Scan Client Publishing | Discover Germany Portfolio

DISCOVE R G E RM A N Y PORTF OLIO www.scanclientpublishing.com

Scan Group | Scan Client Publishing

ABOUT International content creation has been one of the core strengths of Scan Group for almost a decade. With a journalist network that spans across Europe, we provide high quality native advertising in several languages.

We have supplied appealing content to over 2,000 businesses, counting among these some of the largest brands in the world. Since the launch of our successful Discover Germany, Switzerland & Austria magazine in 2013 we have accumulated extensive know-how in promoting local tourism, business and lifestyle from these regions to an international audience in print and digital format. Our unparalleled design, editorial and marketing expertise ensures high-quality journalistic content that will communicate your message effectively.

ÜBER UNS Seit knapp 10 Jahren zählt die Erstellung von internationalem Content zu den größten Stärken der Scan Verlagsgruppe. Mit unserem europaweiten Netzwerk von Journalisten liefern wir hochwertige native advertising Beiträge in verschiedenen Sprachen. Bereits mehr als 2,000 Unternehmen nahmen bisher unser Angebot an medialen Inhalten mit subtiler Werbebotschaft in Anspruch, darunter Marken von Weltruf.

Seit der Gründung unseres erfolgreichen Discover Germany, Switzerland & Austria Magazins in 2013 haben wir ausgiebiges Fachwissen darin gewonnen, einem internationalen Publikum in gedruckter und digitaler Variante lokale Tourismusverbände, Unternehmen, Lifestyle und mehr aus den DACH Regionen zu präsentieren. Unsere unvergleichliche Expertise in den Bereichen Design, Redaktion und Marketing ist ein Garant für hochwertigen medialen Inhalt, der Ihre Botschaft effizient verbreitet.

Portfolio | 3

Scan Group | Scan Client Publishing

TOURISM From the North Sea islands to Austria’s Salzkammergut resort area to the Swiss Zugspitze, our clients from the tourism industry trust us with the presentation of local highlights. Lakeside beauty, medieval towns or mountain splendour are part of our portfolio as much as picturesque villages or vibrant capitals and we never fail to get a tourism board’s message across in a most attractive manner.

TOURISMUS Von den Nordseeinseln bis zum österreichischen Salzkammergut und der Schweizer Zugspitzenregion vertrauen uns die Vertreter der Tourismusindustrie mit der Präsentation lokaler Höhepunkte. Traumhafte Seelagen, mittelalterliche Städte oder beeindruckende Bergregionen gehören dabei ebenso zu unserem Portfolio wie malerische Dörfer oder pulsierende Großstädte. Es gelingt uns stets, die Nachricht lokaler Tourismusvertreter in attraktivster Weise zu verbreiten.

Portfolio | 5

Special Theme

Frankfurt City Special

Vibrant metropolis on the Main river

Welcome to Frankfurt Captivating city of contrasts The vibrant metropolis on the Main river is something of a chameleon. For many, it is one of the world’s most important financial centres, for others a vital trade fair destination, and there are some who can think of nothing more appealing than a sunny afternoon on the Frankfurt Museum Embankment, strolling through one of the many parks and enjoying a bit of German Gemütlichkeit in a traditional apple wine tavern.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: FRANKFURT TOURIST+CONGRESS BOARD / HOLGER ULLMANN

Strategically positioned in the heart of Germany, the city could not be better connected to the German Autobahn and train network. Over 55 million passengers pass through Frankfurt airport each year, making it the third largest airport in Europe. Mainhatten, as the city is often referred to thanks to its remarkable skyline, features iconic skyscrapers such as the Deutsche Bank twin towers, the Commerzbank tower, the Mes-

seTurm and the Main Tower with its accessible visitors platform.Top notch exhibition grounds attract more than 2 million people per year. One of the most significant events, the Frankfurt Book Fair, welcomes around 250,000 guests, bringing together countless nationalities and cultures.

A cosy city steeped in history Don’t let the sophisticated skyline fool you.

The city of Frankfurt can look back on a history spanning 1,200 years. The magnificent Emperor’s Cathedral was built in 1239, the city hall was founded in 1405 and the Römerberg’s beautiful row of half-timbered houses, which have been painstakingly reconstructed according to the original plans, attract millions of admirers from all over the globe each year. Many of the city centre buildings have been preserved in their original splendour

Portfolio | 7

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Frankfurt City Special

Above, left: The Römerberg featuring beautiful half-timbered houses. Above, middle: The Old Opera

wherever possible or reconstructed in the original fashion, such as the old opera house or the birth place and former home of writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

With approximately 700,000 inhabitants, Frankfurt is a surprisingly cosy city and most of the cultural sightseeing highlights are easily accessible on foot as many of the attractions are in walking distance of each other. A large pedestrian zone lends itself supremely to an afternoon shopping spree and leads straight into one of Frankfurt's finest areas, the so-called Freßgass (food alley), where plenty of restaurants can be found offering gourmet food and al fresco dining. Bordering the prestigious Goethes-

Bembel, pretzel and a glass of Ebbelwei

8 | Portfolio

trasse with an array of designer stores, this area is perfectly suited to those with a passion for the finer things in life. Shoppers on the hunt for something unique and authentic will love exploring the independent boutiques in Berger Straße and Schweizer Straße.

Handkäs and Ebbelwei A passion for food is deeply rooted in local culture.Traditional dishes like Handkäs mit Musik (marinated cheese with onions), Rippchen mit Kraut (ribs with kraut) or the legendary Grüne Sauce (green sauce), a local delicacy consisting of a very special herb mix, are served in the classic apple wine taverns. The green sauce is so popular, it has even spawned its own festival.

Insiders always combine a local dish with a Bembel (a grey and blue jug) of home made Ebbelwei (apple wine) – another Hessian national treasure, which also has its own festival. A fun way to discover the best apple wine is to take the Ebbelwei Express tram through the old town centre and the apple wine district of Sachsenhausen. But local delicacies aside, Frankfurt wouldn’t be Frankfurt without offering a diverse menu mirroring the town’s internationalism. Contemporary and first class world food is available in countless vari-

eties and award-winning Michelin starred restaurants are plenty.

Parks, gardens and vineyards Leisure facilities in and around Frankfurt are unrivalled. The smallest metropolis of the world, as locals like to call it, is surrounded by a beautiful landscape of vineyards, the Taunus hills and various parks.

Locals love to go jogging or hiking, take the kids to the park or enjoy a picnic in the fresh air. People are as passionate about their careers as they are about taking the time to enjoy the stunning recreational areas in the Rhein Main region.The Frankfurt greenbelt includes more than 50 parks, green spots and gardens in and around town, such as the Holzhausenpark, the Grüneburgpark, the Korean Garden, the zoological garden and many more.The Palmengarten, a 140-year-old enclave of botanical treasures, is said to be the largest of its kind in Germany.

Riverside beauty and cultural hotspot A riverside cruise is the perfect way to explore the Frankfurt Museum Embankment from the water. Ideal for cycling, skating or just wandering along, the river bank is home to many of Frankfurt’s approximately 60 museums and exhibition centres such as

Above: Palmengarten. Right, top: Korean Garden, an oasis of calm. Right, above: Liebighaus Museum

the Städel Institute of Art with the Municipal Gallery, the German Film Museum, the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art. Often called Museum Row, there is definitely something for everyone. Each year the Museum Embankment Festival is celebrated along the river banks. Alongside culinary treats, live music and entertainment, visitors are offered discounted entry at participating museums. Night owls are welcome to browse the prestigious collections between 7pm and 2am at the city's annual Museum Night. Although museum lovers are confined to one night per year, nightlife is pretty exciting in Frankfurt, with theatres, clubs, bars, beach clubs and even party boats making sure that great entertainment is guaranteed all year round.

family. Locals love the Wäldchestag, a fun fair that literally takes place in the forest.

The annual Opera Square Festival is a celebration of culinary delights from all over the world rounded off with some great live musical entertainment. In December the old town sparkles with the Christmas market, as the beautiful timber framed houses provide a festive backdrop. With a multitude of events, it is highly recommended that you check the city’s event calendar before travelling to make sure you do not miss out. After all, Frankfurt is somewhat of a chameleon and it has a habit of positively surprising visitors over and over again. www.frankfurt-tourismus.de

A SMALL SELECTION OF THIS YEAR’S TOP EVENTS: Spring Dippemess Folk Fair, 11.04.-04.05.2014 Museum Night, 10.05.2014 Wäldchestag, 07.06.-10.06.2014 Opera Square Festival, 25.06.-04.07.2014 Main Festival, 01.08.-04.08.2014 Apple Wine Festival, 08.08.-17.08.2014 Museum Embankment Festival, 29.08.-31.08.2014 Frankfurt Book Fair, 08.10.-12.10.2014 Frankfurt Christmas Market, 26.11.–22.12.2014

Bottom, left: Museum Embankment Festival Bottom, right: Wäldchestag

Frankfurt is fun Frankfurters are quite a sociable bunch of people and given the fact that the locals have got used to visitors over the centuries, hospitality is in their blood and one feels immediately welcomed. You can also expect a warm welcome at one of the many outdoor festivals.The annual Museum Embankment Festival in August is Europe’s largest cultural festival, and just like the Dippemess it is well suited for the whole

Portfolio | 9

Best of Berlin with the Berlin Highlights Don’t miss the Berlin Highlights and take advantage of this strong community for successful tourism in Berlin. Since 2011 important attractions and tourist service providers of Berlin have teamed up to guarantee visitors the highest standard of quality and service.

TEXT & PHOTOS: BERLIN HIGHLIGHTS

Based on mutual recommendation and clearly defined high standards, the Berlin Highlights function as a quality seal of approval. Partners in the Berlin Highlights alliance include Base Flying by Jochen Schweizer, Exclusiv Yachtcharter Schifffahrtsgesellschaft, Velotaxi, the alliance of Berlin city guides as well as the attractions presented below. Berlin Highlights aim to turn a visit to Berlin into a unique and unforgettable experience. Visitors receive a luxurious travel guide (in German and English) for free which helps them to find their way through the exciting metropolis. Besides offering valuable information about the most significant tourist sites, the guide is packed with great offers, discount vouch-

10 | Portfolio

ers, exciting rewards and even a raffle, where you may win another trip to the metropolis.

Berliner Residenz Konzerte – a baroque seduction Visiting the Berlin Residence Concerts is an evening highlight at the Great Or-

angerie of Charlottenburg Palace. The Berlin Residence Orchestra is famous for great musical events. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays you will experience an entertaining journey through time into the early 18th century. A kingly master of ceremonies leads you through an eventful evening. Baroque and classic musical masterpieces, musicians wearing original costumes as well as changing 3-course menus lead to a fascinating impression of the baroque age.

Dalí – the exhibition at Potsdamer Platz – a surreal experience “Come into my brain,”the exceptional artist Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) famously said.

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Berlin

Left, main image: Gardens of the World - Karl Foerster Perennials Garden. © Günter Schneider Below: Panoramapunkt

You may now follow this invitation to surrealism.

Over 450 exhibits from private collections all over the world in a permanent exhibition. For the first time a museum offers an extensive insight into Dalí's virtuosity and mastery of almost every technique of art right in the heart of Berlin.

How Dalí founded bulletism by shooting at stones and what bombs filled with nails have to do with the Pietà are just some of the exciting details to learn from the competent Dalí Scouts during the guided tours, which take place once every hour.

Deutsches Currywurst Museum – fancy, original, unique Here tribute is paid to Berlin’s most popular dish which was invented by Berlin citizen Herta Heuwer in September 1949.

Touring the interactive hands-on exhibition, you will experience the Berlin Original with all senses. Singing Ketchup bottles, a walk-in food stall or the sausage sofa make this experience anything but boring. The museum, distinguished with five design awards, also caters for the culinary need: a sample of“Currywurst in a cup”included in the admission fee reminds visitors of what made the Currywurst so famous in the first place: its unmistakable taste.

Die Mauer – Asisi Panometer Berlin The Berlin Wall is now back at Checkpoint Charlie as a monumental life-size panorama byYadegar Asisi.The unique view from the district of Kreuzberg over to Mitte on a fictitious autumn day in the 1980s shows how people learned to live with the reality of the Wall. Go on a discovery tour and experience the picture of a city torn apart.The scenes in the panorama focus on the everyday lives of people: moving house, painting graffiti, eating at a snack bar, sightseeing at the Wall, and omnipresent border guards in their watchtowers. A unique piece of history is brought back to life, so that it becomes more comprehensible to all.

Gärten der Welt – gardens of the world Globally unique examples of foreign horticultural art are displayed in form of nine world gardens. Authentic Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Oriental and Balinese gardens show the variety of Asian and Western culture. European garden art is impressively presented by the Karl Foerster Perennial Garden, the Italian Renaissance Garden

and the Christian Garden. In 2012 the Gardens of the World, operated by the Grün Berlin GmbH, received many prestigious awards such as the "Green Flag Award". In 2015 the English Cottage Garden will be added and in 2017 the IGA Berlin takes place here.

Guided Berlin CityTour in a Classic Beetle Experience firsthand the excellence and excitement of German automotive history in a classic VW beetle convoy tour. Hop aboard as a driver or passenger on the “Oldie Käfer Tour Berlin”for the chance to

Top: Die Mauer – Asisi Panometer Berlin Above: Deutsches Currywurst Museum Bottom, left: Dali Berlin Bottom, right: Classic Beetle Convoi

Portfolio | 11

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Berlin

Main image: Olympiastadion Berlin Below: Aquarella Bottom: Wintergarten

explore the sights and history of the city in the most famous and popular car of the Western world. Ten beautifully restored classicVW beetles and one T2 bus are waiting to bring the past to life. The tour, which includes a live radio broadcast in all vehicles explaining numerous Berlin highlights, starts and finishes at Europa-Centre; one of the most noted iconic sites on Ku’damm.

The Olympiastadion Berlin – the five star stadium The venue of the German cup finals and the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup is not only well-known among soccer fans or a place of spectacular open air concerts, but also a place of moving history. Werner March built the stadium during the Third Reich for the Olympic games of 1936. Since the reopening in 2004, 300,000 people per year have visited the place outside of events. Extensive redevelopment maintained the original character of the building.

Today it is one of the most modern arenas in the world.

