Six Quick Ones with Christopher Sitzler

Christopher Sitzler has been recognised as one of Germany’s most compelling emerging architects, repeatedly named to AD Magazine’s AD100 list of influential creatives. His work, including an award-winning residential project honoured with the Best of Interior Award 2025, reflects a precise yet expressive architectural language. Widely published, his projects stand for a confident rethinking of existing structures through material intelligence and spatial clarity.

Dear Christopher, thank you for taking a moment for this conversation. Let’s start at the core: how do you describe your approach to design?

When working with existing buildings, I aim to respect the original architectural idea and intervene only where it is truly necessary to adapt the structure to the contemporary needs of its new owners. I believe that careful restraint often leads to more meaningful results than radical transformation.

I care deeply about creating long-lasting architecture. I value materials that age well and possess a timeless quality, materials you can live with for decades without growing tired of them.

Architecture should reflect the people who inhabit it, but it must also respond to its context. I would use very different materials and finishes in a city like Berlin than I would for a seaside house or a city apartment in Milan. Context is never neutral; it is an essential part of the design.

043LEI is the renovation of his private residence.

Your dream house or apartment (or other item) to design? Or maybe you already did?

I have always been a big fan of repurposing buildings that were not originally intended for residential use. This kind of work is often far more complex than building from scratch and requires a different set of skills, but in my experience the results are usually more original. Historic structures often carry a sense of soul that is difficult to achieve in new buildings. Transforming a former factory or industrial structure would definitely be a dream project for me.

034SCH is an award-winning renovation of a split-level Altbau apartment in Berlin’s Schmiedehof.

Your current favorite restaurant (in Berlin or somewhere else in the world)?

I consider myself a foodie, although after many years of indulging in fine dining, I’ve grown a bit tired of it and now prefer simpler, more honest culinary concepts. A restaurant I truly enjoy is Bardele in Berlin.

Your favorite app?

A few months ago, Leica released a camera app that I like because it offers more manual control and comes closer to the experience of analog photography. I often use it when taking photos.

041BÖT is a minimalist penthouse in Berlin - Prenzlauer Berg.

Your favorite building in Europe?

Choosing a single favorite building is always difficult, especially for an architect, but like many of my colleagues, I’m a great admirer of Mies van der Rohe. David Chipperfield’s renovation of the Neue Nationalgalerie is, to me, remarkable.

Your one piece of furniture you take with you on every move?

More than a decade ago, when I met my husband, he gave me an old BRAUN record player designed by Dieter Rams in the late 1960s. It remains one of my most cherished objects.

Thank you, Christopher, for the conversation and for sharing your way of thinking. Your work adds a thoughtful and lasting layer to Berlin.