Museum. ® Darko Todorovic Middle: Architectural detail of Vorarlberg Museum. ® Adolf Bereuter Above: The Vorarlberg Museum in Bregenz. ® Hanspeter Schiess Right top: New Fire Station in Goetzis. ® Adolf Bereuter Right: Hittisau fire station and cultural centre. ®Hanspeter Schiess
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Through their creative work, CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR seek to explore and expose the interrelations between structural order, functionality and aesthetics. The complexity in their structures appeals to a sense of natural order and the relation between aesthetics and functionality. Clear, functional design and organic resources The high aspirations of the buildings are also reflected in the use of the materials. The critic Otto Kapfinger describes their work as: “CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR derives designs and materials from their context – precise, pure and self-evident. They find unforeseen clear and economic answers to complex tasks. With wood, glass and concrete as well as with natural surfaces, convincing day lighting and perfect proportions they create robust and inspiring spaces for all the senses. Strong but at the same time calm, their architec-
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ture serves the evolvement of all scopes of life.”
their spaces become materially and sensually homogeneous constructions.
Materialisation of senses
This creative sensuality spans across several projects – and localities, from small villages, communities, to the state’s capital Bregenz, as well as in Switzerland and Munich.Their surroundings, from which they derive materiality and form, are depicted though individual traces of materials, intended to be touched, held, smelled and combined with each other.
Their designs are well integrated with the sites so that they become part of a unified, interrelated composition. Emphasis is placed on both the ambiance and atmosphere of any given building site. CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR strive for a materialisation of all the senses through the use of natural raw, ecological and sustainable materials that are also economic. In addition, the design facets such as volume, mass, guided light and gathered physicality are profoundly important for their work. The architects strive to have both: materially-present space and the strong relationship of the aesthetic to the landscape and the light. Yet acoustic and haptic elements, as well as the mood, make
Coexistence of tradition and modernity An important part of the firm’s work is the collaboration with local and regional Austrian craftsmen, builders, contractors and business partners. These craftsmen, traditionally very skilled, versatile and knowledgeable about their surroundings and natural resources, look at nature with respect, harmony and balance.This also epitomises CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR’s approach to
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look at things in their context and to employ this contextual knowledge to build onto it philosophically and practically. This collaborative effort results in a lively coexistence of tradition and modernity. Awards and recognition Lastly, the firm has won many competitions and realized projects. Their expertise and interest encompasses a wide spectrum and they have planned and built a plethora of buildings: from a small church, to a mu-
seum, individual projects, to the European headquarters of a large corporation.“Each task has its own charm and provides a challenge,” concludes Andreas Cukrowicz. Their International Architecture Award and Best Architects Award Gold 2014 for the Vorarlberg Museum, the STAATSPRPREIS ARCHITEKTUR 2010 and 2008 top the long list of recognitions and prizes for CUKROWICZ NACHBAUR.
www.cn-architekten.com
Top, far left: Innsbruck Trade Fair - completed in 2011. ® Hanspeter Schiess Top: Community Center St Gerold. ® Hanspeter Schiess Bottom, far left & middle: Library of the PHILOLOGICUM MUENCHEN. ® cukrowicz nachbaur architekten Bottom, far right: The Music House in Roethis was remodeled in 2010. ® Hanspeter Schiess Below, left: Doren Primary School. ® Hanspeter Schiess Below, middle: Andelsbuch Mountain Chapel. ® Adolf Bereuter Below, right: Public swimming pools in Dornbirn. ® Hanspeter Schiess
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Left & above: Lloonbase Right: Fleischmarkt
Expertise driven design - created by BEHF corporate architects Subtle elegance and playful ease lift everyday design objects. The top Austrian architecture and design firm of BEHF corporate architects creates spaces that mediate and also shape environments. Through their functional and innovative designs, they connect people and spaces so that the simple becomes the special. The corporate becomes the personal.
public and corporate clients and industries. They have already completed a vast array of prominent projects for various uses: Retail and Centre, Office, Refurbishment, Residential, Interiors and Hospitality.
TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: BEHF
By combining creativity and their vast professional expertise, BEHF corporate architects create unique and meaningful experiences. Their designs put architecture into its relevant context; they merge the present and the existing, with the effective, the innovative and the aesthetic. Their work forms spaces and atmospheres in which people can work, live and thrive in.
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Company profile Located in Vienna, Austria, and founded in 1995, BEHF corporate architects provide design services in corporate architecture, urban design, restorations, and interiors for a wide variety of
BEHF Partners Stephan Ferenczy, Susi Hasenauer and Armin Ebner
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The three co-founders, Armin Ebner, Stephan Ferenczy, and Susi Hasenauer, head a team of 100 architects, making BEHF one of the largest and most diverse design firms in Austria. Their international team thrives under the flat hierarchical structure, the highly interdisciplinary atmosphere and strong personal relations between the leadership and all employees. “BEHF sees design as strategy in action, focused on results. We help our clients to envision a better future and get there successfully. We help them leverage the power of design to generate innovative solutions that result in real transformations,” says Armin Ebner, co-founder of the firm. A diverse, skilled and motivated team BEHF are a large group of architects, urban designers and interior designers with an extraordinary depth of experience and expertise in programming, master planning, design and project delivery. While they focus on B2B projects, their work is extremely diverse – in terms of project types, scale, user communities and conditions of place.
“No matter how large or small a job or assignment is, our team will always deliver the best results. We never compromise on quality or professionalism during the entire planning, consulting and building process,” assures the firm’s management. To BEHF corporate architects, it is irrelevant whether they are working on a local 20m² size retail stand, a large housing estate or office spaces; their commitment to quality is the same. In fact, with each project, they guarantee a sustainable approach of continuity: extensive research, employing the support of design and technical specialists, and on-going development. Furthermore, by using building resources in accordance with the pertinent economic and ecological needs of a space or environment, BEHF corporate architects are changing the parameters of functional, yet responsible corporate architecture.
The firm embraces its diversity as a core strength, and has organised its team carefully into project-specific workgroups that can address the specific needs and circumstances of each assignment. The modern studios in Vienna characterize the team’s aspirations and their multi-functional, interdisciplinary, and solution-based approach to work. “We understand architecture as a medium of communication. Structures determine the wellbeing of people. They can produce wellbeing, encourage it through shapes, materials, colours, light, and through a harmonious appearance.” Professional practice matters An important pillar of BEHF’s success and testimony to their continuous growth in Europe and abroad is their absolute commitment to delivering the best service, and to meet all deadlines and budget agreements.
