Discover Germany, Issue 29, August 2015

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Issue 29 | August 2015

ARABELLA

STEINBACHER

ENCHANTING VIOLIN VIRTUOSO

PLUS THE GREAT COMPOSERS SWISS LAKESIDE SPLENDOUR ADVENTUROUS AUSTRIA FASHION, CULTURE, DESIGN & LIFESTYLE

T H E M AG A Z I N E P R O M OT I N G G E R M A N Y, S W I T Z E R L A N D & A U ST R I A

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Package arrangements availbale at tel. +49 511 12345-333

The Maschsee Lake Festival Brings a Touch of Maritime Flair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

Maschsee Lake Festival July 29 - August 16, 2015

Please scan here for further Hannover information in English

/en

/visithannover

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Discover Germany | Contents

Contents AUGUST 2015 COVER FEATURE 6

Arabella Steinbacher Meet the incredible Arabella Steinbacher, a master of the violin like no other, she conquers the heart of classic music lovers by storm and has just been nominated for a Gramophone Award.

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SPECIAL THEMES 71

Adventurous Austria A journey of dicovery for those who like to add a bit of excitement to their holiday.

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Photo: QUERKRAFT

REGULARS & COLUMNS 10

August is a great month to tour the beautiful Swiss lakes. Find out more and prepare to be wowed.

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Authentic and 100 per cent Austrian: From fine cheese to exqusitive products made of wood to cosmetics, there is a lot to discover.

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We present some of the finest places to stay and introduce you to their charming hosts. And hearty it gets with our German Food Heroes.

118 Successful start-ups Meet successful company founders and the great ideas behind their amazing ventures.

123 Coaching and consulting It is a booming industry with impressive growth rates. Read how the experts can enhance personal as well as corporate situations for a better future.

FEATURES 66

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Emmie Collinge takes us on a tour along the stunninge Swiss lakes.

Country resort of the month Enjoy the best of Mecklenburg-Pomerania in the historic manor house, where history comes alive and ultimate recreation is guaranteed in the Relais & Châteaux Gutshaus Stolpe.

The great composers

Enjoy the Swiss shores

Event location of the month The Hasenöhrl Hof in Upper Bavaria, near Munich, is a truly enchanted location for corporate or private events alike.

Music expert Helen Cullen treats us to a whistle-stop tour of the great musical maestros of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

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Wine & Dine

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Restaurant of the month

Culture Cities worth taking a trip to, a short journey through the world of classical music and a theme park of a different kind. Plus, our new kids corner is full of inspiration for parents.

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Attraction of the month At the Galileo Park in Germany’s Sauerland, people can explore science with their hands and mind.

Hotel of the month Germany Saxony’s Hotel Villa Sorgenfrei & Restaurant Atelier Sanssouci strike that fine balance between contemporary comfort, elevated country feeling and historic charm.

113 Made in Austria

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Fashion It is getting cooler, but don’t worry. We reveal how to enjoy your favourite summer clothes a little longer.

104 Great, green and organic Sustainability may be a buzzword, but the entrepreneurs on these pages are truly on the right path.

Design This month’s design section is bursting with exciting news. Fashion, home, jewellery, eyewear and Swiss design is what we focus on in August.

Swiss lakeside splendour

mosphere and a rich selection of wines in a stunning location.

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Business Our business pages are packed with more than ever this month with much to discover about the talented entrepreneurs of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Plus we present our top three Austrian architects.

108 Green business of the month The solar powered glass jars bearing the name SONNENGLAS™ are eco-friendly, truly sustainable and improve the quality of life of countless people in the heart of South Africa.

133 Culture calendar Save the date! Discover Germany’s culture calendar is your perfect guide to what not to miss in August.

137 Barbara Geier Our columnist Barbara Geier takes a closer look at the German way of flirting.

Swiss restaurant Zum Kaiser Franz offers charming professional staff, a heartfelt at-

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Dear Reader,

Discover Germany

Sales & Key Account Managers

Issue 29, August 2015

Emma Fabritius Nørregaard

Published 01.08.2014 ISSN 2051-7718

Welcome to the August issue of Discover Germany. This month’s cover star is a master of the violin. With her unparalleled style Arabella Steinbacher enchants her audiences across the globe. While currently touring through Asia, she has just been nominated for the Gramophone Award. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the charming artist.

Laura Hummer Antonietta Cutarelli Noura Draoui Stefan Cameron

Published by Scan Magazine Ltd.

Advertising info@discovergermany.com

Design & Print Liquid Graphic Ltd. Executive Editor Thomas Winther

Discover Germany is published by: SCAN GROUP Scan Magazine Ltd. 15B Bell Yard Mews Bermondsey Street London SE1 3TY United Kingdom

Creative Director Mads E. Petersen Editor Tina Awtani Art Director

Phone +44 (0)870 933 0423 info@discovergermany.com

Svetlana Slizova Feature Writer

For further information, please visit www.discovergermany.com

Nane Steinhoff Copy-Editor Isa Hemphrey Contributors Emmie Collinge

Summer is almost over and from a sportive perspective it was a fantastic one for Boris Becker. Exactly 30 years after his first and legendary triumph on the holy British lawn as a 17-year old kid, he won the trophy again. This time as a coach for Serbian Novak Djokovic, who played a nerve-jangling final against Roger Federer.

Of course we also would have liked the Swiss beau to win, but who knows? Maybe next year.

Fantastic is the right term to describe our new issue, which is bigger than ever. From the adventures of Austria to the stunning Swiss lakes we take you across the German speaking regions and present some of the finest places to aim for on your next trip.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Highlights include our design section, which is bursting with exciting news. In the culture corner you can read about the greatest composers of classical music and on our business pages you will find a lot of useful information about sustainability, entrepreneurship and the work of coaches and consultants. Colourful, diverse and entertaining, we have produced another great issue just for you.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the magazine!

Helen Cullen Elisabeth Doehne Jessica Holzhausen Julika Huether Sonja Irani

Tina Awtani

Gregor Kleinknecht Benedikt Meininger Dorina Reichholdt Marilena Stracke

© All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of Scan Magazine Ltd. This magazine contains advertorials/promotional articles

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SEB voted best Private Bank in German-speaking Europe Over 100 private banks were tested by Fuchsbriefe publishing house with IQF and risk analysis specialists Quanvest. Their conclusion in 2014 noted, “SEB Private Banking Luxembourg stands out in almost every category: in addition to brilliant advice, the competition cannot keep up in terms of either investment proposals or transparency.”

Our international network of private banking offices will look after all aspects of your family finances, from daily transactions to long term investments. Its services cover everything from tailored financial management, through to helping you to optimise the legal and tax structures within which your assets are held.

As one of the world’s strongest banks* and with more than 150 years of experience in private banking, we have just what it takes to ensure your future prosperity.

To find out what SEB can do for your personal wealth, contact us in London or Luxembourg: London Private Banking Team +44 (0) 20 7246 4225 privatebanking@seb.co.uk

Ulrich Graner +352 (0) 2623 2310 kontakt@sebgroup.lu

BEST PRIV

Gregor Neumann +352 (0) 2623 2881 kontakt@sebgroup.lu

A TE B ANK

BA LTIC COUNTRIES

*SEB is ranked 9th in the world according to Bloomberg report June 2014

Sweden • Norway • Denmark • Finland • Luxembourg • Switzerland • United Kingdom • Singapore • Estonia • Latvia • Lithuania

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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Arabella Steinbacher

Arabella Steinbacher An enchanting violin virtuoso German musician Arabella Steinbacher has become recognised as one of today’s leading violinists on the international concert scene. The 33-year old artist has made her passion her profession and has fascinated people from all over the world with her exceptional classical music creations.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF | PHOTOS: PETER RIGAUD

On stage, Arabella Steinbacher keeps her beautiful eyes closed to focus on the music, to free herself from all thoughts and sights that could distract her. With her gentle smile and her magical music she is sure to enchant audiences from all over the world.

