Architecture as Building Culture

From «Patron» to Collective Authorship 

In the first decades after its founding in 1951, a number of buildings were constructed with a design quality – and in some cases even an iconic character – that has endured to the present day. The architecture and the office culture were shaped by Martin H. Burckhardt, who was an outstanding figure as author and patron of the company. 

Today, almost 75 years later, the company’s philosophy has changed considerably. The focus now is on the idea of a community built on shared values and goals. This is reflected both in the company structure and in the project work: Burckhardt belongs to Burckhardt. Of the around 400 staff, a broad base of more than 60 employees holds shares in the company. Strategic decisions are made in committees such as the Partner Panel. The working method in the projects is collaborative, the architecture is created in collective authorship and guided by the aspiration to create buildings that respond to the specific context in each case and are structurally designed to remain adaptable for future developments.

Architectural Office or General Planner? 

The most incisive turn of events in Burckhardt’s history was the oil price crisis in the 1970s. One consequence of this was that the architectural office broadened its portfolio in order to become more independent of Basel’s chemical industry as a client. Construction management became more important than design and the company also took on numerous general planning mandates, which led to the company being renamed «Burckhardt+Partner Architekten und Generalplaner» in 1973. Subsequently, Burckhardt became better known for handling complex projects. For some years now, Burckhardt has been pursuing a transformation process with the specific aim of uniting both at a high level: the quality of the building culture in projects, some of which result from Burckhardt’s own developments; and the professional management of these projects in almost all typologies and scales. This also requires that all locations invest in design work, regularly take part in competitions, and cover almost all service phases. 

Architecture as Building Culture 

Martin H. Burckhardt used to emphasize the relevance of the societal dimension of architecture and the associated responsibility. This philosophy still characterizes Burckhardt today – with increased urgency in view of the immense challenges of climate change and the demographic trend towards aging populations. Part of Burckhardt’s approach is not to play off the design requirements and the various dimensions of sustainability against each other, but to understand them as equal aspects of a holistically planned building culture, whose primary obligation is to the people who live or work in it and to the public spaces.

Building Culture and Office Culture 

To be utterly consistent in practice, building culture and office culture must be considered together. It is not only the architecture as a visible result that counts, but also the question of the conditions under which it is created. Burckhardt aspires to create a good environment in which staff can make a contribution to building culture. This includes fair working conditions, the dismantling of hierarchies, respectful interaction with each other, interdisciplinary cooperation, but also individual freedom and the opportunity for personal development through further training or internal career opportunities. These are all founded on values and a strong sense of community.