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Rollout of Deutsche Bank AG branches Building on their experience and collaborations with large corporations and brands like A1 Telekom Austria, REWE AG and Raiffeisen, among others, BEHF is currently working on one of the largest projects in the firm’s history.They were commissioned to conceptualize, plan and build several new branches for Deutsche Bank AG throughout Europe and the world. This means that from 2010-2014, BEHF will complete the rollout for numerous retail
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locations for Deutsche Bank AG in India, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain. The sleek, modern and functional spaces represent their client’s trustworthy and international nature.The planning process included the design of a cross-functional, open-plan office that supports teaming and collaboration. Most valuable brand A list of awards, recognitions and publications shows BEHF corporate architects’success and their dedication to good design
and delivery. Their careful and contemporary renovations and revitalizations of buildings have been honored with many prizes in Austria and Europe. This year, the European Real Estate Brand Institute named BEHF corporate architects the most valuable brand in Austrian architecture. This recognition – the Real Estate Brand Award Austria 2013 – is another Above: Merkur Below: Fabios
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milestone in the firm’s continuous growth and success. The study, conducted by critics each year, evaluates performance dimensions such as services offered, price, and expertise and then honors the best brand.The predicate is well respected. Accordingly, the high brand value of BEHF corporate architects reflects their architectural innovation level, their service, quality and their trustworthiness. International recognition and current projects This excellency has not gone unnoticed internationally. For instance, the office building Green Worx in Vienna was the first building in Austria awarded Platinum status, the highest standard for environmen-
tal design of the world leading American sustainability certificate LEED. Building on their strong brand and international team, BEHF Corporate Architects have been active in various corners of the world, especially in their core segments: Office, Refurbishment, Retail and Interior. In addition to the Deutsche Bank AG rollout, current BEHF projects include the business centre A01 in cooperation with JSWD, located at the new Vienna Central Station, as well as a high-rise complex in Bucharest, called The Orhideea Towers. They are also in charge of the extensive modernisation and conversion of the famous department store‘Stafa’in the centre ofVienna, and are working on finalising the planning of a series of shopping centers in Belarus.
Expertise-driven design for the future Building on these rewarding projects, the BEHF team is passionate about their work and believes that the best designs and new experiences arise from a collaborative effort with clients that will spur innovation. Looking to the future, the firm wants to “continue to offer the best solutions for spaces and environments, and be a reliable partner for global brands and individual clients.” www.behf.at
Above: Retail Center Neukauf Below: Deutsche Bank AG
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Manufacturing a place Appropriate architecture hits the right tone with its gesture. Architecturally expressive buildings participate in resonance with their surroundings. Through their communicative character, they act as a catalyst for daily life and have the ability to strengthen the power of a place. TEXT: MERYEM HAUER | PHOTOS: LUDESCHER & LUTZ
We learn from the circumstances of a place, its qualities are intensified and we carry them with us. Construction is inextricably linked with the location itself; even a socalled new building is just a modification of an already existing place. It changes the place, reinterprets it and continues the place’s history. At the same time it is rooted there without any chance to escape. Conversely, the building has to be shaped by its place; otherwise it could never be authentic or comprehensible. The Umbrückler Alm, a tourist destination characterised by gastronomy in Innsbruck, Austria, is a striking example of a building’s involvement with its
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place. Among high towering spruces and steep slopes, hikers and skiers are warmly welcomed by the forest glades. This place invites visitors to linger, providing a beautiful place for the sunset. Alongside the
Elmar Ludescher and Philip Lutz
building it is possible to find a place, sheltered from the wind, from where you can enjoy a unique view over the landscape of the Inntal. The terrace of the restaurant opens its gates and a larch-shingled roof provides protection from the rain and the sun. The chimney, an distinct characteristic of the restaurant is visible from a distance. The project is integrated within the landscape smoothly; the sculptural roof stretches out over the organic floor plan with varying roof pitches. As the years go by, it will turn grey. This is part of the plan to integrate the building into the silhouettes of the spruces. The people A building characterises the human beings who choose to live and work in an unobtrusive but sustainable way. It forms an identity and turns into a meeting point. The best case scenario would be the creation of a place that people love to visit. Over time, certain buildings form the ba-
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Gòmez Dàvilla, a Colombian writer). For as long as a building is appreciated, it will be maintained. We care about acceptance through implicitness and a high quality craft execution. It has to be valued and constantly looked after. We are ever aware that our buildings should be kept unbiased for their future use.
www.elmar-ludescher.at www.philiplutz.at
Handcrafted
Above: Mountain restaurant Umbrückler Alm, City of Innsbruck
sis for spellbinding memories. The construction has to be‘typical’– with one word: striking. It should last for years, uniting as many stories and memories as possible. The vineyard Schmidt, located next to the Bodensee, lies on a hill overlooking the lake and the Swiss mountains. In equal amounts, it is there for wine production, the fruit harvest and gastronomy. On the front side of the house, a vinothek opens up towards the Bodensee. A beautiful wine-tasting room with floor-to-ceiling windows and wooden slats can be reached by two stairways. This accuracy, which has been evident in viticulture for centuries, finds continuance within the high quality craft execution of the house; it is all about authentic work and experience, the culture of production and pleasure. This place’s production has been made possible by a new building culture developed from tradition.
Our origin is Vorarlberg, which is Austria’s most western state. A region that is defined by small structures as well as a very vital manufacturing industry. The appreciation of the local skilled craftsmanship marks a strong link between architecture and the place itself. The constructions should illustrate the resources of the place, challenging them without overburdening them. We are proud when good craftsmanship adorns our buildings. It is important how things are made and that they possess a self-evident presence. We adopt the wellproven things from the regional construction culture and re-interpret them as new, if necessary. Using natural materials, which inspire us to touch them and let them age with dignity – we build confidence. Our way of working We care about the tension between the inside and outside, the atmosphere and lightning design on the inside, transitions, thresholds, surprises … but also the environment and the way a building integrates itself into the landscape. We develop pictures and are always searching for the right atmosphere. We consider ourselves a design manufactory. For us, creating means commanding space and time, for something that will be formed beyond our imagination. We are found by clients who have a request. The aim is to touch people in a special, unique way.