When she enters the stage, she feels and lives the music and becomes one with the sounds of her Booth Stradivarius violin from 1716.To many she is one of the greatest violinists of our time.

As a daughter of professional musicians, her father a well-known German pianist at the Munich State Opera and her Japanese mother a talented singer, the Munichbased musician has been introduced to music practically from the cradle. At the young age of three, her parents put a little violin in her hands to keep her busy.“It was entirely normal to make music at my home. For us, music was always something like food and drink. It was simply always there and I never wanted to do anything else,” Arabella smiles. Learning to play by the Suzuki method, by listening and imitating, Arabella immediately fell in love with the violin and its extensive sound diversity. “You can get incredibly much out of one long tone and the timbre. The violin was and is simply the most natural way to make music for me.”

After Arabella became the youngest student of famous violinist Ana Chumachenko at the Munich Academy of Music at the age of nine, she has been unstoppable ever since. “Ana had a great combination of rigour and incredible warmth. She demanded much but was also like a mother.

She urged me not to enter the concert business too early as it didn’t have much to do with the actual music. She made sure that I built up a wide repertoire and learnt many pieces which still helps me today.”Playing her first big tours at 18, Arabella soon won many international prizes and awards, such as two ECHO Classic Awards or the highly esteemed Editors Choice Award from Gramophone Magazine.

At the right time at the right place A momentous moment for Arabella’s international career breakthrough was more or less a coincidence. In 2004, she stepped in on short notice for a very famous ailing colleague in Paris. Performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with Neville Marriner and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, she played her way into the hearts of many. “I already played international concerts at that time but this was special.

Many people sat in the concert who were able to help me later and enabled new contacts.” Since then, she has been on stage

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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Arabella Steinbacher

and a lot of social commitment. When the Tsunami hit Japan in 2011, the half-Japanese musician showed her solidarity in her own way. “I visited people in the emergency shelters and played for them. It was a really touching experience because I directly felt how music can give strength. Of course I can’t give anything back materialistically but music is able to help heal psychological trauma and gives a lot of comfort.” Putting special emphasis on similar projects and concerts, the 33-year-old now works as an ambassador for CARE and was part of a project by the Iraqi-KurdishYouth Orchestra where adolescents of both groups rehearsed and played music together.“These are the moments when you notice that music simply brings people together and overcomes divisions.”

with the likes of the London, Boston or Chicago symphony orchestras, has worked with conductors such as Sir Colin Davis or Charles Dutoit and has played in London’s Philharmonic or Dresden’s Staatskapelle.

Her diverse repertoire includes more than 30 violin concertos of the Classical and Romantic period, as well as Stravinsky or Hartmann. Having played many concerts in her career, Arabella also remembers some funny moments:“There was this one situation in Vienna’s Musikverein when I played the Violin Concerto by Korngold.The

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piece is really passionate and full of energy and at one moment I took a very big swing so that the wooden music stand flew across the orchestra. The Musikverein was sold out and everyone laughed. If something like this happens, it’s of course something the audience keeps talking about for a long time,”she laughs.

“Music can give strength and overcome divisions” Not only a remarkable musician, Arabella Steinbacher also impresses with a big heart

After having recently completed an Asia tour, travelled to Russia, the United States and England and after an album release in May, her schedule doesn’t calm down. On the contrary: Arabella Steinbacher has a flight to Japan booked and will play at a long list of festivals, such as the Rheingau Festival in August, throughout Europe this summer. “My life is pretty much planned through until 2017,”she says. While boarding planes to distant countries almost every day, she has found her own ways to relax.

“Keeping calm is especially hard on tour and when travelling.You have to find ways to come down and for me this is meditation, listening to jazz music and doing sport. It’s a good combination – the one for the mental wellbeing and the other for the physical balance.”

Despite being able to already look back on an impressive career, Arabella Steinbacher remains humble: "There are always new projects which I would like to make happen but I am incredibly happy and grateful how it is going right now and it is good to have dreams." One thing that she has definitely planned for the future is that she wants to intensify her charity projects.“I simply want to make a difference in people’s lives with my music.”

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LUNA 50

W W W.FEUERRING.CH

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Discover Germany | Design | Dedicated to Design

Dedicated to Design...

It is official, the 2015 winners of the Red Dot Design Award are announced. On 29 June, the global design scene came together in Essen to celebrate the best products of the year. We have picked a few of the fantastic contenders which scooped the prestigious trophy.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

Practical, eco friendly and easy on the eye are these Vöslauer 8x1 litre glass split-crate returnable beverage crates from Austria. Ergonomic design means that carrying heavy bottles from the supermarket is no longer a pain. Comes with Voeslauer mineral water. www.voeslauer.com The Swarovski Active Panel Back-lit Glass Panel covered with crystals is probably one of the hottest novelties for interior designers worldwide. Featuring approximately 200,000 crystals per square metre, the LED backlit panel certainly adds a bit of sparkle to a room. P.o.a. www.professional.swarovski.com

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The Slim Belt Lounge Chair by Austrian furniture maker Viteo is light, airy and very comfy to sit on. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use it is tuly stunning - designed by Wolfgang Pichler. P.o.a. www.viteo.com

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We love Swiss Victorinox for creating a great gadget for girls. The SwissCard Nailcare comprises classic Swiss Army Knife tools as well as a handy glass nail file. £16. www.victorinox.com

Another great tool for ladies is the new gift paper holder and cutter. The gift wrapping paper clip by Swiss Betty Bossi AG is a must-have for the upcoming Christmas season. £14. www.bettybossi.ch

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DISCOVER YOUR STYLE. www.padconcept.com

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Discover Germany | Design | Fashion Finds

Fashion Finds We have passed the peak of summer and while the occasional rain and thunder prepares us for the colder season, it is time to wave goodbye to our favourite summer clothes. But not so fast, because layering is the look to opt for in order to prolong the life of our beloved items. Simply add a knitted jacked to the summer dress, wrap a big scarf around a lofty outfit or wear leggings beneath a short skirt.

EDITOR’S PICKS | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Marc O'Polo is based in Stephanskirchen just south of Munich. The label is renowned for its great quality and premium casual style. Try this long and cosy waistcoat in an innovative fake fur knit material over a casual blouse and light culottes. Waistcoat £140, blouse £84, trousers £98

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Discover Germany | Design | Fashion Finds

Cute and elegant, this lovely little bag is just big enough to hold keys, lipstick and other essential items. Clutch by Peter Kaiser £119. www.albamoda.de

Shawls and scarves offer endless opportunities to spice up a look. Wrapped around the neck or hips they add a splash of colour to every outfit. Scarf £21. www.house-of-gerryweber.de

Watch all shades of cognac this winter.

The all time classic is experiencing a fashion revival.

Team with black or white to opt for classy office chic or wear with jeans for a more casual look.

