Sauerbruch Hutton is an international agency for architecture, urban planning and design. It was founded in London in 1989 and is now based in Berlin, Germany. The practice is led by Matthias Sauerbruch, Louisa Hutton and Juan Lucas Young.
Architecture
![London - Two New Ludgate Mizuho House](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/London_-_Two_New_Ludgate_Mizuho_House.jpg)
The office's best-known buildings include the
GSW Headquarters in Berlin, the Federal Environment Agency in Dessau and the Brandhorst Museum in Munich. More recently, the Experimenta Science Centre in Heilbronn and the Museum District M9 in Venice Mestre were opened.
Outside of Germany the firm has worked on projects in the UK, Finland, France, Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
Early work
The firm's first offices were located in London, where both founders were engaged in teaching roles. Many of their first commissions were in relatively confined urban areas, such as L House in London. A typical Victorian terrace, this was the practice's first essay in applied colour. The architects used colour to visually expand the cramped spaces.
Early competition entries for Paternoster Square in London (1989), Tokyo International Forum (1989) and the Junction Building in Birmingham (1989) all offered socio-culturally and environmentally sustainable alternatives to the conventions in architecture and planning at the time.
The GSW Headquarters
The GSW Headquarters is situated 250 meters from
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie (or "Checkpoint C") was the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War (1947–1991), as named by the Western Allies.
East German leader Walter Ulbricht agitated and maneuv ...
. It was the first tall building to rise in Berlin after the fall of the
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall (german: Berliner Mauer, ) was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and East Germany (GDR). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government ...
. The winning competition proposal by Sauerbruch Hutton was a critique of the "
Critical reconstruction
Critical Reconstruction is a theory of architecture and urbanism originally developed by the Berlin architect Josef Paul Kleihues. It was first applied in Berlin's International Building Exhibition in the 1980s, and was subsequently used in the r ...
" established by Hans Stimmann, Berlin's building director from 1991 to 2006.
Major works
In the works that followed, they continued to develop sustainable buildings as well as the use of colour as a building material on projects throughout Europe. The Federal Environmental Agency in Dessau (2005) was a benchmark in the design of sustainable office buildings.
A serpentine plan fosters a personal, corporeal perception of the building as one walks along its length – an uncommonly sensuous gesture for an office building.
Printed glass emerged as one of the practice's research interests, with their Pharmacological Research Laboratories (2002) and Jessop West (2008) and Cologne Oval Offices testing new potential for the material. In 2008, with the
Brandhorst Museum, Sauerbruch Hutton also began exploring the applications of glazed ceramic as a facade material which is being continued in the development of the M9 Museum in Mestre/Venice.
File:Museum Brandhorst außen2a.jpg, Museum Brandhorst Munich, 2008
File:Cologne Oval Offices 01panorama.jpg, Cologne Oval Offices on Gustav-Heinemann-Ufer, Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
, 2010
File:ADAC-Zentrale, Munich, March 2017-03.jpg, ADAC Headquarters Munich, 2012
File:Moabit Kruppstraße 19 20.jpg, Haus 6, Berlin, 2017
File:Le musée M9 dans le nouveau quartier (Mestre, Vénétie) (48211409082).jpg, M9 Museum Quarter, Venice Mestre, 2018
File:Neubau experimenta.jpg, Experimenta, Science Center, Heilbronn, 2019
Recognition
The firm's
GSW Headquarters won the Berliner Architekturpreis and Deutscher Architekturpreis, as well as several RIBA and AIA Awards and was nominated for a
Stirling Prize
The Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize is a British prize for excellence in architecture. It is named after the architect James Stirling, organised and awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The S ...
in 2000. Several projects have been nominated for or reached the shortlist of the
Mies Van Der Rohe Award
The European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award is a prize given biennially by the European Union and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe, Barcelona, 'to acknowledge and reward quality architectural production in Eu ...
. The Sitra Headquarters project received a 2011
Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction
The Holcim Awards is an international competition that seeks projects and visionary concepts in sustainable construction – irrespective of scale. A total of USD $2 million in prize money is awarded in each three-year cycle.