Right, from top to bottom: Schmidt winery, lake Constance: Elmar Ludescher; Ludescher + Lutz: Jakob Kasimir Stadion with ASP, Stuttgart
Sustainability ‘If we wish to lend something continuance, we care for beauty not efficiency.’ (Nicolàs
House am Felsrücken, Bregenz. Photo: Robert Fessler Private residence, Bregenz. Photo: Oliver Heissner Seestadt Bregenz, urban development, competition, 1st prize, with Aicher, Zechner, completion 2018
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ent selected fashion shops in a particular city and let the consumer sort those according to categories like style, price, product group or district,” explains stylist and personal shopper Johara Raukamp, one of the website’s two founders.“So that among the endless possibilities the modern city shopping jungle offers, people can easily find the shops that match their individual budget and style.” Secret shopping sprees “Everything started with berlinSHOPPER, one of Berlin’s first personal shopping services that we founded in 2008,”remembers Johara Raukamp.“Through this work, I got to know the Berlin shopping scene insideout. Unfortunately, I also witnessed the disappearance of countless truly unique shops. They either had to close or the big, international fashion retailers pushed them
Special Theme
BoostYour Career
Simplify your style hunt With mystylespothunter.com and the citySHOPPERapp, Berlin stylist Johara Raukamp has found the perfect solution to create exciting and individually tailored shopping tours in just a few clicks. TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: MYSTYLESPOTHUNTER.COM
The innovative website and its associated app allow fashion-conscious locals and visitors to plan their next shopping trip according to their individual wishes and it comes complete with shopping, restaurant
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and sightseeing tips. The site currently focuses on the vibrant fashion destination of Berlin, with more European and worldwide fashion hotspots to follow soon. “On our website mystylespothunter.com we pres-
Johara Raukamp
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aside to the little side streets. As a consequence, the high street of every cities now looks so alike that it’s becoming really boring. At the same time, I was regularly asked by tourists and people that had just moved to Berlin to share my tips regarding the trendy Berlin designer scene for free. The fact that they weren’t prepared to pay any money for this service was something I could totally understand. Why would you want to pay someone just to show you around a few shops when for the same amount of money you could get yourself a great new pair of shiny shoes?”In the quest for supporting the increasingly more hidden boutique shops and provide sought-after shopping tips for free, Johara solved the two problems perfectly in the form of her website and app. The fact that the site now puts a special focus on small boutique shops is something she particularly appreciates:“Even if this means more work for us, it is those little shops that really shape the special character of a city!”
mystylespothunter.com also recommends a variety of the hottest restaurants and sightseeing destinations in town. You can even embark on specifically themed shopping tours, such as discovering designers from Berlin, strolling through different districts or following current trend themes like pretty pastels or green fashion.“Our app offers the additional function to put together an entirely individual shopping tour according to the consumer’s taste,” adds Johara Raukamp, who frequently shares her tips regarding particular shops, tours and fashion news on her blog. Berlin, London, Paris “At the moment, we’re expanding the Berlin website so that we will soon cover all its relevant shopping districts,”Johara says about the short-term plans.“After that, we will launch other exciting shopping desti-
nations. The first one to follow will probably be London, then NewYork, Paris, Milan and so on until we have set up all the important fashion capitals.” Starting out on the section covering the British capital is something the fashion fan can’t wait to get her hands on:“I have just been to London for some initial research – a really exciting city with great potential for secret shopping tips!” As their website grows, there will also be more career opportunities as Johara reveals: “We’re currently expanding our sales team and are looking for enthusiastic sales people with a background in fashion.”So whether you are just searching for some new shopping inspiration, a fully tailored tour or a career in fashion sales, mystylespothunter.com is the best place to be. www.mystylespothunter.com
The curious traveller Every now and then, the Berlin-bred personal shopper delights in a shopping tour of her own: “In Berlin I enjoy strolling around the little side streets around the Hackesche Markt area or the Savignyplatz,” reveals Johara.“But I particularly love shopping in other countries. I always take home some unique pieces, which serve as great memories of my trips and have an emotional aspect, too.”Whether you’re travelling or not, time for shopping trips is often limited and especially if you are a visitor to a particular city you would want to see a bit more than just the shops. That’s why
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Total market transparency for headhunters and employers - a match made in Heidelberg Start-up company BetterHeads have re-invented the world of recruitment services by offering a globally unique B2B service, matching employers’ needs with the ideal headhunter to deliver the perfect placement in the most efficient manner possible. TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: BETTERHEADS
BetterHeads founders Markus Krampe and Philipp Mommsen went live last November and the pair already represent over 700 renowned recruitment agencies and headhunters. It is a win-win service for both headhunters as well as companies in search of the perfect candidate. BetterHeads collect specific search criteria from employers. These search terms are then analysed and matched against all the headhunter profiles in the pool and 15 contacts are be selected. Employers pick a maximum of three favourites and, thanks to the ruthless filtering process conducted by BetterHeads, the perfect job candidate will be delivered almost instantly, saving both parties valuable time and resources. While recruitment agencies pay a small fee for successful placements, BetterHeads’ services are free of charge for talent searching companies.
information and meticulous verification of previous placements are part of this process.“Quality management is essential. We make sure our recruitment agencies are vetted as carefully as possible for plausibility. We make sure their standard procedures – vital in the recruitment business – comply with our high demands,” Krampe explains.
Headhunters have to undergo close scrutiny before being admitted to BetterHeads’ pool. The collection of background
Since June, BetterHeads’independent consultant search function has been embedded
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in the FAZ job market and DAX companies are flocking to benefit from the innovative service. Thyssen Krupp is one of the satisfied users, but due to the discreet nature of the business, Krampe remains tight-lipped about his clientele. Good service does not stop at the placement either.The compact process management package offered by BetterHeads allows employers to easily compare headhunters’ performances over time and helps in making the right choice for future decisions. www.betterheads.de
But how did Krampe and Mommsen come up with the idea of creating a comparison portal?“Both of us have sat at both ends of the table in the past. We discovered a lot of potential for improvement, for employers and recruiters alike. The idea seemed so simple, someone just had to do it,” Krampe says. And so they did.