Pumps by Peter Kaiser. £119. www.albamoda.de

A similar look by Marc O’Polo, but slightly sportier with top tie linen trousers. The look is extremely flattering as it stretches the silhouette. Waistcoat £200, blouse £84, trousers £98

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ning zip was a total novelty on the market.

Since then, the ZIP has been revamped many times over so that it still offers the fashion-conscious customer exactly those features she is looking for. In addition to her shoe range, Stefi Talman offers matching accessories, purses and handbags.“One of the most popular items is the CLAM purse,”states the design talent.“It has been on offer since 1998. The design has not been changed, but it is now available in many different colour variations.” When working, Talman loves creating contrasts with both colours and materials. “My favourite out of the special ZIP collection for autumn / winter 2015 / 2016 is the PIZ style, a buskin with a 65 millimetre stiletto heel,”she reveals.“It is made out of textile in the tweed look with trimmings at the heel and the top of the shoe. I like that kind of interaction between different materials and textures.”

Rediscovered gems When it comes to Talman’s new autumn / winter 2015 collection, many classics shine in new light.“The ZIP and PIZ styles will enter the market once more in a fresh design with coated checks – a reminiscence to the punk fashion,”discloses Talman. Playing on themes from the 1970s and 1980s, the colours of Talman’s newest shoes range

Colour up your winter Unusual designs, sustainable fashion and the highest quality of traditional handicraft: All that combined is Swiss designer Stefi Talman. Now, the Zurich shoe label presents its new autumn / winter collection and proves how easily her customers can brighten up the dark winter days.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: STEFI TALMAN

This winter, why not rebel a bit by taking out your punk pumps or changing the outfit of your stilettos to match the tweed look?

Stefi Talman’s extraordinary new leather goods collection has all that in store. The

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success story of Zurich-based shoemaker Stefi Talman started in the 1980s when she revolutionised the shoe fashion scene by inventing her unique ZIP style shoe. Back then, the buskin with the transverse run-

Portrait: Stefi Talman

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Discover Germany | Design | Stefi Talman

from hushed to bright shades. Chocolate and hazelnut brown, olive and dark green as well as petrol let the wearer blend into autumn smoothly. Bright red and ecru are looking to contrast with black and create strong characteristics. Moreover, as the Zurich local loves playing with patterns and textures, her new collection will feature such unusual designs as coated woollen fabrics that mirror the tweed look or ribbed stretch material representing the Manchester look. Snake prints in black-ecru as well as checked tartan patterns complete the wild material and design mix of the ZIP collection. These combinations allow the wearer the freedom to take out their handcrafted buskins to casual as well as chic occasions. As such, Stefi Talman’s designs are the perfect choice for every function. What’s more, the label’s metallic styles are bang on trend for the coming season: the pumps shining in red and anthracite will instantly add a hint of glamour to every outfit. Stefi Talman’s collection is made complete by a selection of handbags.

Armed with a combination of her handbags and shoes, booties or buskins, you are guaranteed to make a lasting impression.

Sustainable, yet elegant Stefi Talman shows that sustainability, elegance and exclusivity can smoothly blend

into one. To ensure that her goals concerning a fair and sustainable fashion production are met at all times,Talman has teamed up with a traditional manufacturer in Northern Italy. Her long-standing partner handcrafts the shoes in small series and therefore guarantees a sustainable production chain. Receiving quality work without having to compromise too much on the price is certainly something that sets the Swiss designer apart from others. Her ZIP and PIZ styles, for example, are part of the special ZIP collection – a more affordable sub-line of the main Stefi Talman collection.

“What makes me particularly proud is that even though the price pressure is increas-

ing, our standards of high quality work are continuing to remain the same,”she smiles.

In order to get the full picture on what is on offer in terms of her newest shoes, handbags and accessories collections, it is a special delight to visit Stefi Talman’s exclusive boutique shop on Oberdorfstrasse 13 in Zurich. “Due to globalisation, the high streets of all the cities worldwide look increasingly like each other,” criticises Talman, a current trend in her industry.“Thus, I would like to invite you to come to lovely Zurich and get inspired by the unique quality and style of my shop.” www.stefitalman.ch

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The sleep optimisers Munich-based company Third of Life is a true pioneer in optimising sleep for better performance during the day. Having developed innovative, functional sleepwear, bedding, pillows as well as nutritional supplements, Third of Life’s product range now helps many professional athletes, sports teams and private persons to improve their sleep quality and regeneration.

Main image: The new SUBRA collection for women Right: Third of Life Performance Pillow and their Sleep Optimiser BASIC Third of Life’s AVIOR collection The Beauty SleepLeggings ALHENA with anti-cellulite effect

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: THIRD OF LIFE GMBH

“The equation is relatively simple: better sleep – better regeneration – better performance during the day,” Hanno Deyle, one of the two founders of Third of Life, notes. And he’s right: many scientific studies prove that not sleeping well worsens our memory capacity and our decisionmaking capabilities by around 20 to 50 per cent. The economy even loses around 11 working days of productivity through bad sleep and its consequences.

Third of Life founders Hanno Deyle and Frieder Kuhn felt the effects of poor sleep

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on their own bodies on a four-week cycling tour from Malaga to Munich. 2,900 kilometres made them feel how lack of regeneration through bad sleep reduces performance. “Even though I had highly functional cycling clothes for the day, I slept in a t-shirt and boxer shorts in simple Spanish or French hotels. Because of this, I either woke up sweaty or the air con made me shiver, tensed my muscles or gave me a cold. I wasn’t able to sufficiently regenerate in my sleep and wasn’t steeled for the strains of the next day,” Deyle explains.

This experience showed the duo how important good sleep is for performance and the ability to cope with stress during the day. From this point on, the two friends have put their entire focus on developing products which improve sleeping quality and thus, nocturnal regeneration. “Before Third of Life, there wasn’t a single area of my life which I knew this little about and which I neglected so unconsciously even though it takes up a third of my life. I optimised every minute of my working- and private life but neglected my sleep.The potential and vehemence of sleep optimisa-

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Discover Germany | Design | Third of Life

movements and less injury or illness. However, if one thinks about how much companies invest in paying employees and how many important decisions these make, one quickly grasps how important this topic is for business and how many economic effects it has. That’s why we are sure that our products and coaching will soon reach the first human resources departments and management boards,”Deyle says.

With a network of experienced sleep experts, their SleepGuide ‘Sleep like a Pro’ and a wide range of products, Third of Life is a highly qualified partner for this topic.

They offer sleepwear, which impresses with ideal moisture and heat management, mobility through perfect tailoring and extremely high wearing comfort. The perfect moisture management is achieved through a combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns and through different function zones, such as a ventilation zone under the armpit. Performance bedding with a maximum of flexibility and moisture management, nutritional supplements for better sleep regeneration with creatine, amino acids, minerals and vitamins as well as special performance pillows are other products offered.“To optimise sleep, a well-coordinated system of sleeping equipment

around the body is needed. Thus, we don’t only develop sleepwear,”Kuhn says.

“Our product philosophy is to develop products which are based on scientific insights and which seamlessly integrate into everyday life,” Kuhn notes. He adds: “Seamlessly means that we know that clients might not necessarily get nine hours of sleep but we try to help them maximise the quality of their six hours of sleep - and with our sleep leggings we even make women fight against cellulite while sleeping.” Third of Life has taken an analytical approach with the development of their functional nightwear. The product concept was developed on the basis of motion and anatomy analysis and was then implemented in the product with the help of 3D-bodymapping. Customers especially appreciate the effect and haptics of the products. Highest wearing comfort through beechwood fibres, which is three times softer than cotton, is appreciated too, as well as the seamless knitting which improves the wearing comfort and the flexibility. www.third-of-life.com Below: Third of Life’s sleepwear comprises better moisture management than common products

tion with which I can positively influence my life, my performance and my health fascinates me. We see sleep and its improvement as the next big society and health topic after decades with a focus on sports and nutrition,”Kuhn says.

