2_0_DiscoverGermany_Issue36_March2016:Scan Magazine 1
26/2/16
12:55
Page 92
Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top Architects Austria
Main image: The award-winning ‘Haus Zull’. Right from top: Country estate Ewald Gruber. Winery Zull. Winery Weber. Bottom: Capella Verticale.
The art of architecture The buildings of today provide the most diverse ways of living: detached houses, tower blocks, small apartments, large villas and others too many to mention. Yet sometimes there are constructions that will take your breath away by falling out of every category – edifices such as those that have been planned and realised by Norbert Steiner and his team from the Austrian architecture office Sputnic. TEXT: SILKE HENKELE | PHOTOS: MARIANNE GREBER, NORBERT STEINER
When Steiner finished his studies in architecture, he decided he needed to found his own architect’s office if he wanted to realise his ideas of modern architecture.The name he gave his newly founded business is reminiscent of the Russian satellite that conquered space with little effort but with a big effect. Similar to this satellite and its name, which translates as ‘companion’, Steiner sees himself as the companion of his client during the project phase and as someone who accomplishes a great deal with seemingly little effort. “Primarily, I am planning and building homes I myself would like to live in,”stresses Steiner. “This is a guarantee that the customer gets the best results.”This manner of approach may seem as unconventional as
92 | Issue 36 | March 2016
Steiner is himself. One of his projects was initiated during a journey to Kilimanjaro and Sansibar and ended in a project named ‘Haus Zull’that, in 2012, received an award for energy efficient and sustainable building, one of the many awards Sputnic has been presented with in the last ten years. As one of the key factors to his success Steiner identifies a close customer-provider relationship: “I normally would like my client to tell me their vision of their new home. And I would like them to be open to my ideas. Yet, if they don’t have a vision yet, I will create one for them,”he sums up. Sometimes the difference between art and architecture is small and Sputnic’s building projects always incorporate an arty touch.
One of the aspects that makes Sputnic’s work so singular is the long-standing relationship with Austrian artist Heimo Zobernig, who presented Austria in last year’s Biennale and with whom Steiner already has realised projects in Zurich, Munich and Cologne. Architecture may become art – an observation that holds particularly true for the building projects planned by Norbert Steiner and his team at Sputnic. www.sputnic.at