1992 – Today

2022

We celebrate our 30th birthday!

Together with our partners, friends and guests, we celebrated our company’s 30th anniversary on 29 September 2022 at the Sony-Center BahnTower and high above the rooftops of Berlin.

2022

EDGE East Side

The EDGE East Side Tower is the tallest project that we have planned with building information modelling (BIM) to date.

2021

KaDeWe

Modern, sculptural escalators in the historical department store.

In the process of implementing OMA’s master plan, the ground floor and the 6th floor of KaDeWe along with additional areas on various floors were renovated. The crowning feature of the renovation was the escalators arranged in a spiral formation that connect the ground floor with the sixth floor, with the escalators rotating by 90° across the various levels, thus creating spectacular views. The interior design of each floor was designed by a different designer, so that the shopper is immersed in a different world on every floor.

2021

IHK Berlin Business Welcome Center

Careful modernisation of the entrance hall using modern technology and experience from 20 years of use.

The lobby of the building, which is nicknamed the “Armadillo” and is an architectural icon of the late 1990s, has to suit a number of very different requirements. As a result, a much more in-depth modernization was required than had originally been requested in the call for bids. A new, central entrance with a central reception desk was created, the gallery was connected with a staircase, the café was moved over to the “sunny side” of the building, and modern glazing of the openings to the atria offer a unique view of the inner workings of the building.

2021

M&M’S Store

Sustainable store expansion to 3,000 m² as the flagship store is LEEDS- and DGNB-certified.

The colourful chocolate world of the well-known family-owned company from the US not only blends into the building ensemble on Kurfürstendamm and the cityscape itself thanks to the 12-meter-high light installation, which is cleverly positioned behind the classic façade – it was also designed with the careful and sustainable use of resources in mind during planning and construction.

2021

Desk Sharing

After the positive experiences during the pandemic, modern approaches to working such as desk sharing, working from home, and alternative workspaces are now formally taking shape.

As a team, we have always worked together in an open-plan space. Straightforward “across the desk” communication, supplemented by cloud technology, has allowed us to flexibly respond to the needs of both employees and projects. AUKETT + HEESE has been familiar with these new ways of working long before 2020. 

2020

Quartier 52° Nord

Residential building on the banks of the Dahme river.

The concept allows for flexibility in terms of the arrangement of the individual flats, the transparent design of the façades allow for unobstructed views.

2020

Lockdown

Within just a few days, the entire AUKETT + HEESE team was working from home.

Thanks to many years of working together closely with clients, including many in different time zones, and with technical planners since the first remote data transmission, state-of-the-art technology and cloud services were nothing new to us. For this reason, the transition to lockdown was an easy one for us. Computers were sent to employees via courier or taxi service, and we were up and running in just a few hours. The only challenge we faced was obtaining enough webcams and headsets.

2019

Umspannwerk Kreuzberg

The former generator hall of Umspannwerk Kreuzberg – a former electricity transformer station and a listed, Expressionist industrial building from the 1920s.

Converted into a creative and start-up campus, the building took on a new significance. A new mezzanine level suspended in the hall adds new usable volume, utilising the load-bearing capacity of the pre-existing gantry girders. Different working and communication areas were created across various levels. Different activities can take place simultaneously. An auditorium is designed for holding events.

2019

Kaufhaus Jandorf

First a department store, then the fashion institute of the GDR, then empty for 30 years. Now a home of research and development for the mobility of the future.

One of the few remaining department stores in Berlin from the early 20th century, the Kaufhaus Jandorf was renovated in accordance with historic preservation requirements and redesigned to create a modern office space for Mercedes.

2018

Zoom

An office building at a prominent location between Kurfürstendamm and Zoo Station in Berlin’s City West.

2018

Mercedes Platz

A new district for entertainment, restaurants, hotels and working.

A new city district was created in front of Mercedes Benz Arena that is grouped around a public square – the “Platz” – that is split into two sections. The front section, which faces the Spree river, is an urban square that works with elements that are typical of Berlin and offers a framework for two hotels with 350 rooms and an office building. Behind this square is a connected, multifunctional event square that can also be used for outdoor concerts, that is cooled by water fountains in the summer months, and that serves as the entrance to a cinema with 14 screens, a championship-sized bowling alley, and the Verti Music Hall, with space for 4,000 guests.

2018

The Fontenay

After the Hotel De Rome and the Waldorf Astoria, The Fontenay was a welcome continuation of our expertise in the luxury hospitality segment.