Today, Third of Life works alongside many professional athletes and sports teams, such as the 1. FC Koeln, but also seeks to point out the advantages of their products for businesspersons.“Even though 100 per cent of the mental regeneration and 70 per cent of the physical regeneration happens during sleep, professional athletes have just started to recognise the power of sleep on better performance, quicker learning of

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LLOYD sticks to its lasts Since 127 years, LLOYD is passionately creating high quality premium men’s shoes in Germany, winning over customers from over 60 countries who particularly value the fit of the shoes from Sulingen in Lower Saxony. LLOYD shoes bear one trademark, the internationally recognised red stripe. And the secret to LLOYD’s success? Its own last workshop.

TEXT: LLOYD | PHOTOS: LLOYD/JOACHIM VON RAMIN | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

Shoe lasts are the forms on which the shoes are made, and are subsequently removed at the end of the production process. As the foundation for every high quality shoe, they define the fit and are decisive when it comes to comfort and design. In a way, lasts can be seen as the ‘soul’ of the shoes, shaping the shoe’s life-long character. In classic shoemaking, lasts are made from wood types such as white beech and maple, which were stored for a long time. In modern shoe production, the wood has been swapped for synthetic lasts.To ensure these

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take the perfect form, LLOYD meticulously creates a prototype last by hand for every single shoe – and this with a production of 7,400 shoes per day.

Originally founded in Bremen as the H. F. Meyer Schuhfabrik, the premium shoe manufacturer is based in Lower Saxony’s Sulingen since 1942. As one of very few German shoe producers, LLOYD has the luxury of having its own prototype last workshop. In this room, flooded with natural light and more reminiscent of an

artist’s studio, Hanne Claussen works. A trained bespoke shoemaker, she explains the value of her work:“We have a very direct decision-making process at LLOYD and supervise every step of the shoe manufacturing process in-house. This is carried out in close cooperation with our colleagues – from the initial idea right through to the wooden prototype. The internal building of the lasts guarantees a high quality result for the fit of any LLOYD shoe. It’s the tiny intricacies that really make or break a shoe.”Intricacies, that she feels with the tips of her fingers and with a rare combination of craftsmanship, intuition and anatomic knowledge turns into forms.“The rear part is devoted to how the shoe sits, and the fashion is at the front – I devote equal attention to both these aspects. Feet are as unique as people; so a comfortable fit is always a personal thing. Our claim is to

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Discover Germany | Design | LLOYD

are housed in the treasure chest at LLOYD, which not only represent souvenirs of the company’s history, but they also serve as inspiration to Hanne Claussen. In many cases, she turns to former lasts and proceeds further step by step.

find a fit that presents optimal comfort to as many people as possible. I rely on my experience and instinct a lot of the time. I don’t believe any machine could ever replace that.”

Since 127 years, LLOYD denotes how premium shoes are manufactured, and pass their expertise through the generations.

Certain employees at LLOYD in Sulingen work there as the third generation of their families. Hundreds of prototypes of lasts

A specialised career that cannot be taught academically, Germany has just a few last modellers these days. It involves knowledge being passed on from generation to generation. As archaeologists discovered, even the Romans created sandals on lasts, and the necessary tools aren’t easy to come by.“This block for lasts has been here for decades longer than me, for example,”says Claussen with a wink, as she moves the file over the wood with an impressive delicacy. She uses her hands over and over again to check for any unevenness in the wood, barely visible to the human eye, measuring and comparing over and over.

She particularly appreciates the close and intensive collaboration with the shoe designers: “The final form of a shoe is the result of countless factors. Even just a few millimetres difference in the insole of a ladies’shoe marks a significant change in the last. The closer we work together on the design and the build of the last, the better the result.”It’s therefore no surprise that the last builder annually travels alongside the LLOYD design team to international metropolises on the hunt for inspiration.“If I see an unusual shaped shoe, then I immediately think of the last, not unlike a musician who sees s sheet music and immediately hears it playing.”

While the work begins in her head, it isn’t over until the final product is finished.“At LLOYD we

have employees with typical feet shapes, and the final quality control is carried out with them. If they say something’s not right, then I have to get to work like a criminal profiler.”All the time and money this entails, means the last building is anything but a‘luxury’for LLOYD. It is part of the secret as to why this German shoe manufacturer has continued to remain successful in a market that’s led by mass-produced Asian products. www.lloyd.de

Main image: As one of Germany’s very few shoe manufacturers, LLOYD has the luxury of having its own last workshop.

Left, from top: A combination of craftsmanship, intuition and anatomical expertise.

The lasts are created meticulously by touches of the fingers.

Constantly assessed and constantly felt to erase any irregularities.

Below: Since 1888, LLOYD has manufactured premium men’s shoes in Germany. The last is the soul of the shoes.

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Discover Germany | Design | Factotum

Bert An anti-stress ball with special form “My Bert – and I am free of stress”, is the idea behind this unique stress ball developed by an Italian comic artist. The flexible material and design makes him the perfect advertising medium for companies and a great gift for customers or longterm business relations.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: MEIN BERT

Bert comes in many forms and designs: Dressed in Lederhosen with a green hat he looks like a typical Bavarian, having Bayern-Berta as female companion. Berta of course wears a Dirndl. Professions or sports inspire many Bert figures: ski Bert and baseball Bert, fire fighter Bert and farmer Bert, builder Bert and chef Bert. Some figures are a bit more imaginative like Bert dressed as a Roman senator or super Bert – a fatter and more yellow counterpart to the muscular Superman everyone knows from television. In total there are more than 50 different Bert types.

Bert is about 90 millimetres high and weighs 34 grams. Made from a polyurethane foam he is soft and can be pressed together allowing those holding him to relieve stress and tension. After be-

20 | Issue 29 | August 2015

ing squeezed Bert always returns to his natural form.

When the manufacturer first introduced Bert there was only one model: a little man with a boiler suit and a screwdriver.

But in only a short time he gained everybody’s heart with his winning smile and relaxed exterior. This was the intention of Italian comic artist Massimo Indrio who designed Bert. The sales team soon started to search for a name and found one: Their colleague Bert Schmitz looked rather similar to Indrio’s first sketch and became name patron. The original Bert with his boiler suit is still available – in many different colours – but other Bert models have become quite a competition. EUwide utility patents today protect Bert’s unique design.

With his permanent smile and cheerful personality, Bert is an ideal advertising medium, not only because of the many different designs but also because Bert can be customised. When ordering 100 pieces or more customers can order an advertising print for example on Bert’s breast or belly.

This can be a slogan or a logo.

Other Bert products are currently being developed (like a soft toy Bert) or have already been brought to market like the key pendant Bert that, like his bigger brother, comes in different designs. www.mein-bert.de

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www.badeenten.de

Mehr als 300 Modelle, mit & ohne Werbeaufdruck Factotum Handelshaus GmbH An der Helling 32 55252 Mainz-Kastel Telefon: +49 (0)6134-284 203 Telefax: +49 (0)6134-284 204 E-Mail: info@badeenten.de

seit 1992 Spezialist f端r Werbeartikel

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Discover Germany | Design | Thomas Poganitsch & No Hats

Design which bursts boundaries Thomas Poganitsch design stands for simplicity, elegance, restraint and sobriety.