Markus Krampe & Philipp Mommsen
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Above: To see the mindmap in more detail, head to: tinyurl.com/HPCG-Method
With HPCG it’s when, not if With the job market ever more competitive, is a high level of education enough to make the cut? How many of us can say with certainty that we have unlocked our full potential?
rang me to share the news that he'd achieved the level of a distinguished engineer. He was absolutely delighted, but for me it was only ever a question of time - never of ability.”
TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTO: RALF WOLTER
Ralf Wolter switches off his computer and starts chatting. It is often quite easy to feel intimidated when someone analyses your strengths and weaknesses, but these initial fears are quelled as Wolter's sincere approach to coaching immediately puts me at ease. As one of Germany's most prolific business coaches with his High-Performance Consulting and Coaching Group (HPCG), his time is in high demand. A brief glance at his track record and current clients (prestigious IT companies, bio-tech firms, and others) testifies to his aptitude. Over the past three years Düsseldorf-based Wolter has fine-tuned his business to three prime areas: career coaching, presentation and communication skills, and business consulting. Originally an engineer but now something of a polymath, his years of consulting and project management work at CISCO led to managing people. A key figure
in developing their talent management programme for distinguished engineers in EMEA, he hasn't looked back since going freelance. Whether it is an individual or a company, Wolter's formula: (Vision + Goals + Strategy) x Action = Success paves the way. Discussing these aspects in detail with each client highlights potential gaps, underlines strengths and possible pathways are duly suggested. Tackling these head-on, Wolter's sole objective is to empower clients to execute their own career goals. ”Structure is not a prerequisite for success – it just helps significantly,” he adds. After a period of monthly or weekly sessions, the client ”runs on their own”. When asked about his own career satisfaction, Wolter doesn't hesitate before replying with a resounding yes. ”Just last month,”he explains with a broad smile, ”a former client
With his engaging and encouraging manner, Wolter‘s approach is transformational. The ideal trainer for public speaking and presenting skills, he is also an accomplished provider of business consulting.Three areas of expertise could be verging on a jack-of-trades, but this is far from the case. A prime example of unlocking his own potential, Wolter's business acumen, coaching and experience will help you realize your future career goals, making it a question of when rather than if. www.hpcg.eu
Ralf Wolter, business coach
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Becoming a better business presenter As experts, HPS presentation services know how to do it Today, it’s not just what you know that counts but how you present your knowledge to the world. The skill and style of how concepts are delivered are now equally important as the originality of ideas. TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: HPS
Imagine you are a manager, presenting your results to the executive board at the annual general meeting - but it is late in the day, and the audience is already tired. Should you rush through your points or
Frank Vogt, CEO of HPS Deutschland GmbH
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rather present with confidence, clarity, and eloquence? The objective of HPS is as simple as it is effective: become a better business presenter. The company´s presentation training equips employees and executives with professionalism, confidence and conviction. Participants will achieve tangible results through quality methods, extensive training sessions, and personalised feedback. With over 40,000 graduates, HPS is Europe’s market leader for presentation trainings.Their effective specialist services are well known and respected. The German subsidiary of HPS is based in Frankfurt and led by Frank Vogt, who jokingly says that he wants to“free the world of bad presentations.”
Presentations with a lasting effect “HPS is a specialist. For more than 25 years, we have been doing what we do best. We prioritize quality over short-term profit. This is how we guarantee success. All the HPS trainings are branded products,”states the company. Prof. Dr. Emil Hierhold, an Austrian marketing professional, was the initial founder of HPS (Hierhold Presentation Services). While many global corporations and professionals are aware that an assertive rhetoric style – modelled on U.S. presentation techniques – is an investment in the company’s success, German-speaking businesses often lag behind. For this reason, HPS specifically targets companies all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland to help leverage employees’performances. “We help our customers to acquire more power of persuasion in their business presentations, in front of crowds or in small groups of decision makers, with the help of
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ness sessions for corporate employees and executives. HPS coaches host these workshops on-site. In addition, interested companies may test HPS’s services during a free three-hour test session. Experienced specialist trainers HPS’s specialist trainers know what they are talking about. In Germany alone, more than 40 specialists offer training sessions in four languages, including six native English speakers. In addition to their academic accomplishments, all the trainers have at least ten years management experience in large, global businesses, and they are all certified HPS coaches.
On the road to future success The quality of HPS’s trainings is consistent. By working with highly accomplished and experienced practitioners and using certified and result-oriented coaching methods, HPS remains a reliable, serviceoriented partner that boosts presentation skills for businesses of all sizes. www.hps-training.com From top to bottom: Seven presentation steps to success Trainer + Co-Trainer Concept HPS mobile app for tablets and smartphones HPS Publication 2014
Benefitting from this expertise and knowhow, trainers help workshop participants discover their affinity for public speaking and their ability to“sell”their ideas, projects and products. Systematic methods and quality
Left, main image: Business professionals will benefit greatly from practicing important presentation skills Top: HPS specialist training situation Middle: Small training workshops guarantee quality and individual feedback Below: HPS training method
media and other tools or even with empty hands,” says Frank Vogt, CEO of HPS Deutschland GmbH.
The methodology follows an effective ‘Story-Slides-Stage’ chronology. All HPS seminars (with a maximum of ten participants) are run by a trainer tandem: one trainer plus a co-trainer ensure that each participant gets a chance to be assessed via video up to five times a day. Through this high-intensity training and practice, participants truly improve their performance. “It works. Participants see a drastic change in how confident and equipped they feel to speak in meetings – taking them all the way to the board room,” says Frank Vogt. Structured feedback and video analysis
100 per cent practical relevance Time spent in HPS seminar saves working time, since participants always work on their own practical cases.They develop their ideas and make progress solving their individual cases under the direction of experienced trainers.
During the seminar, participants can evaluate their performance in a separate room. This personal video-feedback with their coach is more convincing and easily accepted. And what participants like best is receiving the feedback without the pressure of the group being present.
The training sessions can be either booked individually (public workshops take place once a month), or company – and project specific. More than 90 per cent of HPS presentation workshops are internal busi-
Meanwhile, the main room hosts the next presentation.This parallel room system increases the practice time for all participants and reduces the overall duration of group exercises.
