Hilmer & Sattler und Albrecht

Since the publication of their first book in 2000, Hilmer & Sattler and Albrecht have expanded their architectural portfolio significantly. Despite this growth, the firm, with Thomas Albrecht as a partner since 1994, remains committed to its foundational approach. Their focus is not on inventing new styles but on exploring architectural memories and typologies through a dialectical lens. This is not about haphazardly combining historical or modern architectural elements; instead, they adhere to the principle that "a building is a building." Over time, they have refined their engagement with historical references in urban planning, building typologies, and details. Their projects in Potsdamer and Leipziger Platz, along with the Lenné-Dreieck developments like the Beisheim Center and Ritz-Carlton Hotel, reflect a closer connection to historical models. In contrast, their Munich projects, such as those on Karl-Scharnagl-Ring and Theresienhöhe, align more with Modernist formal language. The new residential buildings in Berlin and Munich cater to affluent clients while addressing urban development and design challenges. A standout project is the museum housing a reconstruction of the Gottorf Globe, located in the Baroque garden of Schloss Gottorf, which showcases a rich interplay of ideas from European architectural history, similar to the Picasso Museum in Münster.