His creations show how forms can be simple but, at the same time, visually communicate various values. Entirely produced by hand in his small Vienna atelier, his products have a high recognition value.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF | PHOTOS: THOMAS POGANITSCH

Ceramic birds with a silk-matte surface, small concrete birds, birds with a silver or copper finish or coated in leaf gold – Thomas Poganitsch’s creations can simply be attached to indoor as well as outdoor walls with some nails. Water and weatherproof, the birds decorate, but can also be used as a wall hook, coat hanger or as a jewellery holder.

“What fascinates me in design is the poetry behind products and forms, the mood and emotion a product stands for, as well as the integrated communication of ideas and values,”Poganitsch explains. He adds:“The bird means something positive for me, something like upsurge, independ-

ence and outbreak. I think good design lives off values behind it and communicates something that is not visual.”

Completely handmade by himself in Austria, Poganitsch’s birds are simple but yet full of value. The restrained design of birds are a true eye-catcher on each wall.

Whether on wood, concrete or building walls, the birds merge with the surface and form impressive light and shadow games which change with different irradiations.

Poganitsch says:“Constant change as a sign of dynamics and freedom will leave every observer dreaming.” www.thomaspoganitsch.at

Sophisticated headwear for your urban routine From Brühl to the Hudson: ”Hidden Champion” Wolfram Kopka presents his casual and smart No Hats® for the first time in New York.

TEXT: THOMAS KLUGER | PHOTOS: KOPKA | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

For Wolfram Kopka, New York’s historic brickwork building ‘The Tunnel’, the stage for mid-September’s Tranoï Fashion Trade Show, is the ideal backdrop for his No Hats® collection.“Manhattan is young, urban and exciting, and the people are interesting and spontaneous!”says the 56-year-old entrepreneur from Brühl near Cologne, “which also applies to No Hats®.”

With the objective of creating ‘a truly smart product’, Kopka’s fashionable hat collection No Hats® can be crumpled and stretched, folded, shook and put back to rights; the wearer defines how it is worn.

Kopka’s ‘Aboût Accessories’ line consists of hats and scarves that ad-

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here to his no-frills motto.“No Hats® are certainly eye-catching, but they’re also casual so can be worn freely around New York, Tokyo, Paris, London, Milan, Hamburg and Munich. A wearer of No Hats®

doesn’t dress up, they simply dress better,” concludes Kopka.

Uncompromising in his material choices, No Hats® are exclusively made from 100 per cent beaver fur, which is particularly thick and fine.“In the 17th century, beaver fur was the nobility’s fur of choice.

Today everyone can benefit from the typically soft and casual quality of the material,” explains Kopka.

Produced in Europe, and entirely ‘Made in Germany’, the hats come in four sizes (S, M, L and XL), with colours ranging from black, charcoal, mid-grey, forest green and burgundy. A pocket travel protective bag rounds off the collection. “Wearers of No Hats® don’t need a large, cumbersome hatbox,” says Kopka. www.no-hats.com www.about-accessories.com

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Focus on

Home Design

Thirty years of serien.lighting In 2015 serien.lighting celebrates its 30th birthday. With 35 permanent employees, dealers throughout the world and a growing network of designers from Berlin to Tel Aviv, the company can quite rightly consider itself as a trendsetter in international lighting design.

PHOTOS: CHRISTOPH LISON I FARIDEH FOTOGRAFIE I INGMAR KURTH

Rather than resting on its laurels with its successful concept, the firm is a continuing trail blazer – all the while showing that in-

Portrait: Jean-Marc da Costa (left) and Manfred Wolf (right)

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novation and tradition are definitely not mutually contradictory. When Jean-Marc da Costa and Manfred Wolf first met as students, they could never have dreamed that they would one day illuminate a synagogue in the USA, design arguably the smallest LED wall luminaire of its kind on the market and win numerous design awards.

Status, Reflex, Basis, Quadrat and Lift – the names of the first series already say a great deal about the duo’s understanding of design. Puristic, pragmatic, almost sober.You can discern the influence of the Bauhaus

and De Stijl. An aesthetic that in times of postmodern pluralism and the highly ornamental design trends of the 1980s is downright provocative in its rationality and functionality. It was precisely with this that the two young designers impressed the design scene when they presented their series at the Cologne furniture store Martin Stoll parallel to the imm Cologne in 1985. Barely six months later, 30 CI furniture stores stocked serien.lighting and there were extensive articles on the young company to be found in the specialist press – it was their breakthrough.

Seeking innovation Today more than ever, the brand is defined by its powers of innovation. Each luminaire is characterised by its own special features, while the collection is unified by the uncompromising functional quality of the light. The design follows the innovation.

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Home Design

sustainability. serien.lighting has recognised the potential as well as the responsibility that comes with being a manufacturer of luminaires. The challenges of the future regarding light in all its aspects will continue to guide the company’s work in developing innovative, sustainable design solutions. To the next 30 years of serien.lighting! www.serien.com Main image: Reef Suspension Left: Annex Suspension & Zoom Below: Twin, Curling Suspension, Annex Ceiling & SML LED

For light is like perfume: really good when it has already served its purpose before people notice it. An almost-forgotten Belgian embroidery technique may serve as inspiration for new products or lightweight construction technologies used in filter technology, adapted in the design of REEF. Moreover, rapid developments in the illuminant sector pose both technical and formal challenges, which serien.lighting is happy to face. The firm most recently demonstrated the skilled symbiosis of highend technology and flawless design with three LED innovations and five collection models converted to LED technology.

Living the light!

'Living the Light!' The company’s claim sums up its fascination for and commitment to light. When developing its innovative models the firm allows itself the luxury of slowing down: Only when the perfect interplay of light, technology and design has been found and a luminaire developed to which nothing can be added and nothing taken away is it produced.The result: luminaires that have visibly been completely thought through. Formally not too heavy,

but not too transparent either, a serien.lighting luminaire finds its own place while accentuating light and open spaces. serien.lighting designs luminaires for people for whom form is more important than 'bling' and materiality more important than fashion. Personality and quality over streamlined mass-produced goods – serien.lighting is committed to this understanding of values, and that can be felt in all areas, be it in the product itself, service or trade-fair presentations.

2015 and beyond: New products – new world of lighting! serien.lighting in 2015: A company that has grown with its employees, its fans and its partners. A brand that repeatedly manages to remain loyal to its own traditional values and at the same time have a future-oriented mindset. This also includes seeing light as a whole. For light is becoming ever more relevant in a cultural and social context and defines our urban living space like barely any other phenomenon. The emotional impact of light inspires serien.lighting’s vision of innovative design as well as questions of

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The courage to transform mainstream design Australian-German designer padconcept creates multi-faceted home textiles which spark creativity and individuality. Their designs are for creative customers who wish to express their individuality with designs that stand out from mass production through being distinct and extraordinary.

TEXT: DORINA REICHHOLD | PHOTOS: PADCONCEPT

The secret behind the inspiring designs of padconcept GmbH is travelling the world. ”During our yearly journeys through Australia, Asia and Europe,” explains Michael Rossmann, creative head behind padconcept, “I find endless ideas and themes for new design which I always want to realise immediately.”Together with his Australian wife Sasha he founded the company in 2006, with the aspiration to create a modern, sustainable and distinctive home textile line which expresses the latest international zeitgeist.