Panoramapunkt – best views across town Europe's fastest lift takes you to a height of 100 metres within 20 seconds. The viewing platform and the sun deck above offer a breathtaking 360° view of Berlin and its striking landmarks like the Reichstag, the Siegessäule (Column of Victory) or Brandenburg Gate. The open air exhibition “Views of Berlin at Potsdamer Platz”adds a

12 | Portfolio

historic dimension and the entirely glasswalled Panoramacafé offers superb views for those who want to enjoy a coffee and exquisite confectionery.

Reederei Riedel – Berlin by boat Trips through the city centre and under the numerous bridges, leaving from central landing stages in the centre of Berlin, offer you a view of the capital's sights from the water. The interesting tours (available in ten different languages via headset) will take you past historic and modern buildings, green river banks as well as dense city landscapes. Exciting bridge undercrossings and unexpected city views add to the entertaining trip. An array of gastronomic offerings is available on board.

Top Tour Sightseeing – Berlin by bus In the red “convertible” Top Tour doubledecker buses you can experience the sights of Berlin in a fashion fitting the time and the season – “open top” in summer and cosily warm in winter. Live guides give you interesting background information in German and English as well as 12 more languages via headset.Tours starting every 15 minutes, the possibility to“Hop On Hop Off”during the entire day as well as 19 centrally located bus stops guarantee flexible individual planning.

Combination tickets include a boat ride or a visit to a viewing platform.

Wintergarten – best entertainment Showtime at the Wintergarten takes you

into the extraordinary world of variety where visitors can enjoy great performances of the stars of the variety scene in a stylish atmosphere accompanied by exquisite cuisine and perfect service, even including valet parking. Ideal for international guests, too. All of the impressive shows are self-produced by Wintergarten.

Mondays and Tuesdays are dedicated to the “Spotlights” featuring concerts, chansons and readings. www.Berlin-Highlights.de BERLIN HIGHLIGHTS app for smartphone coming soon!

Welcome to Hamburg The happy metropolis on the water Located on the shores of the river Elbe, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg is Germany’s second largest city after Berlin and it has a lot to offer in terms of lifestyle, culture, shopping and sightseeing. Renowned for its understated elegance, the international harbour city in the North of the country is often referred to as the Gateway to the World.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: HAMBURG MARKETING GMBH

14 | Portfolio

Discover Germany | Culture & Lifestyle | Welcome to Hamburg

Left: Take a little Alster cruise.

Right,top: Alster landing pier Jungfernstieg.

Alsterarkaden shopping district.

Photos: Christian Spahrbier

Hamburg is a city with a long history dating back to the 9th century. In the medieval times it was a member of the Hanseatic trading league and a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire, thanks to its strategic

location with good sea access, Hamburg evolved naturally into a vibrant and multicultural hub to the world. In Hamburg you are never far away from the water, be it the river Elbe, the huge Alster lake in the city

centre or one of the countless canals. More than 10,000 ships enter and leave the Elbe every year, about half of them container ships and each arrival and departure is greeted with their national anthem as they pass Hamburg’s famous Willkomm-HÜft (welcome point). Much of the city evolves around harbour life such as the state of the art modern HafenCity Hamburg with its contemporary architectural highlights, the vibrant Reeperbahn entertainment, livemusic and nightlife district, where the Beatles once started their career or the legendary Sunday Fischmarkt (fish market) starting at 5 am - a great place to enjoy a fresh roll with a Rollmops (pickled herring) and the perfect location for night owls to have a final beer or first coffee.

Around the Alster Moving towards the city center and closer to the Alster region, Hamburg turns into an

Portfolio | 15

elegant beauty featuring grand landmark buildings surrounding the peaceful lake with its 60 m high fountain. Rent a boat, stroll around or attend one of the great events taking place here such as the annual Kirschblütenfest. Every year since 1967, the Japanese community in Hamburg has staged an impressive fireworks display around the Außenalster (Outer Alster) as part of its Cherry Blossom Festival and as a token of gratitude to the City of Hamburg.

Save the date as this year the festival will take place on 16 May. Very rarely and only after two weeks of freezing weather conditions is the frozen Alster opened to the public for the Alster-Eis-Vergnügen and turned into a buzzing winter festival on ice.This did not happen for 15 unseasonably warm years until the chilly February 2012, so if it should happen again it is an event not to be missed.

The revamped Jungfernstieg forms the border to the south of the Alster, where Hamburg’s luxury shopping boulevard begins, the Neuer Wall, one of Europe’s top ten luxury shopping miles or the ABC-quarter, which was named after one of the oldest documented streets in Hamburg.

16 | Portfolio

A cultural hotspot Hamburg ist proud to be home to a great variety of cultural highlights including an array of museums such as the Art Museum, the Museum for Decorative Arts, the Spice Museum, the Hamburg Museum or the great model railroad Miniatur Wunderland.

The Hamburg Dungeons are not for the faint-hearted and for those who appreciate photography and modern art the Deichtorhallen offer 5,600 sqm of exhibition space.

Theaters form a big part of Hamburg’s cultural life and offer a great variety of entertainment. From comedy to ballet, children’s theatre to the great classic plays, every taste is catered for on the Hamburg stages.

Amongst the most original venues are the Schmidt’s Tivoli, a quirky place in the bohemian St. Pauli district and the Ohnsorg Theater, where the old Low German language is preserved. Musicals like Rocky or The Lion King attract countless visitors every year. Hamburg’s Opera was Germany’s first ever public opera house and dates back to 1678. A new concert building

is currently under construction in the HafenCity, the striking Elbphilharmonie

Discover Germany | Culture & Lifestyle | Welcome to Hamburg

Citizen Opera will resemble a ship and is expected to open its doors in 2017.

Have a good time in Hamburg Whether you are on a sightseeing tour or just looking to have a great time, Hamburg is the perfect destination for a city trip.

Landmark buildings such as the Town Hall or the St. Michael’s church, the Deichtorhallen or the Chile House are synonymous with Hamburg’s historically grown grandness and never fail to impress visitors again and again. Enjoy a tour through the iconic Hagenbeck zoo with the adjoining tropical aquarium or take a stroll through the lavish Planten un Blomen park area. If you plan your trip carefully you should consider fitting it in around the popular Hamburger Dom funfair, which takes places three timesa year, attracting millions of visitors. The Hafengeburtstag starting 9 May is another highlight and celebrates the harbour’s 824th birthday in 2014. Over a million people will come together along the Elbe and celebrate the greatest harbour festival in the world while admiring the spectacular parade of beautiful boats including

large cruise ships, frigates and steamboats.

It certainly is the water that adds the special charm to the city of Hamburg and it may come as no surprise that, according to the Deutsche Post Glücksatlas (German happiness atlas) 2013, a survey conducted by the German post, people from Hamburg are the happiest in the country. www.hamburg-travel.com Above: Hamburg and the Alster. Photo: Christian Spahrbier Left, from top to bottom: Fresh fish rolls are a specialty in Hamburg. Photo: Stefan Groenveld Schmidt Theatre, Reeperbahn. Photo: Roberto Kai Hegeler Right, from top to bottom: Harbour district Landungsbrucken. Photo: Christian Spahrbier Dockland office building. Photo: Christian Spahrbier Mellin Passage shopping arcade. Photo: Sven Schwarze

For comprehensive information, free booking of hotels, tickets and package tour offers please contact: Hamburg Tourist Board Phone +49 40 51 300 701 info@hamburg-tourism.de www.hamburg-travel.com

Portfolio | 17

Interlaken, pure Switzerland Interlaken combines all of Switzerland`s charms in one place Glacial mountains, emerald lakes and a quaint but lively town: in Interlaken guests can combine activity and leisure in an attractive setting.

TEXT: JESSICA POMMER | PHOTOS: INTERLAKEN TOURISM

When faced with the stunning scenery of Interlaken, you are swept away into the idyllic and romantic world of Heidi, the much-loved literary and on-screen character who lives a happy life in a secluded Swiss alpine village. Surrounded by impressive mountains, sparkling emerald lakes and rivers, Interlaken is the ideal place to experience the beauty of Switzerland´s nature. Yet, Interlaken goes beyond being just a pretty rural hamlet, as it offers its visitors all the amenities of a lively town. In short, Interlaken is a treasure trove of the best of Switzerland, all condensed in one place.

Situated in central Switzerland, in the middle of the Bernese Oberland, the higher part of the canton Bern, at a height of 568

18 | Portfolio

m (1,831 ft) above sea level, Interlaken is surrounded by the high Alpine mountain peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

The mountains, covered with snow year round, can be accessed by funiculars and even trains. After boarding the Jungfraubahn in Interlaken, the visitor is lead through meadows and brooks into the eternal ice up to Europe´s highest railway station, the Jungfraujoch – the Top of Europe at an elevation of 3,454 m (11,323 ft).

The Schilthorn, another nearby mountain, boasts the Alps’ longest aerial cableway, with incredible views stretching for miles.

Ardent James Bond fan’s might recognize the famous revolving restaurant Piz Gloria at the top of the Schilthorn as it served as a setting for the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty`s Secret Service.

Ski runs spread wide In winter the slopes of the Jungfrau Ski Region offer perfect conditions for skiing and snowboarding and with more than 45 mountain railways, aerial cableways, chair lifts and ski lifts available, there will never be enough days on the slopes. There is a handy free shuttle bus that connects Interlaken with the Jungfrau Ski Region.

Further winter activities off the beaten track like nightly snowshoe hikes, trekking with goats or llamas, dog sleigh tours or cross-country skiing can be pursued all over the region. Families who prefer smaller pistes might fare better going to the skiing areas around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz like for example the Axalp skiing area, where the inclines seem a little less daunting.

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Swiss Highlights

A tempting summer destination In summer the landscape of Interlaken transforms into blooming Alp meadows where cows graze and picnics are rife.Visitors can witness Swiss culture and tradition, and against the backdrop of quaint carved wooden houses folkloristic openair concerts take place. On the Höheweg, Interlaken´s main boulevard, numerous shops, restaurants and pubs invite the visitors to stroll around and participate in the lively town life. The Kursaal, which was built in 1859 in the Jugendstil design, is complete with a concert room, theatre and casino and thus serves as a meeting point for people interested in culture.

Lovers of adventure sports make their annual pilgrimage to Interlaken in summer, safe in the knowledge that climbing and cy-

cling opportunities are limitless, and equally tempting are the prospects of awesome skydives, paragliding or bungee jumps. Paragliders can touch down on the Höhematte, a meadow located in the centre of the Höheweg. Water enthusiasts use Interlaken´s rivers for rafting or canoeing.

Interlaken is also a good place to combine work and leisure. The newly constructed and state-of-the-art Kongress-Saal, built in 2010 within the Congress Centre Kursaal Interlaken, offers 600 seats for seminars, and the seminar rooms of the Centre Kursaal Interlaken are equipped with the latest technology and can be used for other purposes too. After work guests can relax in one of the numerous wellness facilities in the town.

Lakeside Beauty The two lakes, Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, add a further dimension to the region. In daily use by steamboats and motorships, the turquoise waters of Lake Brienz are embraced on all sides by Swiss traditions and history. Switzerland´s oldest paddlesteamer, dating from 1914, departs from Brienz and takes the passenger to the summit of Mount Rothorn where an amazing panoramic view over the mountains and Lake Brienz opens up. The town of Brienz

Top, from left to right: Interlaken Paragliding. Photo: Alain Zenger Harder-Kulm. Photo: Rob Lewis Schilthorn Piz Gloria. Photo: Jost von Allmen Above: Jungfraujoch Below, left: Thun

is well known as a woodcarving village as it boasts Switzerland`s only school dedicated to the art of wood sculpting.

Lake Thun is the largest lake of the Bernese Oberland. It is ideal for windsurfing or sailing. Due to its pre-Alpine climate, the area of Lake Thun is also called the Riviera of the Bernese Oberland. Around Lake Thun there are five castles which reveal the location’s cultural identity, the medieval castle is well worth a visit, as it the town of Thun itself; the architecture of its multi-level streets is unique within Europe. www.interlaken.ch

Portfolio | 19

Lugano Mediterranean flair, Swiss quality, Italian lifestyle Imagine yourself on that perfect summer afternoon, sipping a cappuccino on a beautiful lakeside promenade and strolling through the narrow alleyways of an enchanting medieval town. Lugano, with its crystal-clear lake, splendid mountain scenery and historic centre, invites everyone to choose their favourite pastime.

TEXT: CORDELIA MAKARTSEV | PHOTOS: LUGANO TOURISMO

Situated on the northern side of Lake Lugano in the Italian-speaking Swiss canton of Ticino and surrounded by majestic mountains, the vibrant city of Lugano is hard to beat when it comes to diversity.

“Thanks to our proximity to Italy, Lugano looks a little bit as if you were already in Italy but with the Swiss quality,”says David Piffaretti, communication officer at the Lugano Area Tourist Board, as he describes his town.That Lugano caters for every taste is something he is very proud of. Art connoisseurs, nature lovers, shopping queens and regaled foodies find their personal heaven on the shores of Lake Lugano.

when the camellias and magnolias are in bloom.This is the right time to discover the historic centre, a traffic-free gem with Mediterranean piazzas, narrow cobblestone streets and old arcades. Enjoy the first warm rays of sunlight on your face while waiting for your cafe latte in an elegant pavement café. But Lugano is not only famous for its historic buildings; over the past 50 years, the Ticino region has developed into an important region for architecture. One of its internationally known architects, Mario Botta, left his marks in Lugano with Botta's Banca della Svizzera Italiana (Viale Franscini) and the Palazzo Ransila (Via Pretorio).

Cultural highlights and superb shopping in the historic centre

Art connoisseurs will find it difficult to choose between the excellent exhibitions and museums on offer. The Museo Cantonale d'Arte shows paintings by Klee,

Thanks to its temperate climate, Lugano is an ideal destination even in early spring,

20 | Portfolio

Jawlensky, Renoir and Degas.Villa Malpensata, a splendid villa from the 18th century overlooking the lake and surrounded by a lush garden, hosts Lugano’s Art Museum, specialising in 20th century art.

“For shopping, head to Via Nassa”is David Piffaretti’s recommendation. Elegant and sophisticated, this historical street is lined

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Swiss Highlights

with purveyors of Swiss watches , Italian fashion, cigar shops and jewellery stores.

Still, shopping in Lugano caters for every budget. An insider’s tip is the local farmers’ market. Every Tuesday and Friday morning, a colourful crowd scour the stalls on the Market Place for local products like flowers, wine, cheese, cold cuts and preserves.

