BAU 2027: Speakers
DETAIL Forum Day on 12 January 2027 at BAU in Munich
German Otto Bodenbender is Chief Design Technology Officer at BIG, which he joined as BIM Manager in 2021. He has extensive experience in implementing and coordinating BIM and digital systems on large architectural projects in Argentina, South Africa, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, the USA and North Africa.
At BIG, he is responsible for the BIM strategy of projects such as Fuse Valley (178,000 m², Porto), EVE Music Hall (10,000 m², Croatia), Neom Branded Hotel (8,000 m², Oxagon Village), Indigo Hotel (16,000 m², Oxagon Village), Ellinikon Park Rise (28,700 m², Athens) and the Marina Masterplan (967,000 m², Angola) – from the early design stages through to construction.
Previously, he headed the BIM department at Boogertman + Partners in South Africa, where he led a large team that developed and implemented computational and BIM tools across the entire practice. He has been named one of the construction industry's "Top 40 under 40" worldwide.
German Otto Bodenbender holds an International Master in Advanced Computation and AI for Architecture (with distinction) from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) in Barcelona and a Master in Architecture (with distinction) from the Universidad Católica de Córdoba in Argentina.
At BIG, he is responsible for the BIM strategy of projects such as Fuse Valley (178,000 m², Porto), EVE Music Hall (10,000 m², Croatia), Neom Branded Hotel (8,000 m², Oxagon Village), Indigo Hotel (16,000 m², Oxagon Village), Ellinikon Park Rise (28,700 m², Athens) and the Marina Masterplan (967,000 m², Angola) – from the early design stages through to construction.
Previously, he headed the BIM department at Boogertman + Partners in South Africa, where he led a large team that developed and implemented computational and BIM tools across the entire practice. He has been named one of the construction industry's "Top 40 under 40" worldwide.
German Otto Bodenbender holds an International Master in Advanced Computation and AI for Architecture (with distinction) from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) in Barcelona and a Master in Architecture (with distinction) from the Universidad Católica de Córdoba in Argentina.
Architect Kasper Pilemand is Partner and Head of Projects at the internationally renowned Danish architecture practice Dorte Mandrup. He graduated from the Royal Danish Academy in 2001 and joined Dorte Mandrup three years later.
With extensive experience in complex building projects and sensitive environments, he specialises in transformation projects as well as cultural and public buildings that have a lasting impact on their local surroundings. He has led many of the practice's best-known projects, including the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre, the Wadden Sea Centre, the Crafts College, the Centre for Health and The Whale.
© Tuala Hjarnø
With extensive experience in complex building projects and sensitive environments, he specialises in transformation projects as well as cultural and public buildings that have a lasting impact on their local surroundings. He has led many of the practice's best-known projects, including the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre, the Wadden Sea Centre, the Crafts College, the Centre for Health and The Whale.
© Tuala Hjarnø
Moreau Kusunoki was founded in Paris in 2011 by Nicolas Moreau and Hiroko Kusunoki. The practice combines a shared passion for the Japanese sense of the infinitesimal with Western ideas of urbanism. Fundamental to its approach is preserving undefined space – a versatile in-between that future users can activate and make their own, and which secures the projects' relevance and value over time. Its best-known works include the Guggenheim Helsinki (2015), the Sciences Po campus in central Paris (2021), the Powerhouse Parramatta Museum in Sydney (2026) and the ongoing renovation of the Centre Pompidou in Paris (2024–2030).
Japanese architect Hiroko Kusunoki is co-founder and director of Moreau Kusunoki. In 2002 she earned an M.Arch/M.Eng. from the Shibaura Institute of Technology in Tokyo and an M.Arch (D.E.) from ENSA Paris-Belleville. She began her career at Shigeru Ban Architects in Tokyo. As co-director, she gives the projects conceptual clarity and poetic narratives – through the principle of the "in-between" and through hand drawing.
© Maris Mezulis
Japanese architect Hiroko Kusunoki is co-founder and director of Moreau Kusunoki. In 2002 she earned an M.Arch/M.Eng. from the Shibaura Institute of Technology in Tokyo and an M.Arch (D.E.) from ENSA Paris-Belleville. She began her career at Shigeru Ban Architects in Tokyo. As co-director, she gives the projects conceptual clarity and poetic narratives – through the principle of the "in-between" and through hand drawing.
© Maris Mezulis
Helga Blocksdorf graduated from the Berlin University of the Arts in 2001. From 2002 to 2007, she gained extensive experience in site management, detailed design and competitions at Staab Architekten in Berlin. From 2001 to 2013, she was a member of the artists' collective après-nous, which realised international exhibitions and installations in Copenhagen, Berlin and New York, among other cities.