Twice a year padconcept presents a seasonal line of cushions, pads, blankets, table linen and various textile accessory designs.

They work with materials which are popular in the fashion industry and are therefore soft, smooth, easy to clean and stylish at the same time. ”What makes our seasonal lines unique is that the colours and themes always have a reference to our pre-

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vious line, enabling the customers to supplement and combine their favourite items with fresh designs,” declares Rossmann proudly.

At the same time, padconcept puts emphasis on ecological and economical sustainability. They produce their items solely in Germany and Europe to guarantee the highest quality and to play its part in maintaining Europe’s economic stability. ”Our collections are rich in creativity and are multifaceted. Just like our customers,” states Rossmann.“We are happy to be able to design items which are open to interpretation.” padconcept’s success story is reflected in its world-wide customer base and its impressive international commercial operations. These include classical furniture stores and individualistic lifestyle boutiques as well as online retail.

The padconcept collection for autumn/winter 2015 focuses on the hippie and peace movement lifestyles of the ‘70s with their desire to slow things down and to focus on the essentials in life. The combination of different styles and contrasting patterns with strong yet harmonising colours, sparks creativity and invites customers to play with their own creativity and individuality. The result is a unique composition of courage, design, trend and popular mainstream, which transforms every interior design into a unique and extraordinary setting. All of which are inspired by the marvels of travelling the world. www.padconcept.com

Portrait: Michael Rossmann

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Beds handmade in Germany

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riposana.das bett

www.riposana.de

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PHILIPPI Unique designs for timeless living and giving Organic, significant, unpretentious and timeless – that is how PHILIPPI’s designs can be described in short. Designers working for PHILIPPI use metal, leather, glass and – since very recently – also wood. In short: durable and high quality materials bringing joy for a very long time without becoming out-dated.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: PHILIPPI

“Whenever I visited Hamburg, PHILIPPI’s original home base, I was always fascinated by the construction site of the Elbphilharmonie,“ says Danish designer Steve McGugan speaking about what inspired the design of the salt and pepper shakers called ELBHARMONIE.“The building’s design is simply beautiful and poetic. That is when the idea hit me to create a tribute to this wonderful example of architecture and PHILIPPI reacted enthusiastically to it.”The shakers themselves, observed individually, remind of a modern sculpture, but“arrange

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them together on their tray and they create a miniature excitingly similar to the Elbphilharmonie with its wavy roof top on the Elbe river’s shore.”

ELBHARMONIE is only one example for PHILIPPI’s uniquely designed pieces. It all began in 1992, when Hamburg born Jan Philippi opened his first retail store, always offering unique pieces correlated to his ideas of design, beauty and style: unostentatious, modern and with clear lines. One of his first designs became a bestseller until

today, the PACO letter opener, being sold about 100,000 times worldwide. While PHILIPPI soon had great success, the company always kept to its core values:“We are a small but excellent family led design company, driven by heart,”says Patrick Büchner, responsible for international sales and marketing.“This is also mirrored in our logo: It symbolises Jan Philippi’s signature as owner and our creative head.”

Versatile designers create great style Even though different aspiring designers are creating the various new products, PHILIPPI design has a recognition value, easily to be summarised in the timeless design.“We deliberately refrain from following short lived trends and always use high quality materials,”says owner Jan Philippi.

“It is also our contribution to using scarce

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Home Design

resources sustainably – in making products and design durable and long-lasting.”

The different designers working for PHILIPPI use metal, glass, leather or wood, materials speaking of quality and beauty at once.“These materials have a centuries long history in our culture,” says Philippi. In combination with the new shades of brown and grey the whole collection now offers more warmth. “And who does not like that?”

Today PHILIPPI is well known for its aesthetic gifts, travel accessories and products for living and dining. Although following classical design criteria, in the end all products should capture the heart – that of those buying them and as a gift for others, like the bookmark in shape of a donkey’s ear. This is Jan Philippi’s ideal.

Last but not least one needs to mention SPHERE, a coat rack not using hooks but spheres to hang a coat on. SPHERE is the result of a university project. Student Carolin Pertsch persuaded with her final project, her great idea to combine a coat rack with little storages for things kept in the coat’s pockets – keys, headsets and gloves for example. Two years later the idea was brought to market maturity and – to top it off – SPHERE earned its young designer two design awards.

PHILIPPI is proud of this honour, yet reverts again to its roots: creating unique and sustainable designs for timeless living and giving. www.PHILIPPI.com

From ticket clips to vases and coat racks To give a few more examples for the fascinating PHILIPPI design: ANGELO is an angel shaped parking ticket clip. Many have experienced it: Opening a car’s door the wind starts blowing and the thin sheet of paper flutters through the car – or even worse out of the opened door. So Eberhard Woike, normally working as dental technician, developed ANGELO combining the shape of a playing piece used for many board games and a heart thus creating an angel. Woike convinced Jan Philippi of his product, the silver magnetic angel not only secures tickets but also brings luck to every single car driver.

Main image: MOON vase Left: MOON vase SPHERE, coat rack ESELSOHR, bookmark GIORGIO, travel alarm clock DONATELLA, travel alarm clock Below: ELBHARMONIE, salt & pepper shakers ANGELO, parking ticket clip

The MOON vase shows how to combine form and function. Using only a handful of flowers the vase allows you to create a lush flower bouquet – as simple as that. It is a masterpiece, a highlight even when not adorned with flowers. Indeed, Christian von Ahn’s design is simple looking but hides a rather complex handiwork: Three pieces of metal kept under tension have to be welded. After that the vase has to be sealed against water on the inside and polished step by step on the outside.

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Home Design

Scandinavian high-quality knives for aspiring chefs A light wooden handle, a blackened blade, an edge that gleams like silver, sharp for precise cuts. Nordklinge knives unite tradition and modernity. They are made “the old way” using only two materials: a piece of wood for the handle and a steel blade ideal for chopping vegetables or cutting meat.

that ambitious hobby chefs might enjoy and approve of. It is the perfect kitchen tool. www.nordklinge.de

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: NORDKLINGE

shop Kubesch, who grinds the blade and sometimes sandblasts it to give the blade a matt, silvery-grey textured surface.

The Vankka Suuri knife for example is the proper tool for chopping, cleaning and cutting vegetables and herbs. It allows rather fine cuts and therefore filigree ornaments carved out of vegetables. On the other hand it has a wide blade that can be used to lift the cut vegetables directly from the chopping board into the pan. The Vankka Pieni has a slightly smaller blade and is an ideal utility knife.

With prices between € 163 and € 217 the knives are not on the cheap side, but they have a great and long-lasting quality

Margarete Steiff GmbH | Richard-Steiff-Straße 4 | 89537 Giengen/Brenz

The techniques Nordklinge uses today had already been popular during Roman times, but in Middle Europe it started its triumph only later, in the 18th century. Nordklinge relates to a craft that had been highly developed, especially in Germany, but was later lost. Nordklinge combines these traditions with new forms and with one model the blade’s shape orientates on Asian examples.