Extraordinary natural beauty for outdoor adventures After an exciting day in the bustling city the most relaxing way to visit interesting places around Lugano is by boat. A cruise over the clear waters of Lake Lugano will transport you to the most picturesque locations.

The water of the lake warms up to 23°C in summer and is a paradise for all sunbathers, swimmers and water sport enthusiasts.

Lake Lugano has it all; from windsurfing to sailing, from scuba diving to waterskiing.

The mountains surrounding Lugano are one of the main attractions for outdoor fans and families. The funicular railway from Cassarate (15 min walk from the city centre) scales Monte Brè (925m). It is said to be the sunniest mountain in Switzerland and offers wonderful birdseye views over Lugano and the lake. A network of hiking paths lead to the neighbouring peaks. Less ambitious visitors can take the gentle stroll to the idyllic mountain village of Brè. For those seeking adventure, mountain bikes

can be hired at the top. Signed bike routes make sure you do not get lost in the stunning mountain scenery.

Celebrate with exquisite dining and sensational open-air festivals Gastronomy in Ticino has been influenced by the cuisines of Italy, France and Continental Europe. It makes use of great local produce, striking the perfect balance between tradition and innovation. Whether you prefer a five-star feast served at Michelin-starred restaurants or simple cuisine, no visit to Lugano would be complete without eating in a grotto. These are quiet, rustic restaurants off the beaten track with a tree-shaded garden and simple tables and benches which serve homemade, traditional dishes.

Every summer, Lugano turns into the greatest open-air stage in Europe. Big names in jazz music perform live for their audience at the ESTIVAL JAZZ in July. Theater, dance, music and activities for kids are on the bill at the LONGLAKE Festival with over 250 different events. On every evening in July, Lugano’s parks, streets and piazzas come alive with street performers.“And the best thing is, every performance is open air and free of charge,”says David Piffaretti.

18 May 2014 through www.luganoturismo.ch get free entrance to the Splash Area at the new Splash & Spa aquatic park in Rivera. www.luganoturismo.ch

Top, left: Lakefront and San Salvatore mountain Above: Lido di Lugano Below, left: Art Museum Lugano Below, right: The famous jazz festival

Another treat from the Tourist Board:Visitors who book two nights between 21 March and

Portfolio | 21

Scan Group | Scan Client Publishing

HOTELS We understand the importance of perfect hospitality.

From the family-run mountain chalet to the individual city design hotel to the large luxury resorts, our client portfolio couldn’t be more comprehensive. Picturing a house in its best light and presenting the individuals who run it is what we are passionate about. We make a hotel stand out from the crowd by highlighting its core values.

No matter if it's a romantic medieval hideaway or state-of-the-art corporate event locations, we always find the perfect words to support a stunning layout.

HOTELS Wir verstehen die Bedeutung perfekter Gastfreundschaft. Vom familiengeführten Chalet in den Bergen über individuelle urbane Design Hotels bis hin zu den großen Luxus Resorts könnte unser Portfolio nicht weitreichender sein. Mit Leidenschaft rücken wir die Häuser, samt der Menschen die dahinter stehen, ins beste Licht. Wir heben ein Hotel hervor, indem wir seine Alleinstellungsmerkmale perfekt zur Geltung bringen.

Ganz gleich, ob es sich um ein romantisches mittelalterliches Refugium oder eine mit Spitzentechnologie ausgestattete Event Location handelt: wir finden immer die richtigen Worte zum fantastischen Layout.

Portfolio | 23

Teatime and a warm welcome – Vienna’s winner An ideal location, innovative activities, an exciting design mix and a dedicated team ensure your stay at Vienna’s Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof is an unforgettable experience.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: STEIGENBERGER

24 | Portfolio

Discover Germany | Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof | Vienna

the fashionable shopping streets of Kohlmarkt and Graben, guests of the historic Herrenhof will experience elegant design, sophisticated home decor, a relaxed atmosphere and warm hospitality at a very high level.”

“Due to its ideal location close by all the cultural monuments and landmarks, walking tours are a popular service,” explains Perwanger. “The famous Fiaker carriages are waiting just a 50 metre walk away at the Hofburg. If the weather is nice, an open carriage tour is a must. Opera and theatre tickets are popular too – and our concierge has very useful contacts so it is often possible to get tickets for already sold-out performances. In the summer, you can hire Ebikes from us for a beautiful trip to the Old Danube and its green surroundings. In the winter, there are countless Christmas markets waiting to be explored.”

A powerful history “The Herrengasse follows the same line as that of the old Roman Limes,”reveals Perwanger. “During the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the finest palaces were built along this street – people wanted to live as close to the Emperor as possible because that

Main image: Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof, Vienna Top: Front Office Middle: Lobby Above: Bar

With tastefully decorated rooms and suites that perfectly blend tradition and modern design, as well as a 250 sqm SpaWorld and 500 sqm of conference and event space, the Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof suits a variety of guests. “Our hotel is the ideal

starting point for city visitors with high standards as well as for quality-conscious business travellers,” says Elisabeth Perwanger, General Manager of the Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof.“Just a few paces away from lots of famous monuments and

Elisabeth Perwanger, General Manager

Portfolio | 25

was a sign of noble origins and importance within the Empire. At the beginning of the 19th century, famous writers such as Friedrich Torberg, Franz Werfel, Egon Erwin

26 | Portfolio

Kisch and Hugo von Hofmannsthal frequented the acclaimed literati Café Herrenhof on Herrengasse 10.” The spirit of refined literature and the aristocratic past still

lives on today.“Throughout the hotel, tradition fuses with design and Zeitgeist,”continues Perwanger.“Behind the listed facade, classicViennese style and ornaments of the

Discover Germany | Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof | Vienna

former literati coffee house can nowadays indulge in a characteristic British tradition.

“We have Tea Masters who are specially trained to provide our guests with expert advice and they are happy to help them choose from our large assortment of teas,” says Perwanger.“We also offer special holiday packages such as Discover Sissi, which immerse our guests in the history of Vienna.” What’s more, this coming summer, guests of this creative hospitality business can look forward to a new summer terrace as well as the hotel’s very own honey produced by two strains of bees located on the roof.

Committed to excellence Ensuring that their guests have a truly special stay is top priority for Perwanger and her team.“Each of our employees personally takes care of all the small things that add quality to moments,”she says. Due to this individual approach to guest service, and with the guests feeling very much at ease here, the Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof can be found at the top of positive

Vienna hotel reviews on all the leading booking websites.“We are especially proud of our more recent awards and certificates.

Within the strongly growing hotel scene of Vienna, we are eager to distinguish ourselves from competitor hotels with our warm-hearted hospitality and unique design concepts. In addition to the Certificate of Excellence 2013 by TripAdvisor, HolidayCheck awarded the Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof the title TopHotel 2014.”

At the same time, the hotel’s employees have won various prizes and awards and have thus shown their commitment to superior guest service. Among the Herrenhof team is Vienna’s youth champion of trainees as well as the winner of the Austria-wide competition Receptionist of the Year. So whether you are coming here to explore history, shops, new business opportunities, Austria’s beautiful countryside or the hotel’s wellness world – the team at the Steigenberger Herrenhof will surely make it a memorable experience. www.herrenhof-wien.steigenberger.at

Main image: Stunning panorama from the Deluxe Suite balcony Bottom, from left to right: Suites Conference boardroom Orangen Bottom, right: 250 sqm Spa World

art nouveau period bond with modern furniture to create a homely atmosphere.”

Vienna re-invented This unique mix of old splendor and creative innovation is not only evident in the design and atmosphere of the hotel, but also with regards to its range of novel guest activities. Instead of an afternoon coffee break so typical forVienna, the guests of the

Portfolio | 27

Discover Germany | Wine&Dine | Park Hotel Vitznau

A place for taste Park Hotel Vitznau presents award-winning cuisine and world-class wines

Two gourmet restaurants adorned with Michelin stars, six cellars full of world-class wines and a terrace with a magnificent view towards Lake Lucerne – the Park Hotel Vitznau is a culinary hotspot set in a breathtakingly beautiful landscape, just a short boat trip from Lucerne.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: PARK HOTEL VITZNAU

The two words ‘wine and dine’ reach new heights at Park HotelVitznau, as diners are treated to an indulgent fine-dining experience. The first of the two restaurants, focus, is reached by a glass-walled walkway that lines the wine cellars, casting a remarkable view onto the selection of first-class wines from all over the world, considered an appetizer of what to expect in the restaurant itself.

Nature, water, the surrounding mountains and the hotel’s own lake view combine to inspire the kitchen philosophy of head chef Nenad Mlinarevic.This is a philosophy that

28 | Portfolio

not only influences the dishes but has also inspired the avant-garde architecture of the rooms: warm colours and the use of different materials create an inviting atmosphere.

The connection to nature can also be found in his choice of ingredients. Placing value on using regional produce, regardless of whether it is light snacks or multi-course menus, the head chef assiduously follows the seasons, making it possible for guests to enjoy filigree and harmonic new creations throughout the year. With 17 Gault Millau points and two Michelin stars, it is one of the best restaurants that Switzerland has to offer.

What can be seen on the way towards the restaurant focus is only a fraction of the extensive treasure-filled vaults. The six cellars, which are filled with about 32,000 bottles of world-class wine, are worth a total of about 26 million CHF. Yet the figures do little to capture the uniqueness of the wine cellars, as each cellar’s design is a portrayal of the wines stored in it. French wines, for example, are stored in stone shelves, while wines from the New World are stored in a blue overseas container further down the cellar. Wines from other parts of the old world – Italy, Germany, Spain or Switzerland – can be found on the opposite side in wooden shelves.

Hidden behind the invaluable champagnes are the true treasures, as some wines not only have an outstanding taste but also an outstanding age.The oldest wine shelved is from the year 1811 and is enclosed in a

Wine&Dine | Park Hotel Vitznau

itself glistens in the sunlight.

On summery Sundays the Park Hotel Vitznau offers exclusive barbecue specialities at the pavilion.

Originally founded in 1903, the Park Hotel has only recently reopened after an extensive renovation programme. Today, thanks to its stunning scenery and historical ambiance, it has created an indescribable atmosphere – one best experienced for oneself! www.parkhotel-vitznau.ch

golden casket of the Château d’Yquem.

Every wine needs the right dish and vice versa. The second restaurant, a glass pavilion called PRISMA, makes for a casual and more relaxed fine dining experience with a 180-degree panoramic view over the lake and mountain range. With 16 Gault Millau points, it was recently awarded its first Michelin star. Start with a duet of oyster and salmon with apple, lemon and watercress before tucking into Swiss calf cheeks stewed in Madeira accompanied by winter truffle and mountain potatoes.

Head chef Christian Nickel and the team around chef de cuisine Patrick Mahler invite diners on a tasteful trip through everything contemporary cuisine has to offer. Like Nenad Mlinarevic, PRISMA’s head chef Christian Nickel uses local produce when available, such as a delectable selection of local cheeses.

Particularly in the upcoming summer months, the connection between appreciating the food and landscape becomes more intertwined as the lake terrace opens.

From April onwards, guests can enjoy a luxurious brunch every Sunday from 11:30 am on the lake terrace or in focus. Brunch is served in small portions directly at the table, which avoids the stress and mess of a buffet brunch. On workdays and weekends, the hotel also provides breakfast between 7 and 11 am, which can be enjoyed on the terrace or in the restaurant focus depending on the weather.

Next to the boat bridge stands a historical and somewhat nostalgic pavilion that flanks the stunning terrace. Sweet and salty treats accompany cold drinks while the water ripples and gurgles in the bronze ‘bull and bear’fountain. White sails can be seen on the far side of the lake while the water

Portfolio | 29

Discover Germany | Hotel of the Month | Austria

Hotel

of the Month Austria Photo: Mark Pain

More than just stunning scenery At the foot of the Wilder Kaiser mountain range, the Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt attracts the famous, the glamorous and those in search of an unforgettable holiday. The hotel’s mantra: treat each and every guest like a king.

TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: BIO-HOTEL STANGLWIRT

The generous welcome applies to every single person who crosses the threshold of the over 400-year-old hotel. From its earliest incarnation, a typical Alpine Gasthaus in 1609, the Stanglwirt has passed from generation to generation and is now in the capable hands of the 16th generation Balthazar and Magdalena Hauser, whose impeccable running of the hotel has seen it rise to the top of the ranks. In terms of spa-meets-sport hotel, this one ticks all the boxes.

drive from Salzburg, Innsbruck and Munich lies the idyllic Alpine village of Going, a mere stone’s throw from the world-class ski resort of Kitzbuhl. One long-standing staff member enthuses about the early mornings, declaring that the mountains whether bathed in mist, snow or sun - are breath-takingly beautiful. On the day in question, mid-February, a glance out of the window treats you to a snowy landscape glistening in the sun.

Does a more beautiful place exist on earth?

The staff are doubtful. Less than an hour’s

Just a week earlier, over 2,000 guests descended on Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt for their

30 | Portfolio

annual Après-Ski Weisswurst Party. Celebrating one of the world’s biggest Alpine ski The family-run Stanglwirt has a true familial atmosphere

Discover Germany | Hotel of the Month | Austria

skiing, hiking, climbing and mountain biking are infinite. 14 on-site tennis courts, a driving range, and Austria’s first private Lipizzaner stud combine to literally “provide something for everyone, whatever your taste.”Just a few minutes’ drive away you can find several top class golf courses.

Spa treatments, wellness and skiing.

Spa treatments, wellness and hiking.

Horse-riding? Golf? Tennis? Hunting? With endless combinations, it is win-win both physiologically and psychologically.The endorphins released when partaking in physical exercise are enhanced by the relaxation and restoration undertaken in the hotel’s extensive spa areas. With such sophisticated treatments including Thalasso and Ayurveda, your muscles and your mind will be forever grateful. Thalasso works on improving your blood circulation, while the ancient Ayurveda techniques explore your body’s natural balance and restores full health. Meaning ‘the art of living wisely’, guests benefit greatly from the hotel’s experts.

The ideal itinerary for your day

races, the Hahnenkamm which takes place in Kitzbuhl, the hotel opens its doors for an evening of fine food, wine and dancing.

Alongside the many retired pro-skiers in attendance was none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

After a breakfast fit for kings in one of the hotel’s many on-site eateries, the hotel recommends a jaunt to the wellness centre.