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Munich Business School University of Applied Sciences
CERTIFICATE | BUSINESS COACH !"#$!% '()*+!)) ,-./ 0'12 -..,"%*+3 4, 5",67 8"7 9:;"!./4 BUSINESS BUSINE SS C COACH OACH z ĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐ ĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐŐ ƚŽ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĞĚƵĐĂƚŝŽŶ ĞĚƵĐĂƚŝŽŶ ŐƵŝĚĞ ŐƵŝĚĞůŝŶĞƐ ůŝŶĞƐ ŽĨ s Ύ͕ s Ύ͕ / &ΎΎ ĂŶĚ YZ YZ ΎΎΎ ΎΎΎ z ƵƌĂƚŝŽŶ͗ ƵƌĂƚŝŽŶ͗͗ ϭϮ ŵŽŶ ŵŽŶƚŚƐ͕ ƚŚƐ͕ ĚŝǀŝĚĞĚ ŝŶ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŽ ƚĞŶ ƚĞŶ ŵŽĚƵůĞƐ͕ ŵŽĚƵůĞƐ͕ ĞĂĐŚ ůĂƐƚŝŶŐ ůĂƐƚŝŶŐ ƚǁŽ ƚǁŽ ĚĂLJƐ ĚĂĂLJƐ ;&ƌŝĚĂLJ ;&ƌŝĚĂLJ ĂŶĚ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂLJͿ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂLJͿ z DĂdžŝŵƵŵ DĂdžŝŵƵŵ ŵ ŽĨ WĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶƚƐ͗ WĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶƚƐ͗ ϭϴ WĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶ Ŷƚ WƌŽĨŝůĞ͗ WƌŽĨŝůĞ͗ džĞĐƵƚŝǀĞƐ͕ džĞĐƵƚŝǀĞƐ͕ Ɛ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚƐ͕ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝŝƐƚƐ͕ ƚƐ ĞdžƉĞƌƚƐ ĞdžƉĞƌƚƐ ĂŶĚ ŵĂŶĂŐĞƌƐ͕ ŵĂŶĂŐĞƌƐ͕ Ɛ ŚƵŵĂŶ ŚƵ ƵŵĂŶ ƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂůƐ͕ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂůƐƐ͕ Ɛ z WĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶƚ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ ŵĂŶĂŐĞƌƐ͕ ŵĂŶĂŐ ŵ ĞƌƐ͕ ĐŽŶƐƵůƚĂŶƚƐ͕ ĐŽŶƐƵůƚĂŶƚƐ͕ ƚƌ ƚƌĂŝŶĞƌƐ ĂŝŶĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽĂĐŚĞƐ ĐŽĂĐŚĞƐ
PROGRAM DIRECTOR DIRE IREC TOR AND TRAINING NING SUPERVISOR SUPERVISOR PROGRAM WƌŽĨ͘ ƌ WƌŽĨ͘ ƌ͘͘ ǀĞůLJŶ ǀĞůLJŶ Ğ ůďƌĞĐŚƚ ůďƌĞĐŚƚ ŝƐ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƚŚ ŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ŵŽƐƚ ǁĞůů ǁĞůů ŬŶŽǁŶ ŬŶŽǁŶ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŽĂĐŚĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĞdžƉĞƌƚƐ ĞdžƉĞƌƚƐ ŝŶ ƐLJƐƚĞŵŝĐ ƐLJƐƚĞŵŝĐ ĐŽ ĂĐŚŝŶŐ͘ ^ŚĞĞ ŝƐ Ă s s ^ĞŶŝŽƌ ŽĂĐŚ ĂŶĚ Ě ^ĞŶŝŽƌ ^ĞŶŝŽƌ YZ YZ ŽĂĐŚ ǁŝƚŚ ŵŽƌĞ ŵŽ ŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ ϭϱ LJĞĂƌƐ LJĞĂƌƐ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ĂƐ ĂŶ ŝŶĚĞͲ ŝŶĚĞ Ͳ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ͘ ƉĞŶĚĞŶƚ ĐŽĂĐŚ͘ ĐŽĂĐĐŚ͘ Wƌ ŽĨ͘ ƌ ĞĐŚƚ ĐŽŶĚƵĐƚƐ ĐŽŶĚƵĐƚƐƐ ƚŚĞ ƚƌ ĂŝŶŝŶŐ ĨĨŽƌ Žƌ ƚŚĞ ĐĞƌƚŝĨŝĞĚ Ě D ^ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŽĂĐŚ ŚĞƌƐĞůĨ͘ ŚĞƌƐĞůĨ͘ ƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƉĞŶĚĞŶƚ WƌŽĨ͘ ƌ͘͘ ůďƌ ůďƌĞĐŚƚ ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ ͕ ƐŚĞ ƐŚĂƌ ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ͕ ƐŚĂƌĞƐ ĞƐ Ă ǁŝĚĞ ƌƌĂŶŐĞ ĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ ĞĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ͕ džƉĞĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ͕ ďŽƚŚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞŽƌLJ ƚŚĞŽƌLJ ĂŶĚ ƉƌĂĐƚŝĐĞ͕ ƉƌĂĐƚŝĐĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ƐĞƚƐ ƐĞƚƐ ŶĞǁ ŶĞǁ ďĞŶĐŚŵĂƌŬƐ ďĞŶĐŚŵ ŵĂƌŬƐ ƵƐŝŶŐ ŝŶŶŽǀĂƚŝǀĞ ŝŶŶŽ ǀĂƚŝǀĞ ŵĞƚŚŽĚŽůŽŐŝĞƐ͘ ŵĞƚŚŽĚŽůŽŐŝĞƐ͘ ƚŚŽĚŽůŽŐŝĞƐ
REQUIREMENTS REQUIREMENT NT S z ^ƵĐĐĞ ^ƵĐĐĞƐƐĨƵůůLJ ƐƐĨƵ ƵůůLJ ĐĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞĚ ŽŵƉůĞƚĞĚ ĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ĚĞŐƌĞĞ ĚĞŐƌƌĞĞ Žƌ ĂƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƚĞ ĂƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƚĞ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂů ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂĂů ĐĂƌĞĞƌ ĐĂƌĞĞƌ z DŝŶ͘ ŽĨ ĂĂƚƚ ůĞĂƐƚ ůĞĂƐƚ Ϯ LJĞĂƌƐ LJĞĂƌƐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ
START START OF PROGRAM PROGRAM O dŚĞ ĐĞ ĐĞƌƚŝĨŝĞĚ ƌƚŝĨŝĞĚ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŽĂĐŚ D ^ Ɖƌ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŽŐƌĂŵ ŵ ŝŝƐƐ ŽĨ ŽĨĨĞƌĞĚ ĨĞƌĞĚ ĞĞǀĞƌLJ ǀĞƌLJ LJĞĂƌ͘ LJĞĂƌ͘ dŚĞ ŶĞ ŶĞdžƚ džƚ Ɖƌ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŽŐŐƌĂŵ ƐƐƚĂƌƚ ƚĂƌƚ ŝƐ ŝŶ DĂƌ DĂƌĐŚ ĐŚ ϮϬϭϱ͘ ϮϬϭϱ
CONTACT C ONTA AC T PERSON PER RSON AND FURTHER FURTHER R INFORMATION INF ORMA ATION WƌŽĨ͘ ƌ͘ WƌŽĨ͘ ƌ͘ ǀĞůLJŶ ǀĞůLJLJŶ ůďƌĞĐŚƚ͕ ůďƌĞĐŚƚ͕ WƌŽŐƌĂŵ WƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌƌ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͘ ŽĂĐŚΛŵƵŶŝĐŚͲďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐͲƐĐŚŽŽů͘ĚĞ͕ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͘ ŽĂĐŚΛŵƵŶŝĐŚͲďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐͲƐĐŚŽŽů͘ĚĞ͕ нϰϵ ϴϵ Ϯϭ ϱϱ ϬϴͲϮϬϭ www.munich-business-school.de/business-coach w ww.munich-business-school.de/business-c h-business-school.de/business-c -coach Ύ s ͗ s ͗ ĞƵƚƐĐŚĞ ĞƵƚƐĐŚĞƌƌ ƵŶĚĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƐǀĞƌďĂŶĚ ǀĞƌďĂŶĚ ŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ͕͕ ΎΎ / &͗ /Ŷ /ŶƚĞƌŶĂƚŝŽŶĂů ƚĞƌŶĂĂƚŝŽŶĂů ŽĂĐŚ &&ĞĚĞƌĂƚŝŽŶ͕ ĞĚĞƌĂƚŝŽŶ͕ ΎΎΎ YZ YZ ͗ ͗ YƵĂůŝƚ YƵĂůŝƚćƚƐƌŝŶŐ ćƚƐƌŝŶŐ ŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ƵŶĚ Ğƌ ĞƌĂƚƵŶŐ ĂƚƵŶŐ Ğ͘ Ğ͘s͘ s͘
