History

Helmut W. Joos founded an architecture studio in 1963, which currently employs a total staff of more than 150 in Frankfurt/Main, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Brunswick, Munich, Hamburg, Baden-Baden, Basel und Warsaw and commands an annual construction volume of around two billion euro. Apart from classical architecture, JSK Architekten supplies a wide variety of planning and consultancy services. These include urban planning concepts, general planning and consulting, implementing public-private partnerships, studies and assessments and planning for facility management.

Philosophy

Working philosophy at JSK Architekten still in many ways reflects the working style of the founder, Helmut W. Joos; a working style that has developed over the decades. We do not regard architecture as an end in itself, and especially not as a means of self-expression. Our aim is to combine function and design – not from a purely technical point of view, but taking all of the stakeholders’ interests into consideration. Each project begins with a simple question of how the building has to serve all those involved – the aims and intentions of the investors, the interests of the immediate neighbourhood, and especially, how the building can best meet the expectations of its future users. These are issues that can only be addressed in an open teamwork dialogue that gives all those involved an equal say in the matter. The great advantage to this approach is that it expands perspectives and increases variation in the solutions offered. Spontaneous ideas may have a long-term effect, such as the use of new technology in enhancing sustainability or integrating features local to the site.