Beginning the spa experience in Europe’s largest salt-water pool (210 square metres), your muscles and skin can regain their nutrients. Exercising both body and soul may leave you craving a massage, and the hotel’s carefully selected treatment list will certainly provide just the cure. If you’ve been spending a lot of time in the office recently, then the hotel would suggest the Stanglwirt signature back special to ease your

aching muscles. For couples looking to spend quality time together, the option of the Exotic Feeling package is particularly tempting, using Ligne St. Barth products, body packs, Hamam steam baths and body massages.

Evening entertainment reassuringly does not come in the form of stereotypical Apres-Ski. On a far classier note, the hotel welcomes you to its bars and restaurants.

With live music on most evening, extensive menus and a la carte options, you can enjoy your evening in the splendid surroundings. Pre-date pampering is definitely recommended, as is a trip to the on-site hairdresser.You are on holiday, after all!

As is befitting of a self-proclaimed bio-hotel, organic and environmentally-friendly, locally sourced produce and furnishings are vital. Employing sustainable energy sources wherever possible, the hotel’s heat pump uses its own water in the wellness area, and the green roof of the tennis court doesn’t just look good when you arrive by plane or helicopter – it also works to maintain a constant temperature inside the tennis courts.

As the hotel states: “Every generation will find something they take pleasure in here.”

Children shriek with glee at the professionally-run Children’s Farm, grandparents hike in the unspoilt terrain and parents can have that much needed TLC, while brushing up on their tennis, horse-riding or golf.

All done in luxury, with the magnificent backdrop of the Wilder Kaiser. www.stanglwirt.com

The favoured holiday destination The hotel’s appeal to the rich and famous stems from its modest attitude, discretion and genuine passion for providing great hospitality to everyone. For the past ten years, the hotel has been the training camp home of one of the world’s best boxers, Wladimir Klitschko, which is testament to its wide appeal. Sporting greats discover just what an incredible location the hotel has. With the mountains on the doorstep, opportunities for alpine and cross-country

Portfolio | 31

Scan Group | Scan Client Publishing

WINE Fine wine is omnipresent in Germany, Switzerland and Austria and we have successfully teamed-up with outstanding vintners and vineyards to promote their products and family businesses. Perfect Pinot, great Gewürztraminer and bold Burgundy to name just a few, are the pride of the DACH region’s vineyards.

Some estates have been handed down from generation to generation, while others are home to young vintners eager to make a mark on the oenological landscape.

With our client publishing service we offer these vintners an efficient solution to enhance their international appearance.

WEIN Feine Weine sind omnipräsent in Deutschland, der Schweiz und Österreich. Wir haben bereits erfolgreich mit herausragenden Winzern und Weingütern zusammen gearbeitet, um deren Produkte und Familienbetriebe zu promoten. Perfekter Pinot, großartiger Gewürztraminer und bester Burgunder sind nur rein paar der edlen Tropfen, die den Stolz der DACH Weine ausmachen. Einige Weinberge wurden von Generation zu Generation weiter vererbt, während andere jungen Winzern die Chance geben, sich einen Namen auf der önologischen Landkarte zu machen.

Mit unserem kundenorientierten Publikationsservice bieten wir diesen Winzern eine effiziente Lösung zur Stärkung ihres internationalen Auftritts.

Portfolio | 33

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

34 | Portfolio

protect the vines from cold winds from the North-West. Even the air seems fragrant here.

Vincent and Willi Bründlmayer © Chris Rogl

Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | Top 3 Austrian Vineyards

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-

Portfolio | 35

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

36 | Portfolio

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

Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | Top 3 Austrian Vineyards

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-

Portfolio | 37

Keeping it in the Family High calibre wines stemming from five generations When most people think of Switzerland three things come to mind: watches, chocolates and cheese. Yet Switzerland’s wines, despite their outstanding quality, are typically not mentioned beyond its borders. This seemingly secret treasure is partly because Swiss wines are rarely exported and even the best domestic wines can be very rare.

TEXT: JAIME SCHWARTZ | PHOTOS: DOMAINE DONATSCH

Some of Switzerland's most special wines are produced in the “Bündner Herrschaft,” one of the most beautiful corners of Graubünden. Known as the origin of the famous Heidi story, it is one of the oldest and richest wine growing regions and one of the world's best Pinot Noir producing areas.

38 | Portfolio

One particular winery in this region, specifically in Malans, stands out. Founded in 1897, the Domaine Donatsch is one of Switzerland's most prestigious wineries and has been in operation for over a hundred years. Currently its estate and wine production are overseen by fifth generation family member Martin Donatsch. Martin's wines

have received many international accolades, including the twice won title of “Champion du Monde des Producteurs de Pinot Noir.”When asked about how winning has affected his practice Martin maintains his humility: “To consecutively win this great title was a fantastic surprise and definitely brought new attention to the winery. However, it hasn't changed the way I work, I still have the same setting with the same philosophy. It was only a confirmation that I'm on the right track.”Martin keeps up his family's wine growing and producing traditions with classic grape varieties from Burgundy such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as the autochthonous Completer.

Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | Domaine Donatsch

years of study in other wine regions. Although my main principles and philosophy have and will stay true to those of my father.”

One of the outstanding accomplishments of the Domaine Donatsch is their revitalisation of the Completer. First cultivated in Malans over a thousand years ago, its name originates from the Catholic Church as it was pressed for use in the last evening prayer, or Completarium. Due to its difficulty to grow and high pressing standards, the variety had almost become extinct. The Donatsch family rediscovered this species and awakened it from its slumber by growing new stems from the rare Completer. “In 1947 my grandfather began to grow the variety out of curiosity and interest in its difficult and complicated nature. After a fifty year long interruption, and to mark the winery's100th anniversary, we retook interest in it and discovered the grape in a new way,”says Martin.

Left, main image: Barrel cellar Right, from top to bottom: Spring awakening in Malans Pinot Noir vineyard in Malans Right, bottom: Winzerstube zum Ochsen

Martin’s talent is not surprising when considering the family history. His father Thomas had already made a name for himself by revolutionising Swiss viticulture through close contact with renowned French winemakers.“Since the 1970s my father has had a decisive influence on the viticulture and quality of Swiss wines which brought our wines to an international top-level.”His father was the first to bring Burgundy barrels to Switzerland as well as the first to grow Chardonnay and other grape varieties.

Martin elaborates on this “like-fatherlike-son” tradition of excellence: “My father's philosophy is to make natural

wines with great aging potential. Of course, however, you constantly try to improve on what's already there and I've been able to bring in and utilise my experience from

In total there are only two hectars of the Completer grown in Graubünden today and of those the Domaine Donatsch has over half a hectare. They grow the Completer as a late harvest variety and pick the grapes in mid-November. This time frame allows the Completer's sugar levels to rise while reducing its acidity which supports its unique and incomparable aroma.This truly stand-alone wine never ceases to amaze and fascinate sommeliers and wine enthusiasts.“I think we were able to improve the wines a little each year and now we are at a point where we are satisfied. Its success speaks for itself, well-known wine con-

Portfolio | 39

noisseurs from around the world are interested in the Completer although it is very rare and hard to get,” reveals Martin. “It's like a secret, or insider tip.”

Of course, a fine wine can be even more delectable when one has the opportunity to enjoy a glass in an equally fine establishment. The cosy paneled dining room of the winery's restaurant “Zum Ochsen”, nowa-

days run by Martin's parents, Heidi and Thomas, can be the perfect place to enjoy a special bottle. Whether it’s drinking by the fire in winter or enjoying the summer from the terrace, one can revel in scenic mountain views. In addition to the great selection of wines offered by the winery, and in keeping with its historical connections, rare wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy are also available.

Above: Martin Donatsch in the Completer vineyard & Pinot Noir harvest Bottom, left: The Donatsch family, Heidi, Martin and Thomas in the Winzerstube zum Ochsen

Not much has changed at the Domaine Donatsch since its inception and no big changes appear to be on their way. According to Martin, remaining a small family business is the key to the winery's continued success and enjoyment of their wines.“Sure, we could sell three times more but we don't care to. The privilege of operating on a small scale is that I can be involved in every process, from taking care of the vines and winemaking to selling and serving wines.” The deep connection the Donatsch family has to their land and traditions certainly pours out through their wines. www.donatsch.info

40 | Portfolio

Austria’s answer to Champagne Whether there’s a particular reason to celebrate or you’re just appreciating life’s beauty, Sekt is the drink of choice in Austria – and never more so than when the Sekt in question possesses the delectable combination of tradition and quality. Inside every sip of Schlumberger is a portion of Austria’s history.

TEXT & PHOTOS: SCHLUMBERGER WEIN- UND SEKTKELLEREI | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

A glass of Sekt goes hand in hand with tickets to the opera, to a ball, or to evenings with friends. A staple part of the Austrian culture – be it inVienna, Salzburg or Bregenz, drinking Sekt is a tradition, and it’s one which Schlumberger, the Austrian producer of premium Sekt, continues to cultivate.

For more than 170 years Vienna’s Sekt Cellars have been producing the beverage

42 | Portfolio

according to the méthode traditionnelle, or as it is better known, the Champagne Method. However, the end product may not bear the name ‘Champagne’ as this is reserved solely for sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region.

The founder of this history-rich Austrian company, Robert Schlumberger, attended the foremost school for this method. After

Robert Schlumberger

Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | Schlumberger

which has been on the Vienna Stock Market since 1986.

studying in France’s oldest Champagne Cellar, he returned to set up the Viennabased Schlumberger in 1842. Even today, the company still produces Sekt according to the traditional process for Champagne.

The sparkling wine matures for 15 to 18 months, before the bottles – just as in the Champagne region itself – are turned between 24 and 32 times. This laborious production method guarantees a distinctive taste and the highest level of quality. The grapes used in the production are all of Austrian origin.

“Alongside the quality of our products, their origin is also a matter of importance. As an established company with strong ties to our heritage and roots, we at Schlumberger insist upon 100% Austrian grapes and raw materials,” says Eduard Kranebitter, the chairman of Schlumberger AG, a company

Whoever believes that tradition equals stagnation couldn’t be more wrong in the case of this producer of premium Sekt, where the triedand-tested meets the visionary to create Sekt of an extraordinary nature: “We aspire to consistently connect tradition and innovation in new ways,”explains Kranebitter, and this becomes apparent when considering their ever-growing range of products: alongside the classic sparkling Brut, Rosé and Chardonnay, the company regularly offers new Cuvées, including the Schlumberger fashion line with Rosé Secco, White Secco and Gold. Furthermore, Schlumberger is an exemplary brand ambassador for Austria abroad as it is exported to more than 30 different countries. In five year’s time, every second bottle of Schlumberger will be enjoyed outside of Austria’s borders.

2014 heralds a special anniversary for Schlumberger, as 12 September 2014 marks 200 years since the birth of Robert Alwin Schlumberger in the city of Stuttgart. In honour of his life’s work and the legacy he has left, an exclusive Prestige-Cuvée has been created, composed of Austria’s best Chardonnay and Weissburgunder grapes and matured in the Méthode Traditionelle under strict control in the bottle. As far as the taste is concerned, this specialty has been designed to reflect Robert Alwin Schlumberger’s original Cuvée. www.schlumberger.at

Portfolio | 43

Scan Group | Scan Client Publishing

ARCHITECTURE Every architect is as individual as it gets. From the private home redevelopment experts, to the creators of public buildings or even whole city quarters, our portfolio comprises of some of the finest names in the industry. The sometimes highly complex topics are carefully turned into reader-friendly features by our experienced editorial staff in order to bring a creative mission across that is clear and precise, while highlighting their very own unique style of a studio and the creative masterminds behind it.

ARCHITEKTUR Jeder Architekt ist ein ganz besonderes Unikum.

Vom Spezialisten für den Umbau von Einfamilienhäusern bis zu den Entwicklern öffentlicher Bauten, oder gar ganzen Stadtteilen, beinhaltet unser Portfolio einige der imposantesten Namen der Branche. Die zuweilen sehr komplexen Themenbereiche werden von unseren Redakteuren leserfreundlich aufbereitet, was ein kreatives Statement klar und präzise zur Geltung bringt.

Dabei legen wir größten Wert auf die Hervorhebung des individuellen Stils eines Architekturbüros, bzw. der kreativen Köpfe, die dahinter stehen.

Portfolio | 45

Local, regional, international The PLAN FORWARD architects and engineers The PLAN FORWARD GmbH is a company belonging to the WOLFF GRUPPE Holding GmbH, which is based in the German cities of Stuttgart and Essen. It is an association of committed, experienced architects, planners and engineers with different areas of expertise.

TEXT: JULIKA HÜTHER

These professionals are on hand with help and advice for private and public building contractors every step of the way: from project analysis and initial architects' plans to the realization of the project.The project portfolio comprises all kinds of buildings – not only new builds, but also conversions, modernisations and redevelopments. It includes administrative buildings, museums and theatres, residential construction, hotel buildings, schools, hospitals and care homes as well as sports complexes or stadiums. Its comprehensive service portfolio is focused on developing integral and individual complete solutions. The executive architects and managing partners Dieter

46 | Portfolio 2

Accepting challenges

lenge to us. We just had to accept it,”says Dieter Deichsel afterwards.“Because these are the kinds of projects that push us forward.” And forward means: expanding the treasure trove of experience, getting com-

This summer, the construction of the Stadion Essen, a new build, has recently been completed. The brand new sports stadium in the heart of the Ruhr, an area in Germany that is famous for its world class football clubs, is based on a multi-stage plan designed by PLAN FORWARD's architects and engineers. The basic model is an event and sports site that is designed for 20,000 people. “Constructing a new stadium for the city of Essen was an architectural chal-

Dieter Deichsel and Michael Jockers

Deichsel and Michael Jockers manage the two offices and the respective projects on site.

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Architecture & Design Guide Germany

Main image: Headquarter E.ON Global Commodities SE, Essen, Germany. ® E.ON Global Commodities SE. Photo: Hans Blossey From top to bottom: Museum Folkwang Essen, Essen, Germany. ® PLAN FORWARD GmbH Stadion Essen, Essen, Germany. ® PLAN FORWARD GmbH University of Applied Science, Osnabrück, Germany. ® Christian Richters, Berlin Central, Restaurant - Bar - Lounge, Essen, Germany. ® PLAN FORWARD GmbH

Blending history and future The name might also stand for implementation with a high level of professionalism and quality. As can be seen in the Museum Folkwang in Essen. The new extension building was planned by David Chipperfields Architects from London and the PLAN FORWARD architects, but the PLAN FORWARD architects and engineers were entrusted with the realisation of the construction. The planning and execution thus coalesced naturally to create a landmark in Essen's cityscape and the whole region. It was preceded by the successful conversion of the listed part of the museum, which is famous in the Ruhr and way beyond. With architectural sensitivity, the PLAN FORWARD team managed to create a building that meets and exceeds the contemporary requirements for museums.