Eligible for en ...
br>
Medium rise timber office building in low-to-no carbon emissionsand the KfW Westarkade received the 2011 Best Tall Building Worldwide Award
In acknowledgement of their built works Sauerbruch Hutton were awarded the
Erich Schelling Prize for Architecture in 1998.,
the
Fritz Schumacher Prize for Architecture in 2003, the International Honour Award for Sustainable Architecture in 2010 and the
Gottfried Semper
Gottfried Semper (; 29 November 1803 – 15 May 1879) was a German architect, art critic, and professor of architecture who designed and built the Semper Opera House in Dresden between 1838 and 1841. In 1849 he took part in the May Uprising in ...
Architekturpreis in 201
Biographies
Matthias Sauerbruch (b. 1955
) studied architecture at Berlin's ''Hochschule der Künste'' (now
Berlin University of the Arts
The Universität der Künste Berlin (UdK; also known in English as the Berlin University of the Arts), situated in Berlin, Germany, is the largest art school in Europe. It is a public art and design school, and one of the four research universiti ...
) and at the
Architectural Association
The Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, commonly referred to as the AA, is the oldest independent school of architecture in the UK and one of the most prestigious and competitive in the world. Its wide-ranging programme ...
in London, graduating in 1984. He has worked at
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas (; born 17 November 1944) is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. He is often cited as a re ...
's
Office for Metropolitan Architecture
The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) is an international architectural firm with offices in Rotterdam, New York, Hong Kong, Doha, and Australia. The firm is currently led by eight partners - Rem Koolhaas, Reinier de Graaf, Ellen van ...
in London, leading the
House at Checkpoint Charlie project. He has maintained an involvement in teaching throughout his professional career, having held professorships at the University of Virginia, the State Academy of Art and Design in Stuttgart and
Berlin Technical University
The Technical University of Berlin (official name both in English and german: link=no, Technische Universität Berlin, also known as TU Berlin and Berlin Institute of Technology) is a public research university located in Berlin, Germany. It was ...
. In 2005 he was appointed
Kenzo Tange
is a common masculine Japanese given name.
Possible writings
Kenzō can be written using different kanji characters and can mean:
*賢三, "wise, three"
*健三, "healthy, three"
*謙三, "humble, three"
*健想, "healthy, concept"
*建造, "bu ...
Visiting Design Critic at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. From 2012 to 2015 he was a guest professor at Berlin University of Arts
Universität der Künste
The Universität der Künste Berlin (UdK; also known in English as the Berlin University of the Arts), situated in Berlin, Germany, is the largest art school in Europe. It is a public art and design school, and one of the four research universiti ...
. He's a commissioner of the Zurich Building Council, a trustee of the
Bauhaus Dessau Foundation
The Bauhaus Dessau Foundation is a nonprofit organization devoted to research and teaching in the field of experimental design. It was founded by the German Federal Government in 1994 and is based in the Bauhaus Dessau building in the state of S ...
and a Honorary Fellow of the
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...
. A member of the
Academy of Arts, Berlin
The Academy of Arts (german: Akademie der Künste) is a state arts institution in Berlin, Germany. The task of the Academy is to promote art, as well as to advise and support the states of Germany.
The Academy's predecessor organization was fo ...
, in 2013 he was the curator of "Culture:City
Culture:City an exhibition shown at the Academy of Arts, Berlin and at
Kunsthaus Graz
The Kunsthaus Graz, Grazer Kunsthaus, or Graz Art Museum was built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has since become an architectural landmark in Graz, Austria. Its exhibition program specializes in contemporar ...
that took a critical eye to the relationship between culture, architecture and urban development. Sauerbruch is a grandson of the surgeon
Ferdinand Sauerbruch
Ernst Ferdinand Sauerbruch (; 3 July 1875 – 2 July 1951) was a Nazi Germany, German surgery, surgeon. His major work was on the use of negative-pressure chambers for surgery.
Biography
Sauerbruch was born in Barmen (now a district of Wu ...
.