In particular, The Fontenay is characterised by the individualist spirit of a family-owned and -operated hotel that isn’t forced to comply with the norms and conventions of large hotel chains. Paying particular attention to the wishes of the clients was just as important as combining the expressive language of the building’s architecture with a welcoming atmosphere.

2017

Neugelb Digital Agency

Breathing new life into the “Kreuzberg mix” while carefully renovating a creative workshop.

Production areas in the rear building of a turn-of-the-century building complex was converted into modern office spaces in line with contemporary needs. Residential and retail in the front building, the rear building and courtyard are used for industry. High density, short distances, mixed use and urbanity: what is referred to in Berlin as the “Kreuzberg mix” is just as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. For this renovation project, we made sure to highlight the connection between the current usage and the former production areas. In close collaboration with the user, various innovative working areas and furniture were designed that facilitate and encourage modern working in this timeless environment.

2016

Siemens Archiv

The valuable treasures from more than 100 years of Siemens company history have found a fitting home at the company’s historical headquarters in Spandau.

Archives don’t have to be exiled to a dark basement somewhere. State-of-the-art warehouses and security technology combined with visually appealing interior design create an inspiring atmosphere for diving into the history of one of the world’s leading high-technology companies.

2015

The Westin Elbphilharmonie

Spend the night in a historic warehouse.

In the spectacular Elbphilharmonie concert hall, we demonstrated our knowledge of luxury hotels by providing the working drawings for the five-star The Westin Hotel. Many of the rooms offer thrilling views of the harbour and the city of Hamburg as well as all of the comforts that one would expect in a hotel of this calibre.

2013

Waldorf Astoria

Classic 5-star architecture around the corner from our offices.

Not only did we work together with renowned architects and designers to create a unique hotel for Berlin, but as a separate, independent project, we were solely responsible for the design of the award-winning Guerlain Spa (2012) on the 5th floor – a place of calm and relaxation in the lively heart of Berlin.

2013

20th anniversary

As the first guests in the Waldorf Astoria’s new ballroom, we welcomed more than 300 guests to celebrate our 20th anniversary with us.

2012

Siemens Eichensaal

For the 100th anniversary of Siemens’ famous administrative building, the Executive Board meeting room was restored to its original purpose.

Not only did we carefully restore the Eichensaal in accordance with historical preservation requirements, but we also created a modern interior design concept with state-of-the-art media and event technology. In this way, the room not only looks back on the company’s storied history but also forwards into the future.

2012

Boulevard Berlin

One of Berlin’s most beautiful shopping centres.

And one of its largest. Where the department stores Wertheim and Karstadt once stood, a new shopping centre was built on Schloßstraße in Berlin with a spacious, glass-roofed arcade above what was formerly a road between the two stores. The listed façade of the Wertheim building, which was covered before the renovation work, was integrated into the project, returning to the street a bit of its original identity.

2009

Spreedreieick

At this prestigious location, we not only created impressive office spaces for Ernst & Young, but also designed a modern conference centre to be housed on the top floor.

Despite the disagreements in terms of urban development that initially surrounded the project, an extraordinary office building was constructed north of Friedrichstraße station next to the landmark Tränenpalast departure hall. Our interior design incorporated the round shapes of the building, combining them with unusual materials.

2008

Revit and BIM are introduced

In building information modelling (BIM), traditional architectural drawings are a database query of a complete and complex digital representation of the building.

Since the founding of AUKETT + HEESE, we have always worked with the latest digital tools in order to make our ideas a reality. We started with digital modelling of buildings early on as part of a large project, and since then we have successfully completed more than 50 projects. As a general planner, holistic collaboration with all project stakeholders is important to us. Problems that we are able to identify early on in the digital model can be quickly and securely addressed and remedied. 

Read more about BIM

2006

Hotel de Rome

From the headquarters of Dresdner Bank to its use as the State Bank of the GDR to an interim use as a cultural centre after the fall of the Wall, the building has served many purposes over the years. And now, as a luxury hotel, it has surely taken its most elegant form.

Not only were we tasked with planning the entire Opern Carrée, but, moreover, we also took over the interior design for the Rocco Forte Hotel. As a result of this project, not only did we acquire valuable experience in the world of luxury hotels, but we also established a long-term working relationship with the client.

2005

General Electric

From commissioning and a field on the banks of the Isar to a complex research and development building in a record time of just 13 months.

Because the volume of steel profiles was not available in such a short time, we found a company in Belgium that normally builds oil rigs and was able to plasma-cut and weld the profiles out of steel sheets.