The project Museum Folkwang paved the way for the design-build of a new construction of another place of cultural interest: the Museum of Fine Arts in Tiflis, or Tbilisi, in Georgia, one of the international projects of the company.

Creating living environments, designing working environments

pletely immersed in the project, and breaking through horizons. Michael Jockers sums it up: “Our name stands for leaping forward and groundbreaking architectural planning.”

This sounds as if PLAN FORWARD were only involved in extensive projects. But Dieter Deichsel adds another dimension:“Our architectural planning designs living and working environments for people, on a large scale as well as in microcosm. Apart from prestigious mega-projects, such as the headquarters of the former E.ON Ruhrgas AG, a gas trading company, we put emphasis on sensitively conducted conversions or redevelopments of old buildings.”

Company information: PLAN FORWARD GmbH Formation: 2000 Office employees: 25 Mitarbeiter Core competences: architecture, project development, planning, construction, supervision, design-builds Focal points: culture, sports, education, living and working Services: new builds, conversions, redevelopments Chief executive: Klaus Wolff (owner), Dipl.-Ing. Arch. Dieter Deichsel, Dipl.-Ing. Arch. Michael Jockers

Head office Stuttgart: PLAN FORWARD GmbH Hospitalstr.12 70174 Stuttgart T. +49 (0)711 99 33 79-0 F. +49 (0)711 99 33 79-40 E. stuttgart@plan-forward.de Büro Essen: PLAN FORWARD GmbH Huyssenallee 66-68 45128 Essen T. +49 (0)201 178 79-30 F. +49 (0)201 178 79-29 E. essen@plan-forward.de

www.plan-forward.de www.facebook.com/PlanForward www.wolffgruppe.de Below: Museum of Fine Arts, Tbilisi, Georgia @GIA & ARCHIL KURDIANIS STUDIO

It is the variety that makes planning and designing so exciting.

Portfolio | 47

Gewers Pudewill Contemporary and contextual design Architecture surrounds everybody and everything. It is a world of figures and forms, natural and constructed settings. The young Berlin firm Gewers Pudewill designs intelligent and inspiring environments; they create places – and spaces – that enhance the quality and enjoyment of life.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: GEWERS PUDEWILL ARCHITECTS

Gewers Pudewill are architects in the classical sense. They embrace holistic concepts that begin with inspiring designs and are then completed in the best possible way. In doing so, they strike the balance between topical and timeless architecture. Their designs are both contemporary and contextual.

Their architecture is urban, functional and state-of-the-art.

As one of Germany’s top architects, Gewers Pudewill have realized prestigious projects and worked with a number of notable

48 | Portfolio

clients in recent years. And although their modern designs are always individual and unique, their homogenised architecture is

contemporary yet classic, sustainable and integrative.

A holistic approach to architecture Gewers Pudewill believe in interrogating the deep structures that are evident in different types of architecture. They work through these precedents and propose original forms.“The holistic approach is more important than the size of a project – so we

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top Architects Germany

Today, Gewers Pudewill employs 32 architects who work in their spacious BerlinKreuzberg office.The firm states that its designs are derived from a number of sources: “We broadly draw interesting concepts from everywhere: nature, art, the countryside – but ultimately it is the individual design process in our office that produces standalone building ideas. Our aim is to show not only beautiful 3D images but also that the building will later redeem the promised design. Therefore, we place a strong emphasis on a detailed, high quality implementation.

The result is good architecture, individual, sensual, holistic and expressive.”

Pudewill worked as partner for Henn Architekten in Munich and Berlin and abroad for 15 years.

Main image & above: Bosch and Siemens. New construction of technology centre in Berlin.

Photos: Eberle & Eisfeld Below: Draft for a 5-Star Hotel in Southern Germany. Photo: EVE Images (left) Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.

New office building and laboratories.

Photo: Eberle & Eisfeld (right) Right: BER Airport Berlin-Brandenburg.

Willy Brandt - New construction of four buildings for security and ground transportation.

Photos: Eberle & Eisfeld

Many of the projects for which they were responsible were honoured with awards. In 2014 alone, they were recognized with the ‘Thuringian State Prize for Architecture and Urban Design’ and the ‘ICONIC Award’ from the German Design Council. Much of their work has also been featured in art galleries or exhibitions on modern architecture.

And, by using building resources in accordance with the pertinent economic and ecological needs of a space or environment, Gewers Pudewill is changing the parameters of functional, yet responsible corporate architecture.

are just as happy working on small as on large projects: from a small villa to city offices, from interior décor to high-rise buildings.”

In fact, the award-winning architects state that: “We never have a preconceived notion, but we develop our designs and ideas always in the context of the task and the situation. This can lead to different approaches and results – which has a different focus every time.”

A history of success In 2008, Georg Gewers and Henry Pudewill founded the firm in Berlin. Both partners look back on more than 20 years of experience in prestigious offices with high-profile clients and international projects. Georg Gewers began his career in 1990 with Sir Norman Foster in London, while Henry

Portfolio | 49

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top Architects Germany

Left & above: Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS. Photos: HG Esch Below: New construction of lake residence in Potsdam.

Photo: Christian Gahl (left) Town House Linienstraße Berlin-Mitte.

Photo: Sebastian Reuter (right) Right: Headquarters of Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany in Berlin.

Photos: HG Esch

living spaces, city architecture, hotels and interior designs.

Combining practice and pulse The firm develops concepts for new buildings and projects in Germany – and abroad.

The majority of their work stems from directly commissioned projects as well as successful contests.

“The firm stands for a modern and contextual architecture, which is functionally developed – but also sensual. We combine high design standards in every detail with clear messages to build a holistic building.

Contextualized and functional statements are closely associated with each other. Both are expressive, emotional approaches that enhance each other.”

Gewers Pudewill are architects – but also artists.“To us, architecture always arises from a specific time and context, which it then reflects. The openness, diversity and innovation of our time must be visible. We do not constantly seek new forms, but rather often

50 | Portfolio

Thinking with and for their clients

By combining creativity and their vast professional expertise, Gewers Pudewill creates unique and meaningful experiences.

Their designs put architecture into its relevant context; they merge the present and what already exists, with the effective, the innovative and the aesthetic.

The firm’s areas of expertise include: Architecture, interior design, renovation and revitalisation, master planning, general planning, and consulting. With an average of 15 clients per year, its team has conceptualized, designed and built office buildings, research and development spaces, cultural buildings,

Former clients include notable German and international names: Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, Berlin, CA Immo Deutschland, Carl-Zeiss Meditec AG, Berlin, ebay GmbH, Berlin-Dreilinden, FraunhoferGesellschaft, München, Freie Universität

for new materials and surfaces that can play a role of their own,”states the firm.

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top Architects Germany

Berlin, Marquard & Bahls AG, Hamburg, Mercedes-Benz Vertrieb Deutschland, Berlin, Porsche AG, Stuttgart, andVolkswagen AG, Wolfsburg.

Modern office spaces in Berlin For instance, the new distribution centre of Mercedes-Benz in the eastern district of Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg will trigger further development in this industrial area. Close to the O² Arena, directly on the River Spree, Gewers Pudewill created a 13storey-high tower and modern office spaces. Clear cubic forms and a rhythmic glass facade, and vertically offset double windows, characterise the appearance of the modern building.

An important pillar of the firm’s success and their continuous growth in Germany and abroad is their absolute commitment to delivering the best service, and to meet all deadlines and budget agreements.

Future success and sustainability In recent years, the firm has won many prestigious building competitions and projects. Their expertise and interest encompasses a wide spectrum and their name resonates with many industry experts and clients.

Looking to the future, Gewers Pudewill wants to continue to conceptualize, plan and build a plethora of buildings and spaces.“Our motivation is to build well. We want to take our high standards to build good and even better architecture. This has been our goal from the beginning and it will remain our focus for the next year and beyond.” www.gewers-pudewill.com

Portfolio | 51

Anthropometric Pavilion

Architectural Research Office Arphenotype

Ahead of future evolution Plastic electricity pylons reinforced with fibreglass, a pavilion shaped by gravity and a sound-absorbing office wall are just some of the unusual designs architect Dietmar Köring and his architectural research office Arphenotype are known for around the world. His work looks revolutionary to some, but is in fact evolutionary.

serves to communicate a Utopia.The ground plan is a means to convey an idea to the building contractor, which can be optimised through a discussion or‘feedback loops’.”

TEXT: JULIKA HÜTHER | PHOTOS: ARPHENOTYPE

Köring's approach to architecture often seems unexpected and futuristic, but always follows a philosophy which is reflected in the name Arphenotype. It creates a relationship between “architectural research” and“phenotype”, the outward appearance of a human being, and refers to the reciprocal influence the two have on each other. In other words, architecture, or the“extended phenotype”, is a human-made product that in turn shapes people's environments. It is additionally influenced by the digital traces human beings leave behind, so-called“virtual extended phenotypes”.

52 | Portfolio

“In essence,” explains Köring, “it is about evolution and communication. The fundamental thought behind this philosophy is that the world consists of systems, which interact through ‘feedback loops’ as defined

by Jay Forrester. For example, an architectural ground plan to me is a defined system that

Dietmar Köring. Photo: Thomas Riese

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top Architects Germany

The name Arphenotype originates from his installation “Electro Flesh Disorder” from 2007, which dealt with the human being in relationship to real-time data and the global net, calling into question the importance of physical locations. It depicted the human being in contemporary Smart Cities and highlighted the invisible networks and their influence on our future evolution.

Collaborations Köring, who studied architecture at the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, the University of Western Sydney and the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts before receiving his MArch from the Bartlett School of Architecture University College London, has not taken the easy route, and has no ambitions to work in a traditional architectural office.“In today's economic climate, it is no longer viable to open a classic architectural office,”Köring says.“Only very few offices can create secure employment through a constant stream of projects. Instead, collaborations have become essential.” Arphenotype have created a network which enables them to collaborate on oneoff projects with other partners. Loose, brainstorming collaborations are the norm, and rigid, office-based collaborations are rare.“Most collaborations are like a Jazz jam session. This allows the project to evolve freely rather than being bound by one decision-making body.”

through them.“I am convinced that the new world of data will result in a paradigm shift for the work of architects,”Köring sums up.

At Arphenotype, where blurring the boundaries of different artistic disciplines forms a prerequisite, research topics include robotics and intelligent materials like membranes in combination with LED technology.“We expect to communicate differently with machines in the future,”says Köring.“The computer mouse and keyboard will be things of the past.” (see image “Future Workspace”) This attitude is reflected in Arphenotype's designs such as the Anthropometric Pavilion, a temporary structure reinforced by membranes. Another example is the Woody Wall, a sound-absorbing office wall created by means of software which generates fractals. The shape of the Taipeh X-Site Pavilion is determined by two assumed forces of

gravity, which form two surfaces, creating a space – the pavilion's interior – between them. The Lion's Gate bridge in Dubai was designed with the help of a virtual sculpting software used primarily for modelling video game characters, creating a free, organic form.“Even though the experimental nature of our designs often generates a challenge to building contractors when it comes to budgeting and the unusual use of materials,” Köring says,“our designs always have the finger on the pulse, act as an inspiration for future projects and are frequently published and exhibited internationally.” www.arphenotype.com

Below: Lions Gate (left), Power pole (right) Taipeh XSite (left), Woody Wall (right) Future Workspace

Education and Research Dietmar Köring's work has been internationally published and exhibited at MoMa NewYork, Heide Museum of Contemporary Arts Australia, Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin and many more. He frequently gives lectures and conducts workshops all around the world and has been invited to provide guest critiques.“The bond between research and education on the one hand and practical work on the other is extremely important to me, as one cannot exist without the other,”says Köring, who is a research fellow at TU Berlin / CHORA City & Energy. For his dissertation, he is creating the BrainBox (Prof. Raoul Bunschoten & Team), an interactive platform controlling future cities, providing insight into people's acceptance of “invisible architecture” such as social networks and the data generated by people

Portfolio | 53

Architect of the Month Germany

Lust for landscapes Landscape architecture with a passionate concern for people and place For over fifty years the landscape architecture firm BHF has created innovative open spaces for both urban and rural contexts. Known for their reliability and customer care, their sizable staff are always ready to take on the next project, no matter how big or small.

TEXT: JAIME SCHWARTZ | PHOTOS: BHF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

Based in both Kiel and Schwerin, the firm takes its name from its current three main partners: Jens Bendfeldt, Uwe Hermann,

and Ulrich Franke. Jens' father, Klaus-Dieter Bendfeldt, established the firm in 1962.

From his time spent working in Kiel as a

gardener after being inspired into the field by the debris left behind after the Second World War, he found his passion lay in landscape architecture. After finishing his studies and establishing his business, Klaus-Dieter successfully landed one of his first big projects; executing the landscape design for social housing complexes in two districts of Kiel. Although BHF is nowadays involved in many kinds of projects

BHF Team. Photo: Axel SchoĚˆn

54 | Portfolio

Discover Germany | Architect of the Month | Germany

Main image, left: Columbia Twins, Große Elbstraße, Hamburg-Neumühlen. © archimage.de

throughout Germany, their activities are still concentrated in the North where about 80 per cent of their designs are to be found.

From the Science Park in Kiel to the promenades of Rostock, Schwerin, and Weißenhäuser Beach, or on the island of Föhr, one can experience the thoughtful environments created by BHF. Despite spanning an incredibly wide spectrum, the projects of BHF all have one thing in common: client care. Projects are initiated by assessing a client’s needs and desires and designing from this perspective. “We listen to our customers and then develop a custom solution for the project,” explains Jens Bendfeldt. The firm has created spaces for leisure, living, recreation and tourism with their designs for plazas, waterfronts, countrysides, and gardens. Urban renewal and energy projects are also on their roster of talents. Mr. Bendfeldt sums up their design philosophy as being arced by a sense of “trying to make understated, beautiful things that are simple in the best sense.”