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ĞƌƟĮĐĂƚĞ ĞƌƟĮĐ ĂƚĞ ͮ Business Coach
ƟĮ Ě ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĞƌƟĮĞĚ ŝ ŽĂĐŚ Ž ŽĂĐŚ Ś D ^͕ D ^ ĂĐĐ ĂĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐ ŽƌĚŝŶŐ Ěŝ ƚƚŽ ŽW WƌŽĨ͘ WƌŽĨĨ͘ ƌ ƌ͘͘ ůďƌ ůď ůďƌĞĐŚƚ ĞĐŚ Śƚ
OVERVIEW O VERVIEW OF O MODULE MODULESS
ĂĐŚ ƐĞ ĂĐŚ ƐĞŵŝŶĂƌ ŵŝŶĂƌ ŵŽĚƵůĞ ŵŽ ŽĚƵůĞ ĐĐŽŶƐŝƐƚƐ ŽŶƐŝƐƚƐ ŽĨ Ă ƚŚĞŽƌ ƚŚĞŽƌĞƚŝĐĂů ĞƚŝĐĂů ƉĂƌƚ Ɖ ǁŝƚŚ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƌĞůĞǀĂŶĐĞ͕ ƌĞůĞǀĂŶĐĞ͕ ŝŶͲĚĞƉƚŚ ŝŶ ŶͲĚĞƉƚŚ ĞdžĞƌĐŝƐĞƐ͕ ĞdžĞƌĐŝƐĞƐ͕ ƐƉĞĐŝĨŝĐ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ŵĞƚŚŽĚƐ͕ ŵĞƚŚŽĚƐ͕ ƉƌĂĐƚŝĐĂů Ɖƌ ĂĐƚŝĐĂů ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ͕ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ͕ ƚ ĐĂƐĞ ĐĂƐĞ ƐƚƵĚŝĞƐ͕ ƐƚƵĚŝĞƐ͕ ďĞƐƚͲƉƌĂĐƚŝĐĞ ďĞƐƚͲƉƌĂĐƚŝĐĞĞ ĞdžĂŵƉůĞƐ͕ ĞdžĂŵƉůĞƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ƐƵƉĞƌǀŝƐŝŽŶ͘ ƐƵƉĞƌǀŝƐŝŽŶ͘ dŚŝƐ dŚ ŚŝƐ ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚ ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚ ĞŶƐƵƌĞƐ ĞŶƐƵƌĞƐ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĞƚĞŶĐĞ ĐŽŵƉ ƉĞƚĞŶĐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶƚƐ ƉĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶ ƚƐ ǁŝƚŚ ƌĞŐĂƌĚ ƌĞŐĂƌĚ ƚŽ ƚŽ ƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞ͕ ƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞ͕ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐ͕ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐ͕ ŵĞƚŚŽĚŽůŽŐLJ͕ ŵĞƚŚŽĚŽůŽŐLJLJ͕ ĂŶĚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ͘ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ͘ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐ ƐĞŵŝŶĂƌƐ͕ ƉĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶƚƐ͚ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƚŝŽŶƐ ƐĞůĞĐƚĞĚ dŚĞ Ɖƌ ŽŐƌĂŵ ŝŶĐů ƵĚĞƐ ƐĞ ŵŝŶĂƌƐ͕ ĞĞdžƉĞƌƚ džƉĞƌƚ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ͕͕ ƉĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶ ƚƐ͚ Ɖƌ ĞƐĞŶƚĂƚŝŽŶƐ ŽŶ Ŷ ƐĞ ůĞĐƚĞĚ ƚŽƉŝĐƐ͕ ƚŽƉŝĐƐ͕ ƚƌŝĂĚ ĂĐƚŝǀŝƚŝĞƐ͕ ĂĐƚŝǀŝƚŝĞƐ͕ Ɛ ƌĞĂů ƌĞĂů ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĐĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ǁŝƚŚ ĐůŝĞ ĐůŝĞŶƚƐ ĞŶƚƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ƐƵƉĞ ƐƵƉĞƌǀŝƐŝŽŶ͕ ƌǀŝƐŝŽŶ͕ ŝŵƉůĞŵĞ ŝŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƚŝŽŶ ĞŶƚĂƚŝŽŶ ŽĨ Ϯ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐĞƐ͕ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐĞĞƐ͕ ĚŽĐƵŵĞŶƚĂƚŝŽŶ ĚŽĐƵŵĞŶƚĂƚŝŽŶ ŽĨ Ϯ ŝŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĞĚ ŝŵƉůĞŵĞĞŶƚĞĚ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐĞƐ͕ Ɖƌ ŽĐĞƐƐĞƐ͕ Ɖƌ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƚŝŽŶ ĞƐĞŶ ŶƚĂƚŝŽŶ ŽĨ Ă ĐĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ĐŽŶĐĞƉƚ ĐŽŶĐĞƉƚ ;ď ;ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƉůĂŶͿ͕ ĚŽĐƵŵĞ ĚŽĐƵŵĞŶƚĂƚŝŽŶ ŶƚĂƚŝŽŶ ŽĨ Ž Ă ĐĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ĐĐŽŶĐĞƉƚ͕ ŽŶĐĞƉƚ͕ ĨŝŶĂů ǁƌŝƚ ǁƌŝƚƚĞŶ ƚĞŶ ĞĞdžĂŵ͕ džĂŵ͕ ƉĞĞ ƉĞĞƌƌ ŐƌŽƵƉ ĂĐƚŝǀŝƚLJ͕ ŐŐƌ ŽƵƉ Ɖ ĂĐƚŝǀŝƚLJ LJ͕ ĂŶĚ ĂŶĚ ǁƌŝƚŝŶŐŐ ĂŶ ĂƌƚŝĐůĞ ŽŶ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ͘ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐŐŐ͘ Fundamentals Fundamen tals of Business Coaching
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dŚĞ /ŶŶĞƌ ddĞĂŵ ĞĞĂŵ
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ŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ Wƌ WƌŽĐĞƐƐ ƌŽĐĞƐƐ ŝƐĐƵƐƐŝŽŶƐ //
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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Boost Your Career
Trust your winning smile Internationally acclaimed author, business coach and mumpreneur Iris Clermont shares valuable tips on how to increase team efficiency and achieve more at work. TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTO & SKETCHES: IRIS CLERMONT
"Whoever smiles instead of rioting is always the stronger one," is how Iris Clermont sums up her mission. After graduating in mathematics in 1990, Clermont spent the early days of her career as a project manager and business consultant within the telecommunications industry. Working in many different countries such as Spain, Finland, Sweden and the UK, the difficulties she encountered were always the same. “I met busy, stressed, even ‘burned out’ managers and teams who were moaning all day instead of communicating with each other,”remembers the mum-of-three, who founded her own business in 2008.“There were meetings where everybody was speaking and nobody listened. It’s crazy that so many teams are failing to deliver the goods, when with just a few small changes,