Louisa Hutton (b. 1957
) completed her undergraduate degree at
Bristol University
, mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'')
, established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter
, type ...
and later graduated from the
Architectural Association
The Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, commonly referred to as the AA, is the oldest independent school of architecture in the UK and one of the most prestigious and competitive in the world. Its wide-ranging programme ...
. She worked at the offices of
Alison and Peter Smithson
Alison Margaret Smithson (22 June 1928 – 14 August 1993) and Peter Denham Smithson (18 September 1923 – 3 March 2003) were English architects who together formed an architectural partnership, and are often associated with the New Brutalism ...
and has taught at the
AA, the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
and
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
. She is a member of the Curatorial Board of the
Schelling Architekturstiftung, and was a Commissioner at
CABE and a member of the first Steering Committee for the
Bundesstiftung Baukultur. In 2014 Louisa Hutton was elected as a Royal Academician of the
Royal Academy of Arts
The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpo ...
.
Juan Lucas Young (b. 1963 in Buenos Aires) studied at the
Universidad de Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires ( es, Universidad de Buenos Aires, UBA) is a public research university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Established in 1821, it is the premier institution of higher learning in the country and one of the most prestigi ...
. He has been a partner at Sauerbruch Hutton since 1999.
Office Structure
Since 2022 the responsibilities for the office are shared by 15 partners and 7 associates, with Matthias Sauerbruch, Juan Lucas Young, Vera Hartmann and David Wegener as directors.
About 130 architects, designers, technicians, model makers and administrative specialists work at the Berlin-based office.
Projects
*L-House, London (1991)
*H-House, London (1995)
*Photonic Centre,
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
(1998)
*Zumtobel Staff Showroom, Berlin (1999)
*N-House, London (1999)
*GSW Headquarters, Berlin (1999)
*British Council, Berlin (2000)
*BMW Event & Delivery Centre, Olympic Park, Munich (2001 competition, 1st Prize)
*Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney (2001 competition, 1st Prize; project cancelled)
*Experimental Factory, Magdeburg (2001)
*Pharmacological Research Laboratories, Biberach (2002)
*Town Hall,
Hennigsdorf
Hennigsdorf () is a town in the district of Oberhavel, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated north-west of Berlin, just across the city border, which is formed mainly by the Havel river.
History
The municipality shared its borders with the form ...
(2003)
*High-bay Warehouse for
Sedus Stoll AG, Dogern(2003)
*Fire and Police Station for the Government district, Berlin (2004)
*Federal Environmental Agency, Dessau (2005)
*Municipal Savings Bank, Oberhausen (2008)
*
Museum Brandhorst, Munich (2008)
*
Jessop West
Jessop West is a building in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and is part of the University of Sheffield. Designed by Berlin-based architectural firm Sauerbruch Hutton, it was completed in 2009, and is on the corner of Leafygreave Road and Upper Han ...
, Sheffield (2009)
*Cologne Oval Offices, Cologne (2009)
*Maciachini, Milan (2010)
*
Türkentor, Munich (2010)
*
KfW Westarkade
KfW Westarkade is a 60.1-meter (197 ft) office building located in Frankfurt, Germany. The 14-storey building completed in 2010, is located in the Westend district in Frankfurt and serves as the headquarters for KfW, the German state-owned de ...
, Frankfurt (2010)
*
ADAC
ADAC, officially the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (), is Europe's largest motoring association. ADAC is the largest club (Verein) in Germany with around 21 million members. It would be more aptly described today as an individual mobi ...
Headquarters, Munich (2012)
*Saint-Georges Centre, Geneva (2011)
*Zac Claude Bernard, Paris (2011)
*University Building, Potsdam (2011)
*Immanuel Church and Parish Centre, Cologne (2013)
*Offices for
Munich Re
Munich Re Group or Munich Reinsurance Company (german: Münchener Rück; Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft) is a German multinational insurance company based in Munich, Germany. It is one of the world's leading reinsurers. ERGO, a Muni ...