The firm's many years of experience are not to be underestimated. BHF's decades of experience working in landscape architecture allow them to quickly assess and fully inform clients of necessary environmental planning issues and challenges that might arise during design implementation. “We take the stated goals for nature conservation and landscape management set by both the Federal and Provincial nature conservation departments very seriously,” explains Jens Bendfeldt. Choosing to work with BHF means working time efficiently, which naturally helps projects to stay on budget.

Partner Uwe Hermann oversees the firm's environmental planning department focusing on large-scale landscape planning.

Recent projects have been the six lane expansion of the A7 Bordesholm to Hamburg federal motorway and the widening of the eastern section of the North Sea-Baltic Canal. Currently, BHF is also involved in constructing approximately an 800-kilometre route of power lines in Northern

Germany. These power lines are necessary in order to eventually feed the electricity generated by wind power to the German and wider European power grid.

BHF is also busy with its involvement in Kiel's “Projekt Bäckergang”, which will transform the underused industrial area of the city's Walkerdamm/Bäckergang area.

Located in the centre of downtown Kiel, this area will now be home to thirty condominiums and forty-two senior-friendly apartments with balconies and underground parking spaces. The landscape architects of BHF will be responsible for creating a pleasant and inviting space in the public areas between the housing complexes. This once underused and under appreciated eyesore of the city will now become a space for strolling, lingering and connecting.

Larger than usual by German standards, the thirty employees that make up the BHF team all share an immense enthusiasm for their work. When speaking about the team, Mr. Bendfeldt has nothing but praise.“We are proud of our employees. They are the ones directing the success of our projects by their day-to-day hard work, demonstrating their strong dedication and commitment.”

This team effort is how BHF tackles the challenges presented by each new design.

“The planning processes are becoming increasingly more complex yet are expected to be handled faster. To succeed, you need motivated partners who go the extra mile,” says Mr. Bendfeldt. “For us landscape architecture is not just a job but a passion. A passion we intend to maintain far into the future.”Through their noted talent and ardour BHF landscape architects connect people and place by the beauty and subtle power of their designs. www.bhf-ki.de Right, from top to bottom: Transformation project Lange Straße, Rostock. © BHF Living in the HafenCity Hamburg, Am Kaiserkai 23. © BHF Wasserplatz Am Germaniahafen, Kiel. © BHF Henning Stoldt NRoCK Nordeuropäisches Radioonkologisches Centrum Kiel, Feldstraße 21. © BHF

Portfolio | 55

Scan Group | Scan Client Publishing

EDUCATION The educational sector is turning ever more competitive, more complex and more international. A good education is the foundation for life and we have great expertise featuring schools, boarding schools, colleges and universities for the most diverse career paths. No matter how specialised an educational institution is, which age group it serves or what curriculum it follows, our editorial staff delivers the corresponding educational message across national boundaries.

BILDUNG Der Ausbildungssektor gewinnt zunehmend an Konkurrenz, Komplexität und Internationalität.

Eine gute Ausbildung ist der Grundstein für das ganze Leben und wir verfügen über die Expertise, Schulen, Internate, Fachhochschulen und Universitäten für die verschiedensten Karrierewege vorzustellen. Ganz gleich, wie spezialisiert eine Institution ist, welche Altersgruppe sie anspricht oder welches Curriculum sie verfolgt: Unser Redaktionsteam vermittelt die bildungsrelevante Botschaft weit über die nationalen Grenzen hinaus.

Portfolio | 57

Discover Germany | Special Theme | First Class Education Germany

Schule Schloss Salem

Building character Founded in 1920 by Margrave von Baden and Kurt Hahn Salem is Germany's largest and most prestigious international boarding school. Located in the former Cistercian Abbey Salem Castle the school offers 650 boarding school places for girls and boys. Salem is picturesquely situated in a hilly landscape amidst orchards and vineyards, twelve kilometres from Lake Constance.

TEXT & PHOTOS: SCHULE SCHLOSS SALEM

The state-recognised grammar school for Years 5 to 12 offers the school-leaving examinations Abitur (German university entrance qualifying examination) and International Baccalaureate (IB). 30% of the students come from abroad, i.e. from more than 40 different countries. In addition to German, English is the everyday language.

The International Classes from Year 8 are unique in Germany. After year 10 a decision is possible for taking either the Abitur or IB. Small classes allow a teacher:student ratio of 1:6. Salem also provides intensive preparation for the choice of study and profession and works closely together with 50 international exchange programme partner schools. Sports and recreational facilities

58 | Portfolio

are extensive including the school’s own harbour with sailing boats and kayaks as well as an indoor swimming pool.

Salem has a great deal to offer to its students, and makes high demands on them as well. Salem seeks young people who are inquisitive, open minded and willing to make their own way within the community of their peer group. Most boarding staff in Salem are involved in the academic life of the school as well, thereby ensuring that the principle of the unity of education and teaching is upheld. Salem's international atmosphere is enhanced by staff members from the United States, Australia, South Africa and Great Britain, who teach in both

the German Abitur and the IB programme.

An extensive tutorial system helps students from abroad. All students have access to modern facilities, such as computer centres, science laboratories, libraries, studios and auditoriums for music, theatre, dance, arts, crafts, social services and various sports.

With the requirement to discover oneself, to develop one’s social, intellectual, aesthetic and athletic capabilities as best as possible and to put oneself with one’s whole personality into the service of the community, character-building in the sense of Kurt Hahn, scholastic education, the political constitution of the school and cosmopolitan attitudes are united into an unmistakably unique entity.

Merit-based scholarships are available and approx. 25% of the students are scholarship holders. www.salem-net.de

The golden ticket to an international career in hospitality Based on the values of quality and excellence, the Swiss Education Group (SEG) maintains five different schools, which offer International students a top education in the fast-paced hospitality industry.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

With the foundation of its first school in 1982, SEG can look back on more than three decades of successful teaching! With 5,400 students per year and 25 different programmes, it is without question Switzer-

land’s largest English-speaking Hospitality Educator.“Switzerland has a long tradition of hospitality education and is considered to be the birthplace of the modern hospitality tradition,” says Duncan Robertson,

Head of Marketing and Development West Europe. “Today, these traditions continue and graduates of the Swiss system are highly respected for their ability to function and take charge in the competitive, international hospitality environment.”

The courses are taught in English and the campuses are multi-cultural with students from more than 75 nationalities studying and living together, which is an important Left & below: Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM)

40 | Issue 9 | November 2013

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Private Education Switzerland

Left: Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS)

organized with many of the industry’s leading companies attending in order to recruit students for both internship and graduate placements.This is a unique event and gives our students amazing career opportunities.”

aspect of the school’s philosophy. Gaining an understanding of different cultures is essential for future graduates.

SEG also maintains remarkable links with the hospitality industry, including strong ties to prestigious companies such as Hyatt, Hilton, Four Season, Accor, Kempinski, Moevenpick, Marriot and the Ritz Carlton amongst many others. “Our relationships with the industry as well as academic excellence have allowed us to distinguish ourselves from others,” Robertson explains.

“With the strength of an education focused on practice, our students and graduates are particularly appreciated by the hospitality industry.”

Robertson emphasizes: “Each semester an International Recruitment Forum (IRF) is

Each of the five SEG schools focuses on different aspects and offers a variety of degrees including certificates, diplomas, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts.

The César Ritz Colleges has built a worldwide reputation teaching Business, Tourism and Hospitality Management. It has a unique focus on entrepreneurship and graduates leave the school with a fully developed business plan. The school works in partnership with the Washington State University, USA. It comprises of three campuses located in both French and German-speaking Switzerland at Le Bouveret, Lucerne and Brig. Alumni Henrieke Noack remembers: “My career began in 2003 when, after graduating, I got my first role as a receptionist at the Hilton London Metropole. I am now living the dream that began for me at César Ritz Colleges, working as the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lucerne, Switzerland.”

Located in the heart of the César Ritz campuses of Lucerne and Le Bouveret, the Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland (CAAS) focuses on the world of gastronomy, in both operational and management areas. Here the students also benefit from exchange with hospitality management students.

One of the oldest schools is the Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM). It offers courses that merge the best of Swiss hospitality ideals with American management practices. Strong bonds with leaders in Marketing (Montreux Jazz Festival), Finance (Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild) and Human Resources (Amathus Hotels) are also reasons for this school’s outstanding reputation. Its Bachelor Degree is offered in partnership with Northwood University, USA. Thomas Gilner, a HIM graduate says: “At HIM, it is the international environment that makes the difference. I learned to be more disciplined, organised and to communicate better, skills that I use every day in my role as Assistant Revenue Manager at the Sofitel Hotel in Ningbo, China. This is my first role following graduation and I already have a lot of

Below: International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (IHTTI)

Portfolio | 61

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Private Education Switzerland

Left & above: César Ritz College Lucerne Below: Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland

responsibilities working towards maximizing the hotel’s revenue.”

Spread over two campuses in Caux and Leysin, the Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) focuses on Operations Management, Event or Resort and Spa Management as well as Restaurant Management. Graduates from the Bachelor and Master curricula receive dual degrees from both Switzerland and the UK through the University of Derby.

SHMS alumni Daniel Ludwigs, F & B Manager at Princess Cruise Lines, enthuses: “I chose to study hospitality as it combines my two passions of service and management, in

62 | Portfolio

a fast-paced industry. Since I graduated, my career has been nothing short of fast-paced!

Studying at SHMS taught me all facets of the hospitality trade from the bottom up while facing the challenges of working in multicultural teams.”

Robertson sums up:“The five schools prepare students for leading roles in the hospitality industry through intensive programmes which combine academic study with practical experience.” An approach that has proved to be incredibly successful!

The fifth school is the International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (IHTTI) located in the city of Neuchatel. It offers hospitality programmes that place a particular emphasis on the latest innovations in design, technology and luxury brand management and is hence responding to a growing trend.

www.swisseducation.com www.ritz.edu www.culinaryarts.ch www.him.ch www.ihtti.com www.shms.ch

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Christmas

Baden-Baden A romantic winter fairytale Situated in the foothills of the Black Forest, the Christmas Market Baden-Baden in front of the illuminated “Kurhaus” invites visitors from all over the world to a romantic winter fairytale from November 25 to December 30, 2013.

TEXT: JESSICA POMMER | PHOTOS: BADEN-BADEN KUR & TOURISMUS GMBH

Christmas time is approaching and the wintry season is pleasantly transforming into a season of lights. Numerous romantic little stalls surrounded by aromas of roasted almonds, gingerbread and the traditional hot mulled wine seduce to drift in a festive atmosphere. Visitors can expect exclusive Christmas arts and crafts offered in the over 100 stalls, in the elegant boutiques in the Kurhaus Colonnades as well as in the exclusive shops in the historic Old Town. Every day visitors enjoy attractive daily festive live shows performed on the “Himmelsbühne”(sky stage) in front of the famous “Kurhaus” Baden-Baden. Another highlight of the Baden-Baden Christmas market is the life-size manger with living sheep and donkeys that are surrounded by lots of hay. The splendiferous illustrated "fairy tale route" tells a German Christmas

story to inspire young and old. Another optical highlight is the illuminated, most beautiful church windows. The fancifully tinted oversized windows are painted by school classes in Baden-Baden. Every day they will be back-lighted at twilight that adds to the romantic ambience of the Christkindelsmarkt. On December 6th, St. Nicholas will float in a hot-air balloon to the Baden-Baden Christmas market to delight the young visitors with lots of little Christmas presents.

Furthermore, children can enjoy the children’s bakery where they are shown how to make Christmas cookies. Also, they can send their Christmas wishes to Father Christmas by dropping their letters into the “sky mail box”. Every Monday, the Christmas market turns into romantic

scenery with candles and additional decoration for the “Romantic days”. “Family Days”are on Wednesdays where the Christmas market offers special attractions for the whole family.

From 22 November the ice skating rink opens its doors for all enthusiastic ice skaters.

The Baden-Baden Christkindelsmarkt takes place from 25 November to 30 December 2013. It is open every day from 11 am to 9pm. www.baden-baden.de/en/events/christmasmarket-baden-baden

Portfolio | 63

BSL – Business School Lausanne

An alternative to business education An MBA and a Diploma in Sustainable Business are the two flagship degrees at BSL, Business School Lausanne. Now in its 26th year, offering 9 business programmes in total, the Swiss boutique school has recently redefined its mission – to provide a learning platform that enables individuals and organisations to thrive by co-creating viable business solutions for our planet and its people. The concern with sustainability plays a vital role within the school’s generally different approach to business education which focuses on personalized evaluation, low hierarchies and practical, close-to-industry courses.

TEXT: FRANZISKA NÖSSIG | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

“Over the past decade, claims that business is increasingly focused on maximizing profits for its shareholders at the expense of society and our planet have ignited a debate about the purpose of business in the global context,”states Dr Katrin Muff, Dean of BSL. She stresses that simultaneously, however, there has been an increasing demand for globally responsible leaders in businesses and organisations of every kind.

“We imagine our business school to be-

64 | Portfolio

come an open space – a collaboratory – where students, researchers and stakeholders work side-by-side on resolving obstacles towards a socially just and environmentally sustainable world,” the Dean underlines her vision.

Three key elements define BSL’s practical and highly personalized approach to management and business education. First to be mentioned is the school’s effective learning

environment; providing real-life simulations and strategy games in small, interactive classes with up to 20 students.“We are an accessible and human-scale business school, and therefore know all our students,” says Marketing and Communications Coordinator Denitsa Marinova.

Around 130‘freshers’start each year, while in total 250 students from 60 nationalities, aged between 19 and 55, are enrolled across all programmes.

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Private Education Switzerland

1987. Its innovative approach to business training is most noticeably recognised in the recent QS Global 200 Business Schools Report where BSL is ranked third in Switzerland the 4th year in a row.

Another aspect is that students are integrated into the real business world from the very beginning of their course. The E/MBA programme, for instance, is designed as a constant collaboration with the industry, namely with 30 international CEOs and HR directors. Moreover, BSL’s tutors and lecturers, who all are experienced entrepreneurs and business practitioners as well as regular guest speakers, share their knowlegde and expertise.

As a result, thinking and acting as an entrepreneur is fully integrated into the school’s teaching style, an element particularly attractive to students with a family business background. Roughly 20 per cent of alumni, mostly MBA graduates who developed a real-life business plan as part of their course, actually set up their own businesses.