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they could work together so much better and enjoy it too.” Determined to change this situation, Clermont published her book “Team Magic – Eleven Magical Ways for Winning Teams”. Simple tips such as ‘Step into the shoes of others’ can work magic in your working life, which, in turn, will have a positive effect on your private life too. Additionally, Clermont offers several programmes involving her unique consulting plus coaching approach. “The combination of consulting and coaching leads to proactive, open-minded, focused and solution-oriented teamwork,”she explains.“The golden key is observation and active listening during the daily job routine, meetings and workshops, which inspire my clients to set
up clear and concrete ideas on how to improve their business.” Iris Clermont knows what she is talking about. Besides her career as a business consultant which takes her all around the world, the music lover also finds time to perform with her bands, play the flute, bring up three boys as a single mum and train for a triathlon.“Everything is possible,” she says.“Time management is something that starts in your head. Just think about what you can do, what’s fun, what’s important and ultimately what you want to achieve.” www.aiccoaching.com
Iris Clermont, business coach and mumpreneur
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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Boost Your Career
Propelling your career forward
Above: Claus Verfuerth, Director Senior Executive Solutions in the Career Consultation and Development department
For three decades, the Dusseldorf-based von Rundstedt have been the driving force behind some of the business world’s most significant career moves. Boosting your prospects, the team’s experience, network and coaching skills aim to propel your career onto a new and better path.
international role or even self-employment. Often,Verfuerth admits, even those in managerial positions need a little push in the right direction.
TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES
Key to any career leap is a reliance on your network of contacts. Thanks to von Rundstedt’s Senior Network Lounge, a platform of satisfied businessmen and women who have the acumen and the contacts to potentially aid a career move, the company strive to nurture these useful interactions.
Founded in 1985 by the pioneering Eberhard von Rundstedt, the 300-strong team is now headed by his results-driven daughter Sophia. Alongside boosting the career of individuals, von Rundstedt are also specialists in corporate management training and managerial development.
various emotions of senior position holders, he explains that very few friends or relatives can hold a useful conversation about your situation when it’s that of a top-level manager.“For me, this is one of my key tasks and I understand entirely what a tough decision it can be,”he says.
Through ClausVerfuerth’s proficient top-level management coaching and his role as Director Senior Executive Solutions in the Career Consultation and Development department, he believes that it’s the“one-to-one neutral dialogue with von Rundstedt’s career experts about your experiences”and the“batting back and forth of ideas”that render the company such a esteemed recruiter, outplacer and career consultant. Having astutely observed the
“At the first meeting we’ll discuss your current career situation and your expectations,” he explains.“From then on, we’ll be able to offer you relevant solutions, potential networking options and we’ll begin an analysis of your strengths and motivations.” Often overlooked by those who’ve been in active employment for a while, such earmarking of strengths is vital and will perhaps prompt that career move, an ambitious change to an
Re-orientating yourself as a result of an impromptu redundancy or after leaving a company amicably requires not only confidence and self-belief, but also a strong will to succeed, a concrete and concise sense of direction and, perhaps most importantly, a wide reaching network.Testament toVon Rundstedt’s ability to provide these factors is the approximately 2,000 individuals who are successfully assisted by them annually. www.rundstedt.de
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Culture Calendar
Above: International Street Music Festival, Würzburg. Evelyn Kryger live performance. Photo: Alfred Junker
Save the date as there are plenty of great events scheduled for the weeks to come. From music festivals and exciting exhibitions to great sporting events, Discover Germany’s Culture Calendar is your perfect guide to this autumn’s highlights.
