The Baupiloten create an atmospheric architecture and embolden future users to take part in the conception of their constructed environment. Their architecture functions as a social catalyst and promotes spaces of communication. Spatial atmospheres are employed as a participatory design strategy. In that way the Baupiloten create a sensible architecture from both the ideas and desires of the user, as well as from visible and invisible qualities of the site; they not only design new spaces but also reanimate pre-existing ones. In doing so, they employ both classical building materials as well as ephemeral matters such as air, light, heat, and sound.
The Baupiloten are a group of architects and a design build studio in cooperation with the Technical University Berlin. In 2002 Susanne Hofmann AA Dipl. founded the studio to bridge between education, practice and research. The students are involved in all phases of the project’s design and construction, from the initial conceptualization and decision making process with clients to the realization of the (often) tight budget allowance. Thus the students are guaranteed to employ a wide range of interdisciplinary skills, thereby giving the individual projects a research oriented component.