The knives come in two shapes, each in three different variations.“They are made in Finland by an award-winning cutler but parts are reworked in Germany,”says owner and founder Henrik Terschüren. He works together with a German cutler, the grinding

Top: Vankka Pieni Knife Above: Vankka Suuri original

Giant sized and cuddly

“For children only the best is good enough” www.steiff.com

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®

müller möbelwerkstätten

PLANE FELIX STARK

LUNO ANDREAS KRAMER

STAPELLIEGE ROLF HEIDE

BOXIT

SOLARA

KOii

HERTEL KLARHOEFER

ROLF HEIDE

SASCHA AKKERMANN

FLATMATE

KONNEX

FLAI

MICHAEL HILGERS

FLORIAN GROSS

KASCH KASCH

MÖBELMANUFAKTUR SEIT 1869. MADE IN GERMANY.

www.muellermoebel.de

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Focus on

Swiss Design

Let there be light - and there was light Architecture, interior design and light – Felice Dittli perceives deeply and has a firm grasp on the need for those elements to be interwoven to create optimal results.

Lamp and luminaire design as well as those classical realms of structure forging without and within are at the centre of his heartfelt profession. Educated in Basel, Dittli has made his way in the interdisciplinary field he ploughs. Abundant awards and scholarships make cogent the quality he now seeks to bestow on novices as he teaches where he was taught. Alongside he keeps working with the studios and ateliers he co-founded.

sual impression! If a visitor doesn’t like the images, he would not like my future work.

If so, the output of a cooperation would be dull.”His deeply artistic approach unremittingly wanders ahead like the wind: atten-

TEXT: BENEDIKT MEININGER | PHOTOS: DITTLIDESIGN

Born in Uri, one of the historical counties of the Swiss Confederacy, Felice Dittli got a sound education in his apprenticeship as an architectural draughtsman and his consecutive studies at the College for Design in Basel. At his alma mater he studied interior design, product design and construction design. Having graduated in 1986 he went on to be awarded national as well as international scholarships among which star re-

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sounding names like the Red Dot Design award and the Swiss Corporative Scholarship for Applied Arts.

“I don’t believe in online texts,”Dittli states, and looking at his homepages one must appreciate his strict sticking to his guns.

Barely a word is written there. However, images abound of past projects softly roll by and so Dittli goes on:“all I believe in is vi-

Portrait: Felice Dittli. Photo: Xenia

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Swiss Design

tive, present and creative whilst benevolent and careful. He does his conceptualising, he revealed, in his head putting the push of decades’ worth of experience to shove.

“With computer simulations the results are too imprecise and the planning is too complex and therefore too costly.” Respect for aplomb!

Yet, what does Dittli actually do? His selfassessment reads “interiordesign_product_light”. The onlooker might describe him as an all-encompassing designer of structures who permeates the disciplines.

“I am convinced that the reciprocal dependence of the single disciplines can amount to a greater output than the disciplines themselves when they are focused upon individually.”His method to achieve his greatest ends is profoundly romantic: Dittli turns to creative work “after a concise briefing and a thorough inspection of the site” living up to Wordsworth’s demand for great art to be the output of the overflow of feelings being thought about long and deeply.

Illustrating Dittli’s designs To exemplify what has just been described one may take a look at the Regent Lighting Center in Basel. Their corporate identity is embodied in Dittli’s ideas towards a corporate architecture. The building appears as a huge cubicle gleaming from the inside. On the very inside itself, however, the exterior walls are permeated by the outside light creating a blue shimmer day and night.

Floating in this blue ocean the visitor may run ashore on islands of pinpointing light spots defining spaces for the reception, platforms and assembly halls.

dour, light is needed. Since the clock-seller will at times shift his goods around the light concept must remain variable. Dittli thus came up with LED spots of 20 millimetres (0.79 inches) that could be shifted and adjusted freely and individually on demand thanks to a plug-in system with flexible supporting tubes to allow for the valuables to shine precisely yet without glaring.

and the space at hand. Prudent solutions for specific demands that at times yield pragmatic outcomes – this might be dittli_design encapsulated. And this is what Dittli teaches tomorrow’s circumspect architects/interior_designers/light_artists while he keeps working in abundant projects with the various studios he cofounded. Browse the below links and marvel at what he can do!

“Light is everything. Neither interior design nor architecture appears and appeals without light,” Dittli says. His light concepts and the luminaires he designs are steadfastly conceptualised towards the goal of thoughtfully working with the architectural structures that are given considering the immediate vicinity of the object to be illuminated as well as the surface textures

www.dittlidesign.ch

Main image: Basler Keller, Hotel Basel, Basel Top: Intercoiffeur albert-più, Luzern Above: Les Garçons de la Rue, Milano Below: RELUX, Light + Building, Frankfurt (left) Light ‘meteo’, Regent (right)

As a product designer Dittli has proven his valour with Oris Corner, a shop-in-shop concept for a clock manufacture in Hölstein. The guidelines for the object were to have it be recognisable and have precise high-quality results. The display case has been composed only of materials that are used in the displayed watches as well – glass and aluminum. Going ahead into Dittli’s third professional strand we can actually stick to Oris Corner. Of course, for the watches to sparkle in all their splen-

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A trained eye for clear lines and forms Sabine Hartl stands for exceptional Swiss architecture and room design. Alongside her architectural office’s dynamic team, she manages to create warm and philanthropic surroundings. While offering everything from initial design to implementation, their main emphasis is put on interior design and modernising existing building structures and spaces.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF | PHOTOS: FRANCESCA GIOVANELLI I ARCHITEKTUR + RAUMDESIGN, SABINE HARTL, BADEN

Based in Switzerland’s Baden, Sabine Hartl’s architectural office is sure to plan, design, as well as realise every customer’s desired home, business or shop since 1995.

What started off as a one-woman company, has grown to be an experienced, young team full of creative ideas. Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, it is no surprise that Sabine Hartl and her team have accumulated lots of expertise and varied skills while specialising in the areas of building redevelopment and interior design.

With high sensibility for a room’s details and exclusive choice of products, Sabine

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Hartl manages to create impressive ambiences. Clients are always included in the project concepts until these entirely fulfil their demands. “If wished, we also advise our clients on the selection of furniture,” Hartl explains. An expert in creating individual rooms with a personal character out of existing structures, the team works with the highest dedication possible.“We work alongside a network of selected builders or with photographers, copywriters or graphic designers for our corporate identity projects. Furthermore, we cooperate with acknowledged product designers to find exclusive furnishings,”Hartl notes.

Clear, simple and logical structures and concepts, as well as a timeless, convincing and momentous design vocabulary determine the architectural office’s interior design. Hartl says:“Each project is unique and individually tailor-made.”Hartl is fascinated with her current work for many reasons:“I love to uncover new living spaces and find the human relation to rooms fascinating.”

Because of this passion, many clients trust her – not only because her designs are clearly structured and an optimal project management process is guaranteed.

Turning old into new Renovating existing structures and adding life to them with interior design is Sabine Hartl’s specialty. An example is her interior construction and design in a new housing complex in Windisch. 50 lofts in a former spinning mill with generous floor plans and four-metre-high walls leave space for individual design possibilities.“We are sure to

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Swiss Design

plan customised loft interior designs from A to Z,” Hartl smiles. Putting special emphasis on the industrial structure of the building, the architectural office visually links the characteristic support elements, as well as the traditional wood-beamed ceiling with its modern ideas. The staircase is arranged in the room’s middle zone and is framed with vertical, black glazed wooden panels. In this area, a shower and toilet are located too. The concept of the wood panels refer to the loft’s spinning mill history and includes the metaphor of the taut threads of a weaving frame.