In order to offer an alternative to traditional business education, BSL regularly hosts public discussions and contributes to the 50+20 initiative which aims to transform business management education on a global level. In addition to this, the school’s collaborations with the University of St Gallen since 2009 and, more recently, the Global Organizational Learning and Development Network (GOLDEN) at Bocconi University in Italy for joint programmes in Sustainable Business, all underline its focus on the matter.

Especially by launching these programmes, BSL has considerably strengthened its positioning as a school focused on sustainability, entrepreneurship, and responsibility.

These elements now form the underlying pillars of the school’s mission. They additionally function as areas of achievement

for the school’s annual Doctorate Honoris Causa, an honorary degree given to one or more individuals due to their outstanding contributions in one of the fields. Recent laureates include WWF co-founder Dr Luc Hoffmann and Polly Higgins, founder of the ECOCIDE initiative (2013) as well as Claude Nicollier, the first Swiss astronaut, and Sung-Joo Kim, Chairwoman and CEO of Sungjoo Group and MCM Holdings AG (2011).

BSL is located in the heart of Lausanne’s vibrant university community, on the shores of Lake Geneva and in close proximity to many international company headquarters and several world organisations. Geneva for instance, Switzerland’s second most populous city after Zurich, is not more than 30 minutes away. Lausanne itself has extensive local sport and recreational facilities, with some of Europe’s best skiing resorts in the near vicinity.

Next intakes: February and September 2014 www.bsl-lausanne.ch

Thirdly, leadership development is crucial within the school’s educational programme.

The curriculum comprises not only modules to further the students’ interpersonal skills but also includes teaching of competences such as adaptability, authentic communication and the ability to adopt different perspectives.

With originally just two programmes on offer, BSL’s reputation and success have grown since the school's establishment in

Portfolio | 65

Stiftung Louisenlund Where the future is shaped and values are preserved For over 60 years Stiftung Louisenlund, a full-day German secondary boarding an IB World School, has been dedicated to delivering first class education in a most pleasant environment and preparing pupils for life as caring and committed members of society.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: STIFTUNG LOUISENLUND

Located most idyllically along the Schlei, a narrow inlet of the Baltic Sea, in Northern Schleswig-Holstein, Stiftung Louisenlund was founded by Friedrich Herzog zu Schleswig-Holstein in 1949 right after the ordeal of WWII. The boarding school was created to provide children from ages 5 to 12 the opportunity to discover themselves and be creative. Kurt Hahn, a key figure in the development of experiential education in those days, played an important role in the process. Times were tough and MarieAlix Herzogin zu Schleswig-Holstein, honourary member of the board of trustees

66 | Portfolio

and daughter-in-law of the founder, remembers: “Not every pupil owned warm clothes and we had to be creative, so I attached some red socks to my husband’s

navy sweater. This is how the Louisenlund school pullover was born.”The iconic blue jumper with the red V-Neck is still a symbol of belonging to the Louisenlund community worldwide. In 1978 Louisenlund became a member the international Round Square association of boarding-schools and today Louisenlund is one of Germany’s largest and renowned boarding schools with partner schools on six continents.

“Preserving values, taking responsibility, shaping the future” Right now about 350 pupils attend school at Louisenlund, with over three-quarters being borders from national and international backgrounds.“Our pupils come from a wide mix of social environments, reaching from entrepreneurial to agricultural to aristocratic, and quite a few are from regional families. Some are scholarship holders and

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top International Schools Germany

Louisenlund focuses exclusively on the Diploma Programme and 77 pupils are currently enrolled en-route to the IB. But the implementation of the IB is not the only future-oriented measure Louisenlund took to prepare pupils for a successful professional life in Germany and abroad spend a lot of time and effort implementing modern concepts. Our linguistic diversity is unique, featuring English, Spanish, Chinese, French and Latin,”Sven Meier, Head of Communications, proudly says. The school promises “to turn young people into independent, motivated and cosmopolitan people who are able to assume responsibility for themselves and others.” And still, staying at Louisenlund feels like being home from home. “Our pupils cherish the familial and international atmosphere, harmoniously combined on one single campus.”

others are the progeny of alumni,” Meier explains.

The campus is spectacular, featuring a magnificent white castle and an imposing manor house surrounded by seemingly endless water-backing parkland. The proximity to the open sea can be smelled in the air and water sports play an important role at Louisenlund. Small and large boats are neatly lined up on the school’s own mooring. Sailing is a very significant part of the plenty of extra curricular activities which can be chosen by students. Louisenlund is proud to be the only school in Germany that owns a real research vessel for young explorers.

The curriculum offers a choice between the German Abitur and, since 2008, the International Baccalaureate (IB). Just like the German system, the IB programme is structured in three different parts: The Primary Year Programme for years 5 to 7, the Middle Year Programme for years 8 to 10 and the Diploma Programme for years 11 and 12.

Pupils also get a variety of opportunities to engage in social activities in the surrounding communities. The so-called Guild programme encourages teamwork, creativity and service spirit amongst youngsters. By engaging in the local service activities, such as technical relief or the fire brigade, attending first-aid courses, acting as tutors or

Portrait: Headmaster Dr. Rösner and Duchess Marie Alix zu Schleswig-Holstein

helping out senior citizens, pupils gain invaluable skills for later life.

“Besides a challenging curriculum, which helps to develop subject-methodical as well as personal and social competencies, pupils are exposed to a variety of opportunities to shine in our extracurricular Guild programme. It is just like another pillar in our holistic educational school programm based on the principles of mutual trust and a maximum of respect the pupils’ willingness to take on responsibility for themselves and others grows. Going through these new experiences is a vital prerequisite for a successful future,” Meier says.

Exactly a year ago, Dr. Peter Rösner took over as the new headmaster at Louisenlund and he emphasizes the importance of science. For him it is a matter of the heart that “pupils shall develop ideas of how to further develop function and design of devices in a sensible and future-oriented way.”

And he adds: “Upon completion of the Abitur or the IB, our graduates shall be responsible citizens using their voting right to shape the world and our society. Part of this is to be capable to answer questions from the energy, mobility, health and biotechnological sectors.”

The future for “Lunder” (as insiders call them) looks bright and a flourishing international alumni network ensures that close connections between former pupils and today’s professionals always remain tight.

Oliver Mommsen, one of Germany’s finest actors and former Louisenlund boarder puts it in a nutshell: “In Louisenlund I was gently, but firmly pushed on the right path towards my dream job.“ www.louisenlund.de

Portfolio | 67

Scan Group | Scan Client Publishing

DESIGN Design is a topic we are deeply passionate about and we have truly enjoyed working with some of the finest home-grown talent over recent years. Amazing German, Swiss and Austrian product designers, industrial designers or fashion designers are just a few examples of specialised creative minds we have had the honour of working with. Due to our image-focussed graphics concept, our new client publishing service offers the ideal international showcase for innovative and striking new designer products.

DESIGN Design ist ein Thema, mit dem uns seit unserer Grünung eine ganz besondere Leidenschaft verbindet.

Mit großer Freude haben in der Vergangenheit mit Vertretern der Branche aus eigenen Landen zusammen gearbeitet. Weltweit anerkannte deutsche, Schweizer und österreichische Produktdesigner, Industriedesigner oder Modedesigner sind nur einige der hochspezialisierten kreativen Köpfe, welche uns in den vergangenen Jahren die Ehre der Kooperation gewährten. Mithilfe unseres bildlastigen Grafikkonzepts, bieten unsere neuen kundenorientiertes Publikationen eine ideale Plattform, um innovative und beeindruckende neue Designerprodukte international zur Schau zur stellen.

Portfolio | 69

KISKA Designing Desire Why do we instantly recognize a motorcycle when it races past us on the motorway? It is the design that tells us about the brand. Great design has the capacity to attract attention, stir emotion and spark loyalty for the brand. For nearly 25 years the Austrian design and brand consultancy KISKA has worked with the world’s top brands to sharpen, shape and create their brand’s unique values.

TEXT: CORDELIA MAKARTSEV | PHOTOS: KISKA

“The most powerful and enduring brands are built from the heart,” said Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks. This statement echoes the vision KISKA founder and CEO Gerald Kiska strives to accomplish for his clients every day: “Co-creating desirable brands through design was the core vision I had when founding KISKA. It is the value that drives KISKA to this day. Today we do this not only through design, but consulting and

70 | Portfolio

ate desirable brand experiences in close cooperation with the client, by placing the brand at the centre of the product and the product at the centre of the brand. In 1991, KISKA took on the Austrian motorbike manufacturer KTM as a client, which has resulted in a brand-building journey that has lasted over two decades.

communication services as well, which includes capabilities ranging from research and brand consulting, to product communication, corporate design, digital media and photography/videography.”

Since 1990, when Gerald Kiska started the company from the kitchen table of his home, KISKA has helped companies to envision their future by defining their brand’s values, significance and ultimate differentiation factor. KISKA’s approach is to co-cre-

Gerald Kiska

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Dazzling Design for 2015 Austria

appearance in the ski market. The result is a timeless ski design, easily recognizable by its two basic colours, a unique Hollowtech symbol and distinctive graphics. The result is brand design that is both iconic and consistent over the seasons.

Opened in 2009, KISKA’s 5,000 square metre studio equipped with a 1,000 square metre transportation design studio, allows KISKA to take on bigger projects for global brands.

It also accommodates at least 10 years of human resources growth.

Global brands greatly appreciate the benefit of KISKA’s full brandbuilding capabilities: consulting, design and communication.

Over a period of almost 25 years (KISKA celebrates its 25th anniversary in January, 2015), KISKA developed into one of Europe’s largest independently owned design agencies. But, what is the secret of successful brand building? According to Gerald it is consistency, “It is a totally underrated value, consistency, but when it comes to brand building, it is the most important factor to consider. Regardless of the project, it is important to stay faithful to your brand’s promise and its key differentiation factor. Every brand has its own values and deserves the consistent design language that remains true to it. Designing Desire is not about a designer’s self-fulfillment. It is about consistent differentiation: digging to the heart of a brand, defining authentic brand stories and creating designs that stand out in the market.”

The long-term success of KISKA proves Gerald right, as design of new products often begins with careful observation and analysis of the brand, target group and product position in the market. For over 23 years KISKA has worked in close cooperation with KTM regarding not only design, but brand consulting and communication as well. Just one example is the KTM 1190 Adventure bike, which was designed after KISKA conducted research and analysis of the target group. With the new bike KTM was able to expand its market share significantly, attracting more first time KTM riders than ever before.

Many more internationally renowned companies trusted KISKA with their brand building and design. For the relaunch of Austrian ski manufacturer Kästle KISKA created a unique und differentiating brand

Gerald knows that his greatest asset is his team: “In terms of KISKA’s biggest success story, I think it is our team, which is composed of over 120 creative specialists from over 20 nations who are at the top of their fields.That KISKA has created such a unique way of approaching design it resonates with the world’s best creative talent; enticing them to work here is a great achievement. Most significantly, this pays off for our clients, because our diverse team can accommodate all of their brand building needs under one roof.”

KISKA’s team, studio and brand expertise means it is poised to take on the design innovation challenges of the future, which Gerald Kiska predicts to be primarily concerned with the ”Internet of Things”. According to Gerald, regardless of the field, it is the ever-increasing interconnectivity of products and services that is driving innovation in design,“The mission of KISKA is to find ways in which to incorporate connectivity into design so that it speaks volumes about the brand. Any designer can think of ways to make a product connect to the world around it. The real challenge is selecting the connectivity innovations that are authentic to a brand’s promise and business.” www.kiska.com

Portfolio | 71

Special Theme

Industrial Design Designed in Germany

Product and Industrial Design

The quality-label “Made in Germany” depends not only on the perfection and reliability of German products but also on the quality of German industrial design.

TEXT & PHOTOS: IRIS LAUBSTEIN / ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS (VDID)

The fact that German car brands are sought-after all over the world nowadays may also be linked to the big and long tradition of industrial design in Germany. And to a sort of cultural shock in an early phase of globalisation: at the London World Exhibition 1851 German products were branded with the (back then) negative label“Made in Germany”.

The London show, which took place in the famous Crystal Palace was what initially sparked the evolution of model collections and industrial museums everywhere in Europe and thus also in Germany.

Based on the patterns of the show collections the regional economy should learn what successful products should look like.

Even today, this learning by models system

72 | Portfolio

is testified to in museums of applied art, for example, in Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne.

The desire for better design of German products and the desire for a better life in modern times resulted in remarkable institutions such as the Deutsche Werkbund at the beginning of the 19th century as well as the Bauhaus in the 1920s with renowned and internationally active masters like Walter Gropius. After the Second World War the tradition of design education was re-established under Max Bill at the Hochschule für Gestaltung (HfG) in Ulm. Till today the impact of these educational facilities has been omnipresent in German industrial design and the historic roots are showcased in the Bauhaus Archive in Berlin and the HfG Archive in Ulm. In Munich the Neue

Sammlung in the Pinakothek offers a remarkable insight into the whole topic of German design tradition up to today.

Current German industrial design is represented internationally mainly though automotive brands, and the fascination can be experienced in contemporary glass palaces: the BMW World in Munich, the Porsche Museum and the Daimler Museum in Stuttgart or theVolkswagen Autostadt in Wolfsburg.

The charisma of these brands has transferred the design to many other technical innovations from Germany, in the areas of engineering, medical technology or the creation of rail vehicles as well as other industries.

The future of German industrial design

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Product and Industrial Design

Left & below: Markus Kurkowski I Beyond

is crafted at the colleges and universities, where young talents are well educated for tomorrow’s industrial design. To secure global success of German industrial products in the future, besides other actions, the VDID (Association of German Industrial Designers) initiated the VDID NEWCOMERS’ AWARD. The results reflect the challenges shaping the future of industrial design. Some of these challenges are the themes of mobility, universal design in relation to demographic changes and the efficiency of resources for the purpose of reducing environmental burdens.

All VDID activities address current transformation processes in industrial design. Industrial designers perform the transfer of new materials and technologies

between different industries and fields of application. VDID industrial designers develop new guiding principles and exercise their responsibility for the change of product culture. The current VDID Codex of industrial designers defines ten focal points of the“future”challenge and initiates analysis and debate. The selection criteria of the newcomers’ award are according to these VDID statutes.