From 2007 to 2012, she was visiting professor of construction design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and a research associate in Prof. Ute Frank's team at TU Berlin. In 2013, she founded the practice Helga Blocksdorf / Architektur in Berlin. In 2021, she was appointed professor and head of the Institute of Construction (IKON) at TU Braunschweig. In 2025, she completed her doctorate in the design-based doctoral programme (PEP) at TU Berlin.
© Helga Blocksdorf
From 2007 to 2012, she was visiting professor of construction design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and a research associate in Prof. Ute Frank's team at TU Berlin. In 2013, she founded the practice Helga Blocksdorf / Architektur in Berlin. In 2021, she was appointed professor and head of the Institute of Construction (IKON) at TU Braunschweig. In 2025, she completed her doctorate in the design-based doctoral programme (PEP) at TU Berlin.
© Helga Blocksdorf
Felix Hilgert, MSc ETH civil engineer, has worked in sustainable construction for many years. He studied civil engineering at the University of Innsbruck and ETH Zurich, where his master's thesis examined the potential of excavated material as a building material for the city of Zurich.
From 2017 to 2023 he worked at Boltshauser Architekten AG in Zurich, where he played a key role in innovative projects in circular construction and material recycling. Since 2018 he has also been a research associate at the Chair of Architecture and Regenerative Materials (Studio Boltshauser) at ETH Zurich, researching the use of natural building materials, especially earth.
In 2019 he founded LEHMAG AG, based in Brunnen, a construction company specialising in sustainable building with excavated material. Felix Hilgert is the author of numerous articles, a sought-after speaker on earth construction and author of the book «Bauen mit Stampflehm» (Building with Rammed Earth), published by DETAIL in 2025.
From 2017 to 2023 he worked at Boltshauser Architekten AG in Zurich, where he played a key role in innovative projects in circular construction and material recycling. Since 2018 he has also been a research associate at the Chair of Architecture and Regenerative Materials (Studio Boltshauser) at ETH Zurich, researching the use of natural building materials, especially earth.
In 2019 he founded LEHMAG AG, based in Brunnen, a construction company specialising in sustainable building with excavated material. Felix Hilgert is the author of numerous articles, a sought-after speaker on earth construction and author of the book «Bauen mit Stampflehm» (Building with Rammed Earth), published by DETAIL in 2025.
Jonathan Tuckey founded his practice in 2000. It specialises in historic renovations, sustainable interventions and combining contemporary design with the layers of built heritage – exploring how old and new can coexist and enhance one another. Today, Tuckey Design Studio is a team of 25 and internationally known for the radical transformation of existing buildings and for sustainable new builds.
Projects include the interiors of the King’s Cross Gasholders, the Michelberger Hotel in Berlin, the Trevarefabrikken hotel and cultural venue in Norway, the Wachthuus restaurant in Switzerland and the RIBA Award-winning Rammed Earth House in rural England. The practice works from studios in London and Switzerland.
© Jim Stephenson
Projects include the interiors of the King’s Cross Gasholders, the Michelberger Hotel in Berlin, the Trevarefabrikken hotel and cultural venue in Norway, the Wachthuus restaurant in Switzerland and the RIBA Award-winning Rammed Earth House in rural England. The practice works from studios in London and Switzerland.
© Jim Stephenson
Jeanette Kunsmann, author and architecture journalist, is Editor-in-Chief of Detail.
Her topics are architecture and building culture, design and art, the city and society. From 2013 to 2016, she was editor-in-chief of the daily BauNetz news and the weekly magazine Baunetzwoche. She then developed the cross-media magazine DEAR with Stephan Burkoff on behalf of Heinze GmbH, which she led as deputy editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2019. Her work has been published in ARCH+, AW Architektur & Wohnen, Baumeister, Domus, FAZ, FAS Reise, Häuser, IDEAT, Jovis, Mitte/Rand, Ruby Press, Stylepark and uncube magazine, among others; she is co-founder of the publishing house Mitte/Rand and holds an architecture diploma from Technische Universität Berlin, where she studied under Dieter Eckert. She lives and works in Berlin and Munich.
© Cyrill Matter
Her topics are architecture and building culture, design and art, the city and society. From 2013 to 2016, she was editor-in-chief of the daily BauNetz news and the weekly magazine Baunetzwoche. She then developed the cross-media magazine DEAR with Stephan Burkoff on behalf of Heinze GmbH, which she led as deputy editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2019. Her work has been published in ARCH+, AW Architektur & Wohnen, Baumeister, Domus, FAZ, FAS Reise, Häuser, IDEAT, Jovis, Mitte/Rand, Ruby Press, Stylepark and uncube magazine, among others; she is co-founder of the publishing house Mitte/Rand and holds an architecture diploma from Technische Universität Berlin, where she studied under Dieter Eckert. She lives and works in Berlin and Munich.
© Cyrill Matter
Get your ticket now
Join the DETAIL Forum Day on 12 January 2027 at BAU in Munich.