, Munich (2015)
*Kinetik, office building at Boulogne-Billancourt (2014)
*Ministry of Urban Development and the Environment, Hamburg (2013)
M9 Museum Venice-Mestre (2018)
*Experimenta, Heilbronn (2019)
*Berlin Metropolitan School, Berlin, 2020
* Luisenblock, Offices for the German Parliament, Berlin, 2021
*Headquarters for Médecins sans Frontières, Geneva, 2022
Exhibitions
* WYSIWYG, traveling exhibition, 1999
* Eyescape Soundscape,
Venice Biennale of Architecture
Venice Biennale of Architecture (in Italian
Mostra di Architettura di Venezia) is an international exhibition of architecture from nations around the world, held in Venice, Italy, every other year. It was held on even years until 2018, but 202 ...
, 2004
* 1234 – Die Architektur von Sauerbruch Hutton,
Pinakothek der Moderne
The Pinakothek der Moderne (, '' Pinakothek of the Modern'') is a modern art museum, situated in central Munich's ''Kunstareal''. Locals sometimes refer to it as the ''Dritte'' ("third") ''Pinakothek'' after the Old and New. It is one of the world' ...
, Munich, 2006
* How Soon Is Now, Galerie Judin, Berlin, 2014
* Oxymoron,
Venice Biennale of Architecture
Venice Biennale of Architecture (in Italian
Mostra di Architettura di Venezia) is an international exhibition of architecture from nations around the world, held in Venice, Italy, every other year. It was held on even years until 2018, but 202 ...
, 2018
* draw love build – l'architettura di sauerbruch hutton, Venice-Mestre, 2021
Bibliography
* Vera Gloor, Ulrike Kremeier (ed.): ''Sauerbruch Hutton, Projekte 1990–1996 Projects'' . Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel 1996,
* Matthias Sauerbruch, Louisa Hutton: gsw hauptverwaltung berlin – gsw headquarters berlin, Lars Müller Publishers, Baden 2000,
* Fernando Márquez Cecilia, Richard Levene (ed.): El Croquis No. 114(I) – Sauerbruch Hutton Architects – Against Type, El Croquis Editorial, Madrid 2003, ISSN 0212-5683
* Matthias Sauerbruch, Louisa Hutton: Sauerbruch Hutton Archive, Lars Müller Publishers, Zurich 2006,
* Monica Gili (ed.): 2G N.52 Sauerbruch Hutton, Editorial Gustavo Gili, Barcelona 2009, ISSN 1136-9647
* Nicolette Baumeister: ''Baukulturführer 48 – Museum Brandhorst, München.'' Koch, Schmidt u. Wilhelm 2010,
* Matthias Sauerbruch, Louisa Hutton: Sauerbruch Hutton – Colour in Architecture, Distanz Verlag, Berlin 2012,
* Matthias Sauerbruch, Louisa Hutton: Sauerbruch Hutton Archive 2, Lars Müller Publishers, Zurich 2016,
* Nicolette Baumeister: ''Baukulturführer 107 – Immanuelkirche, Köln.'' Koch, Schmidt u. Wilhelm 2016,
* Hachette Fascicoli (ed.): I Maestri dell'Architettura – Sauerbruch Hutton, Hachette Fascicoli s.r.l, Milan 2018, ISSN 2610-8542
* Dr. Sandra Hofmeister (ed.): Edition DETAIL – Sauerbruch Hutton, DETAIL, Munich 2019,
* Matthias Sauerbruch, Louisa Hutton (ed.): The Turn of the Century – A Reader about Architecture in Europe 1990–2020, Lars Müller Publishers, Zurich 2021,
References
External links
Harvard exhibition*
*"Louisa Hutton." ''Sauerbruch Hutton – Louisa Hutton'', https://www.sauerbruchhutton.de/en/person/louisa-hutton
*"Louisa Hutton: Artist: Royal Academy of Arts." ''Louisa Hutton , Artist , Royal Academy of Arts'', https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/name/louisa-hutton-ra
Books
Sauerbruch, Matthias, et al. ''Sauerbruch Hutton: Colour in Architecture''. Distanz, 2012{{Authority control
Architecture firms of Germany
Companies established in 1989
21st-century German architects