One of the VDID NEWCOMERS’ AWARD winners in 2013, Markus Kurkowski, created the interior and exterior design of a caravan. His concept called “I Beyond” encourages independence and is equally appropriate for people with and without physical disabilities. Accessibility is achieved by lowering the caravan and using a wide entrance and sliding doors.

The interior furnishings can be tailored to suit individual abilities. According to the jury, this is a universal design in the best sense of the word, as it makes this object more conveniently usable by people of all generations and abilities.

Another prize was given to Jan Meissner who searched for an answer to the question “How to deconstruct a skyscraper?” His idea is a solution to an urgent problem that big cities around the world are facing. His

“urban mining restructuring” is a concept for the economical demolition and recycling of skyscrapers in densely built megacities that is also time-efficient. This system mechanically deconstructs a tall building “from the roof down”. It uses a frame mounted on the top of the building, exterior tunnels, shredders and sorters to transport and process the materials that are recovered — including glass, concrete, steel and waste products.

An honourable mention was made of Wassilij Grod for his CONBOU – High Heel Table. A latticework construction made of bamboo sandwiched between two exterior surface materials saves renewable resources and enables a good balance between weight and construction stability.

According to the jury, the designer has embraced two important aspects of sustainable product design: resource protection and lightweight construction.

All designs of the 45 newcomers selected for the competition show that the next generation of German industrial design is working on the challenges of the future, through studies and in practical life and of course in multinational teams. www.vdid.de

Jan Meissner Urban Mining Restructuring

Portfolio | 73

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Architecture and Design Guide

ARTEFAKT industriekultur

Dedicated to identity and simplicity You name it, they have won it: Red Dot Design Award, German Design Award, Designplus ... In the past twenty-five years design studio ARTEFAKT have been honoured with numerous prestigious, internationally renowned design awards for their product innovations in the areas of construction, cycling and bathtubs. What is the secret of their success? “Reduce to identity,” says Tomas Fiegl.

TEXT: CORDELIA MAKARTSEV | PHOTOS: ARTEFAKT

Industrial designers Tomas Fiegl and Achim Pohl are the heads and hearts of the Darmstadt-based design studio ARTEFAKT, one of the leading providers of design services at the interface with architecture.Their philosophy“reduce to identity”sounds simple but it implies a complex way of thinking and working. “There is an oversupply of products in the industrial nations which leads to an overstimulation of the con-

74 | Portfolio

sumer. Newly designed products contribute to the confusing multiplicity.This is why we aim to give every product designed by ARTEFAKT a clearly legible formal statement, an identity,” explains Tomas Fiegl.

ARTEFAKT achieves this distinctive identity through simplicity and concentration on the essential.The result is a timeless design, independent of fleeting fashionable trends. From the visual point of view, this

Achim Pohl and Tomas Fiegl

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Architecture and Design Guide

ing their studies they won several design competitions and quickly got their first contract with the German bathtub and shower partition manufacturer Düker. As business went well, they decided to establish their own design studio ARTEFAKT industriekultur in 1989. International recognition came with the invention of the Düker Circolo, a flush-fitting shower tray on floor level, highly appreciated by design-conscious bathroom users and often imitated by their competitors in the following years.

Canyon SPEEDMAX CF timetrial bike tests in the wind tunnel

In 2007, ARTEFAKT started researching and developing another future-oriented technology: the possibilities of digitalisation in the bathroom. The outcome: the lines of fittings JADO EVOLUTION and VIEGA TRIO E3. The evolution in the bathroom brings more comfort and safety for the user.

For instance, the quantity of water and its temperature can be programmed for up to three people, thus eliminating the risk of overflowing or time-wasting temperature adjustment. Just one push with your finger and your bathtub fills up with water at your preferred temperature.

Exploring new horizons: The CANYON SPEEDMAX CF timetrial bike

significantly extends the life cycle of the products and strengthens the consumers’ trust in the brand.

Revolutionising the bathroom Achim Pohl and Tomas Fiegl look back on a long history of successful innovations. Dur-

Roughly two years ago, the designer team started to turn a personal passion for cycle racing into professional success.“Apart from the necessary technical expertise, you need to have an emotional link to the sport if you want to work as a designer in the cycle racing industry,” says Tomas Fiegl. They joined forces with Germany’s leading racing bike manufacturer Canyon and, as a result, created the most aerodynamic bike in the world, the Canyon SPEEDMAX CF. Perfected in numerous tests in the wind tunnel at Drag2Zero in Silverstone, the SPEEDMAX CF is optimized to achieve the best possible time-trial performance. Hereby, the designers played an important part in work-

ing out the details like developing a miniature braking set which is integrated into the frame.The SPEEDMAX CF proved its qualities when the Russian professional racing team Katusha rode on it to success in the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France races.

“Today, most manufacturers of high-end racing bikes are able to produce technically perfected, high quality bikes which look more or less the same. This is not in the interest of the manufacturers and that is why the design is of increasing importance in the developing process,” explains Tomas Fiegl. Awarded with five design prizes for the SPEEDMAX CF including the Red Dot Best of the Best 2012 and German Design Award 2013, there is no doubt that ARTEFAKT will have a say in the future of the cycle racing business.

‘Designed by ARTEFAKT’ in UK Since 1998, Ideal Standard, one of the UK market leaders for bathroom solutions, works in close cooperation with ARTEFAKT. “Most of Ideal Standard’s portfolio carries ARTEFAKT’s signature,”says Fiegl.

“At the moment we are working on a successor for the very popular bath ceramic series TONIC which is due to arrive on the market in 2015.”

It only remains to hope that more UK companies will discover ARTEFAKT’s timeless designs.They have a lot more to offer in their other areas of expertise: office, packaging, architecture and devices, such as the KITEO K-DESIGN LED light series which won the Red Dot Award and the iF design award. www.artefakt.de

Bottom, from left to right: Jado Evolution VIEGA trio KITEO K-DESIGN LED light series

Portfolio | 75

Campus Main image/photo: Erik Hartmann Below/photo: Sebastian Reuter

‘Design Creates Identity’ Projekter Industrial Design

Above, main image: Bionicon cguide eco Above: Bionicon e-ram pedelec motor

Like a golden thread, creative, innovative and consistent design ties together all the stages of product conceptualization and realization. Good design is a valuable marketing tool, improving the image of a company in the long term by increasing customers’ trust, loyalty and satisfaction with a brand.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: PROJEKTER INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Yet good design is more than just attractiveness. It also performs, converts, astonishes, and fulfills its purpose. The German design firm‘Projekter Industrial Design’helps their clients to transcend this philosophy through coherent design built into all of their products. As an integral part of market success, dynamic designs create an identity that is interwoven in the entire production and marketing cycle; it evokes an emotive response and attaches customers to a company’s brand.

Good design is also a strategic business decision that emphasizes the care and quality

76 | Portfolio

which a company invests in its products and services. “Design makes the quality of any product visible and tangible to the user,” states Projekter Industrial Design.

At Projekter Industrial Design, eight highly skilled designers create and develop concepts and specifications in accordance with their client’s needs. Founded in 2004 and led by Dipl. Des. Sébastien Lienhard and Dipl. Des. Philippe Lingott, the firm is characterized by its extensive expertise, established industry contacts, and innovative design solutions. In the last four years alone, the company has worked on over 200 proj-

ects involving regional and international brands and notable long-term customers.

The range of services offered and the broad portfolio reflect their holistic approach. The firm’s services include: industrial design, product development, technological and economic product optimization, corporate and brand design, project management, quality control, production support in China and Taiwan and 3D-CNC milling.

Design with real-world function Located in the inner harbour of Duisburg (Innenhafen), the company is at the very heart of the region’s industrial creativity.The

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Architecture and Design Guide

firm is renowned for creating dynamic, energetic, and powerful products that serve a real world function. Projekter Industrial Design has designed and created specialized power tools, machinery, bikes and e-bikes, automotive technology, measuring instruments, medical tools, sporting goods, and domestic appliances.

In the last few years, many of these objects have been awarded several design awards and earned critical appraise, including red dot awards for product design, been a nominee for the German design award, and the winner of IF Design Award Concepts.

A recent project involves the firm’s development of Bionicon´s c.guide eco, a lightweight chain guide for mountain bikes. Compared to previous models, Projekter Industrial Design have increased the required mobility of the component by an optimal choice of materials and a new manufacturing process, and simplified the mounting of the bicycle frame. The new one-piece construction replaced six additional components. Consequently, the complete pre-assembly disappeared and production costs were significantly reduced.

minimalist table, form and function are seamlessly blended.

Increased functionality and usability Not only the aesthetics but also the ergonomics of a product profoundly impact on user satisfaction. User-centred design makes a product more understandable, improves the workflow and increases efficiency. In addition, intuitive usability evokes user pleasure instead of frustration.“Usability Design is a great factor in reinforcing a positive brand image. It creates equally added value for both users and manufacturers,”emphasizes the firm.

The design team at Projekter Industrial Design balance creative, innovative and progressive thinking with the practical, industrial constraints of actually producing real-world solutions. This step in particular requires knowledge of production processes, materials, industry standards and technology.

sign development, they ensure that the industrially manufactured end product complies with the respective brand’s promise.

Longstanding partnerships with Asian manufacturers also guarantee trouble-free processes in overseas production. The firm conducts strict quality controls so that the products meet all customer requirements and previous performances, and make a smooth market entry.

Projekter Industrial Design is optimistic about the future: “Many good ideas disappear in the drawer. Our objective is to help even more companies to realize their projects and be successful in the marketplace." kontakt@projekter.de www.projekter.de

Market entry and support Finally, Projekter Industrial Design offers ongoing support. After completing the de-

Projekter Industrial Design’s striking projects combine aesthetic appeal with creative problem-solving techniques. Whether it is a conventional hardware tool, a sleek bike, or a Right: Lettmann dragonboat paddle & Lettmann granate kayak Below, left: Bosch car charger C3 Below, middle: Parkside jigsaw Below, right: CAD tigersaw

Portfolio | 77

Main image: ”Sportlehrer” (PE teacher) Top: Markus Kreykenbohm Above: Bernd Dorr

Zirkeltraining™ Bernd Dörr Recycling Goods Blowing the starting whistle for vintage design School day memories, especially of musty changing rooms and merciless PE teachers, often trigger mixed feelings. With the design label Zirkeltraining™ Bernd Dörr Recycling Goods, self-pronounced “father of gymnastics” Bernd Dörr taps into this emotional goldmine, and designs bags that may well change people's opinions of vaulting horses and bars forever.

TEXT: JULIKA HÜTHER | PHOTOS: ZIRKELTRAINING™ BERND DÖRR RECYCLING GOODS

78 | Portfolio

When Bernd Dörr, formerly a telecommunications mechanic and self-employed haulier, stumbled upon a load of discarded old sports mats and equipment on a rainy day in 2007, an idea formed itself.

“I have never been the sporty type, but instead enterprising,”says Bernd.“I invest a

Discover Germany | Special Theme | Design Guide 2015

lot of time and money in ideas that I believe in.”

The idea was Zirkeltraining™ Bernd Dörr Recycling Goods (which translates as circuit training), a design label producing handsewn bags, accessories, furniture and other goods from recycled sports mats and faulty sports equipment such as vaulting horses and boxes. The results are lovingly produced items with a distinctive design. Even though each piece is unique due to the wear and tear of the recycled material, the combination of the blue rubber sourced from the mats and the brown leather creates a distinctive look, which is complemented by the unique surface feel and, sometimes, smell.

Handmade windows to the past “Our products are honest and direct and nothing is beautified,” says Markus Kreykenbohm, in charge of branding and graphic design. “They are vintage rather than just retro. Our brand is based on experiences and individual pasts, no matter whether these are good or bad memories.

The timeless design is accentuated by the beautiful patina of each piece of leather and manages to do the balancing act between design standards, heritage, functionality and sustainability.”The difference from other recycling labels“is the unusual material, which tells each of our customers a different story.”

In turn, Zirkeltraining™ Bernd Dörr Recycling Goods tell customers the story of their

product. Each piece comes with a passport, consecutively numbered and printed on old driver's licence paper, which informs customers about the age of the particular mat and leather used. The passports include an old photo of Bernd, and he individually signs and fastens them with a shoelace. “In a way, I am cross with my friend Markus for suggesting this idea, because it involves a lot of time and effort,” says Bernd, “but I have to admit that our customers love this particular detail.”

Backing the (vaulting) horse – one at a time The customers' feedback is a major motivation when it comes to creating new models, and the team frequently act on individuals' suggestions. “As we are a very small manufacturer with only twelve seamstresses, we can design special editions quickly, react to current trends and sometimes cater to more unusual wishes,” says Markus. “We recently received an order from Apple retailer GRAVIS for a special edition of our bag for Apple Mac Pro. And we just brought out a fabulous range of protective cases for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.”

The team use prototypes to test whether a product is popular with their customers.

They never have items in stock, but instead produce according to demand to avoid wasting materials. Customers can order prototypes through their retailers, and if a prototype makes it into the collection, it is given a name, which usually refers to gym-

nastics equipment or an exercise. “We do not want to make lots of money as quickly as possible,” says Markus. “We prefer to produce less and stay on the market for 15 years. We would also like to do a very obvious thing: produce a children's gym bag!”

Hitting the wall without a mat Despite the huge popularity of the label, there is one obstacle to their dream of celebrating their fifteenth anniversary: A shortage in materials.“It is a shame that apparatus work is no longer a compulsory part of physical education at schools,”Bernd explains.“It is not only a problem in terms of material shortage. It is more the prospect of inertia. Nowadays, it is a rarity to have bruises caused by a collision with a vaulting horse. Unfortunately, youngsters do not practise gymnastics on untreated leather anymore, but instead practise mastering their games console. I believe that society is more likely to hit the wall before the materials do. But I will blow the starting whistle for circuit training until the bitter end.” www.zirkeltraining.biz

Zirkeltraining products will be displayed in a makeshift gymnasium with staff wearing oldschool tracksuits at the Blickfang design fair in Basel from 24 to 26 April.

Below left: ”Salto” Below middle: ”Matte” (pad) Below right: ”Tor Parade” (goal parade)

Portfolio | 79

SCAN CLIENT PUBLISHING

Scan Group 15B Bell Yard Mews Bermondsey Street London SE1 3TY United Kingdom

Tel +448709330423 Fax +448709330421 Email info@scangroup.co.uk www.scangroup.co.uk www.scanclientpublishing.com