2004

Bloomberg

Bloomberg’s Berlin offices were built directly on Pariser Platz with a view of the Brandenburg Gate.

The concept that the news agency treats its employees as well as it treats its clients is reflected in the building’s interior architecture. Transparency played a key role in this project and, in addition to an ambitious spatial concept, the only other project requirement was a 1,000-litre salt-water aquarium.

2002

10th anniversary

The Club at Universal Music provided the perfect atmosphere for us to celebrate the first successful decade of the firm’s history.

With more than 200 guests celebrating at the night club next to the Oberbaumbrücke, the foundation was laid for us to celebrate all of our major anniversaries at one of our projects – whether already completed or still under construction.

2002

Universal Music

The listed building, located adjacent to the Oberbaumbrücke, was originally used for cold storage of perishable goods. Today, it houses six record labels under the roof of one of the largest media conglomerates.

The musical styles of the record labels are so different that a different interior design concept was implemented for each one. Together, the six labels – Classic Jazz, UM3, Urban Records, Motor Music, Polydor and Mercury – are (literally and metaphorically) supported by the services of publishing, sales, legal, and administrative, while management watches over everything from the 8th floor. Reception, a restaurant, a club and a daycare centre round out the musical centre on the banks of the Spree.

2001

Deutsche Bahn

Two of the Deutsche Bahn’s divisions are housed under one roof at the Attilastraße S-Bahn station.

The two L-shaped buildings are connected by a central entrance with a conference area, creating a coherent whole. The load-bearing element façade allows for column-free offices. The landscaping at the rear of the building offers space for rest, relaxation and conversation with colleagues on a 70-metre-long wooden platform. The gallery in the front of the building is open to the public.

2000

Procter & Gamble

20,000 m² of research, development and administration surrounding an atrium form a transparent, open building without fire compartments.

To facilitate innovative working, not only were labs and office spaces built directly next to one another, but the building is also home to an experimental assembly line and test centre. Even though a traffic survey identified the need for four elevators, only one was built. The idea behind this decision was to encourage employees to use stairs and bridges to navigate the building and come into contact with one another, rather than standing anonymously in elevators.

1998

Niketown

A modern retail concept as a “city” in the heart of Berlin’s City West.

To ensure that the clients would not have any doubts as to whether or not such a young firm could handle such a prestigious project, students were brought in to fill empty desks in the office when the clients came for a visit.

1996

Salutas Pharma

Research, development and production of pharmaceuticals are extremely demanding, complex tasks that posed new challenges for us.

We took on a project that was already underway, that was literally and metaphorically stuck in the sandy soil of Brandenburg, and brought it to a successful conclusion. And, among other things, this proved that we can not only design buildings, but also develop them into executable plans.

1995

Techno Terrain Teltow is completed

Our first building is completed after a short construction period.

It’s a wonderful feeling to have finished the first building, even though the key tenant cancelled the lease in the last minute and his moving trucks never actually arrived in Teltow.

1995

First digital data exchange

In order to manage a project that was “too large” for AUKETT + HEESE, we were able to work together with our parent firm, AB Heese in Munich – an architecture firm steeped in tradition – and to rely on Aukett’s international network.

Before the internet was commercially available, we exchanged documents and plans with London and Munich via phone lines and mailboxes. This allowed us to expand our team “digitally” at short notice as needed and also to exploit synergies within our network.

1993

Start of planning for Techno Terrain Teltow

We start planning our first “real” building project.

In the early 1990s, AUKETT + HEESE was already drawing up plans using AutoCAD. Among other things, this not only allowed us to rely on the expertise of the AUKETT network, but also on its manpower. As a result, we were able to plan a modern office building spanning 22,000 m² in a very short period of time, and to build it in just a few years.

1993

The office gets its first computers

The first computers move into the office at Budapester Street 43.

Initially, many drawings are still done by hand. The London office Aukett Plc supports AUKETT + HEESE in this area. Later, the first drawings will be done using AutoCAD DOS.

1992

Knorr Bremse

After the fall of the wall, the traditional brake manufacturer moves back to its historic company headquarters.

Careful refurbishment of the listed building to create impressive spaces and a company museum are a good start for AUKETT + HEESE, which is still a young firm.

1992

Dresden Airport

With the support of our colleagues in London, we develop an initial master plan for a business park at Dresden Airport.

1992

AUKETT + HEESE GmbH

AUKETT + HEESE GmbH (under incorporation) is entered into the commercial register.

1992

Moving in

We move into our offices in the Eden Haus in Berlin’s City West.