We investigate the intersection of vernacular craftsmanship, low-carbon structural systems, and contemporary residential typologies across Central Europe and the Alpine arc.
A single-family residence resting upon a sloping moraine landscape. Fabricated using prefabricated cross-laminated Bavarian spruce with untreated silver fir cladding that naturally patinates over time.
Transformation of a protected 1912 mechanical workshop into light-filled studios and creative workspaces. Preserved structural clinker masonry combined with exposed blackened steel mezzanines.
Designed to withstand heavy alpine snow loads and severe thermal swings. Built with charred Japanese Shou Sugi Ban larch exterior and raw rammed-earth fireplace core providing thermal mass.
An inward-focused perimeter block house organized around a tranquil moss and fern courtyard. Combines bush-hammered limestone aggregates with tactile Swiss stone pine joinery.
Every commission begins with a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). By substituting conventional concrete slabs with glulam beams and dowel-laminated timber (DLT), our envelopes store more biogenic carbon than they emit during construction.
We calibrate natural ventilation flows, summer shading depths, and diurnal thermal lag to reduce mechanical reliance. Buildings achieve comfortable year-round operative temperatures through passive physics rather than complex active machinery.
Architecture should mature with dignity. We favor unsealed mineral surfaces, untreated local woods, hammered stone, and patinating bronzes that gain texture and historical resonance with exposure to rain, frost, and sun.
Dipl.-Ing. Architekt BDA. Educated at Technical University Munich (TUM) and TU Delft. Prior to co-founding Kaufmann & Vance, Henrik spent seven years directing large-scale institutional projects in Zurich and Basel. Member of the Bavarian Chamber of Architects (ByAK Reg. 189422).
M.Arch ETH Zürich, SIA. Elena studied architecture at ETH Zurich and Harvard Graduate School of Design. She previously held senior design positions at Herzog & de Meuron. Visiting critic at EPFL Lausanne and author of numerous spatial monographs on Alpine construction.
We accept a limited number of private residential, cultural, and adaptive reuse commissions each calendar year. Please provide initial site parameters and scope for consideration.