IFA, Berlin (5-10 September 2014) Presenting the latest products and innovations, the global trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances attracts a quarter of a million trade visitors each year from more than 100 countries. b2c.ifa-berlin.de
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Gabalier – Die Volks-Rock’n’Roll-Show (6 September 2014)
Festival of Performing Arts, Düsseldorf (10-28 September)
Our cover star rocks the stage with international superstars like James Blunt, the Scorpions and many others at 8:15pm (Das Erste, SRF 1 and ORF 2). www.gabalier-show.tv
The dusseldorf festival features international coproductions and German premières alongside fringe events and rarities that invite visitors to discover, dream and marvel. www.duesseldorf-festival.de
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Discover Germany | Culture | Calendar
International Street Music Festival, Würzburg (12-14 September 2014) More than 400 artists from all over the globe enchant downtown Würzburg this month. As the largest stage-free festival in Europe, this unique cultural happening sees performances take place on 22 public squares. www.stramu-wuerzburg.de Oktoberfest, Munich (20 September – 5 October 2014) The 181st Munich Beer Festival takes place on the famous Wies’n. The ladies wear Dirndl, the guys wear lederhosen. Steins filled with beer, giant pretzels and lots of Oompa attract millions of visitors from all over the world. www.muenchen.de/int/en/events/oktoberfest.html
Right: Oktoberfest. Photo: Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus/Pierre Adenis. Photos right above: Rainer Kiedrowski Below: Festival of Performing Arts, Düsseldorf. Kader Attou, Compagnie Accrorap. © Joao Garcia Right bottom: Berlin Marathon, last year's winner and world record breaker Wilson Kipsang (Kenya) crossing the finish line. © SCC Events, Photorun
Cannstatter Volksfest, Stuttgart (26 September – 12 October 2014) One of Europe’s largest and most popular funfairs has been held at the Wasen for almost 200 years. Enjoy a special atmosphere in and around the great festival tents, a fantastic flea market and many spectacular attractions. www.cannstatter-volksfest.de Berlin Marathon, Berlin (28 September 2014) Superstars like Kenyan Dennis Kimetto and Ethopian Tsegaye Kebede will compete at the 41st BMW BERLIN MARATHON, the world´s fastest marathon course. www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com
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Discover Germany | Culture | Calendar
Long Night of the Museums, Vienna (4 October 2014) Stroll through Vienna’s museums and explore the city’s cultural highlights under the stars. 130 museums including the Haus der Musik are open until 1am. www.langenacht.orf.at Frankfurt Book Fair, Frankfurt (8-12 October 2014) The world’s largest book and media fair attracts over a quarter of a million bookworms each year and features 7,300 exhibitors from over 100 countries. www.buchmesse.de Festival of Lights 2014, Leipzig (9 October 2014) Celebrating 25 years of the Peaceful Revolution. Around 150,000 visitors from all over Germany and abroad are expected to partake. www.lichtfest.leipziger-freiheit.de
Left: Cannstatter Volksfest. Photo: Thomas Niedermueller Top right: Frankfurt Book Fair, duckling readers as souvenirs Right bottom: Festival of lights, Leipzig. Photo: punctum/Schmidt
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Discover Germany | Culture | Barbara Geier
Ever heard about Volkstümliche Musik? Ever heard of Andreas Gabalier? No? Neither had I, until one evening last year that I spent with friends while on a visit to Germany, and they started discussing the phenomenon that is Andreas Gabalier. TEXT: BARBARA GEIER
Although possessing his own distinctive style, this Austrian represents what is known as Volkstümliche Musik in German, a folksy and popular style of music, a modern version of the traditional Volksmusik genre that is so typical for German-speaking countries in general and the Alpine regions in particular. Andreas Gabalier is probably the most popular and successful singer at the moment of these mostly cheerful and feelgood Volksmusik compositions. He mixes the traditional with Rock’n’Roll, both in his music as well as in person, combining Lederhosen with t-shirts and leather jackets and sporting a mighty quiff and cool sunglasses on stage, all of which has led to the moniker Volks-Rock’n’Roller. Which, I think, needs no translation. People love him, his songs are being remixed by DJs and if you associate folk music with old people, think again. Mr Gabalier was born in 1984 and his audience by no means consists of 50+ ladies and gentleman, quite the opposite in fact. His success has to be seen in the context of the huge popularity of popular folk music in German-speaking countries. So, let me briefly introduce you to another phenomenon, the“Musikantenstadl”. This TV programme, which literally means“musicians’
barn”, has been on our screens for donkey’s years, is watched by millions and is, to be quite frank and from my point of view, absolutely hideous, but there we go. Tastes differ. It’s broadcast live (which doesn’t necessarily mean the singing is live, though), the audience sits in a kind of mock Alpine barn on beer benches around tables, everyone is always in a good mood and clapping along to folk music, oompah bands and another very special German genre, the Schlager. It’s all a bit cheesy and unbelievably feel-good and that’s probably why people like it so much. Who doesn’t love a good dose of the fake world for a couple of hours in the evening now and then? I’m getting cynical now as you might have noticed, so I’d better stop. After my initialYouTube clip introduction to Andreas Gabalier on that evening in Germany last year, and now after having seen the odd interview with him on TV, I’ve got to say, I get it. I get why he’s so popular. He seems to be a nice and genuine guy, downto-earth, no starry antics and he exudes this certain “I’m one of you” charm. His songs. Well. As you might have noticed by now I’m no fan of popular Volksmusik, and I probably never will be. What I can say is that he’s got a knack for catchy tunes, no doubt about it, and it’s the stuff that lends itself to a good singsong. Oh, and unlike
some you can see and hear in programmes such as “Musikantenstadl”, he’s actually a musician, playing instruments and writing his songs. So, my advice would be, make up your own mind about this and have a listen. I wouldn’t recommend watching the “Stadl”, though, as it’s known for short. Only if you really, really must …
Barbara Geier is a London-based freelance writer, translator and communications consultant. She is also the face behind ww.germanyiswunderbar.com, a German travel and tourism guide and blog that was set up together with UK travel writer Andrew Eames in 2010.
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