The renovation of the therapy room and reception of a physiotherapeutic practice in Baden shows that the office is also an expert in corporate interior design.The results are colourful rooms with pleasant light sources so that patients can holistically feel good and secure. Another prime example of their work is the renovation of a split-level house from 1987 in Huenenberg. Hartl and her team have adapted the house to its owner’s contemporary needs. A natural colour scheme brings about a cosy and modern ambience. The kitchen, which is creatively partitioned with a kitchen island, can now be found in an open dining room with new panoramic windows.This project shows Sabine Hartl’s emphasis on sustainability which determines her portfolio: the team has selected ecological and authentic

building materials, such as handmade marsh-limestone floors or clay plaster walls.

Local timbers, such as oak or chestnut wood, were also used.Through this, a modern and cosy ambience was created.

When a new family moved into a neobaroque villa from 1922 in Lenzburg, new spatial needs emerged. Now, the renovated attic offers space for additional rooms and the old kitchen on the ground floor turned into a library with deep red walls which lend the room a warm and stimulating character. The white marble fireplace was taken from the dining room into the lounge and was equipped with a suitable stucco frieze.

A new passion of Hartl and her team are projects in the tourism industry where they seek to revitalise hotels, restaurants or holiday apartments. The interior design of Bad Zurzach’s tavern ‘zum Schwert’ impresses

with a cosy colour concept and new oak tables and chairs. A stripy wallpaper on the tavern’s columns takes away their solid effect and the ceiling was painted in earth tones to fill the room with cosiness.The white chandelier and the ceramics pendant luminaires above the tables are true eye catchers and disperse a classy lighting mood. www.sabine-hartl.ch Main image: Renovation of the reception of a physiotherapeutic practice in Baden, Francesca Giovanelli Above: Neo-baroque villa from 1922 in Lenzburg, Architektur + Raumdesign, Sabine Hartl, Baden (left) The bathroom in the neo-baroque villa in Lenzburg, Architektur + Raumdesign, Sabine Hartl, Baden (right) Below: Loft’s living space in Windisch, Francesca Giovanelli (left) Split-level house in Hünenberg, Francesca Giovanelli (middle) Kitchen and dining room of the split-level house in Hünenberg, Francesca Giovanelli (right) Bottom: Bad Zurzach’s tavern ‘zum Schwert’, Architektur + Raumdesign, Sabine Hartl, Baden (middle & right)

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Karsten Schmidt-Hoensdorf Hospitality and branding are the proven strengths of Karsten Schmidt-Hoensdorf – IDA 14 in Zurich. A passionate advocate of sustainable, exciting and individual interior architecture for gastronomy and hotel businesses, he recognises their economic importance – after all, without hotels there’d be no international business and very little tourism!

TEXT: SUZANNE SCHWARZ | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

As an interior designer, architect, consultant and art director, Karsten SchmidtHoensdorf’s portfolio is impressive. He’s currently working on a project in Warsaw for the Orbium Group after stints in Zurich, Geneva, Luxembourg and Manila, before moving on to Geneva once more, then Frankfurt and Singapore. Amongst his long-standing clients are a host of national and international brands, including Electrolux Schweiz, Sony, the VZ-Vermögens Zentrum-Agenturen, Mövenpick, Swissôtels amongst others. Alongside being a member of the four-strong jury of architect@work Zurich, another focus of his work revolves around the conception of shop-in-shop projects and international trade fair stands, with a high recognition value as well as a flexible program. In addition, IDA14 design and consult on an array

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of projects within the fields of art and culture, refurbish residential homes and apartments, as well as Zurich’s retail concept store, The Chair, which can be found in the trendyViaduktbögen. At Neuchâtel’s international hotel management school, Schmidt-Hoensdorf leads workshops on the topic of ‘how to efficiently and professionally carry out renovation and design processes’.

His designs have huge appeal to the evergrowing segment of hotel guests whose careers are neither driven by wealth nor career aspirations, but are in fact led by their creative and intellectual competences.

In the search for inspiration and unconventionality, for adventures and experimentation, they thrive on environments that drive them, inspire them, and support

their creativity. Largely well travelled, they’re successful urbanites from the world of finance, media, fashion and marketing with a large income – and equally large demands on their environments. Predominantly travelling alone or in small groups, they head to exhibitions or meetings, weddings or other occasions, and always search for the ideal place to stay. This is where Schmidt- Hoensdorf enthrals them, as the distinctive and unique character of his projects unites with the high quality aesthetics and artistry that he employs.

Building in a metropolis Building in foreign cities sees SchmidtHoensdorf take complex, subtle, urban

Portrait: Karsten Schmidt-Hoensdorf.

Photo: Alessandra Bolzonello

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Swiss Design

modernity into consideration, such as during the renovation and new construction for Berlin’s first boutique hotel, the Mövenpick, housed in the protected former Siemens’ building. With its interior courtyards so typical of Berlin, the building had undergone various inconsistent conversions over the decades, and the former tax office was to be transformed into modern boutique hotel rooms, with a fittingly modern extension. The project is today considered a successful example of modern, urban hotel design and was awarded the inaugural Immobilien Award, a significant accolade granted by the City of Berlin and the broadsheet, Die Welt.

World-class with Swissness Key to Schmidt-Hoensdorf’s success is the concept of creating identity and making ‘Swissness’ livable within the competitive Swiss hotel scene. This is where Schmidt benefits from his vast experiences as the director of interior design for Swissôtels around the world. During his time as a consultant, he travelled across the globe to explain, and implement, the trademarks of the Swissôtel brand. As one of the very few interior designers with such an international presence, he’s learned first-hand and internalised exactly how international hotel brands function from within, including their attitude and needs. He is familiar with all of the hippest hotel interior designers in Europe, Asia and the USA and has seen the difficulties of bringing a message across in an office in London or Singapore. Schmidt-Hoensdorf has recognised that Swissness is an identity in itself and that international ‘Alpine Chic’ doesn’t cut it. As a basis for his worldwide coaching of investors and interior designers, he created for the Swissôtel-Group an innovative and still used design manual.

triguing details such as a television within a mirror opposite bed that covers the entire wall, a luxurious bath integrated into the bedroom, mosaics and his own vividly coloured wallpaper designs. The modern concepts within this notable hotel have been – and continue to be – celebrated by its international regulars.

However, Karsten Schmidt-Hoensdorf isn’t one to have reservations. “The Rössli, a small, three-star, family-run hotel is one of my personal favourites.The transformation from a 1* hotel to a 3* boutique hotel was an amazing challenge. At the City Garden in Zug, a thoroughly modern building located in a park at the edge of the forest, I employed bold colours and unconventional and artistic forms. In the small but globally well-known town of Zug, this hotel has been recognised by industry experts and given the title of world-class. Similarly, the Mövenpick in Berlin was a challenging project in every respect,”he explains.

www.ida14.ch

Opposite & bottom (right): Competition project for a 5-star lifestyle hotel in Basel. Room with lounge atmosphere, dressing table in bathroom, cosy leather daybed and bar in room.

Visualisation: Antje Sarris, Archificial, Zürich Top: Hotel Metropole, Genf. Signature room with tailor-made wallpaper and integrated bathroom (right). Junior-Suite (left).

Photos: Bruno Helbling, Zurich Above: Hotel room and restaurant with bar in Hotel City Garden, Zug. Photo: Urs Wyss, Zug Below: Hotel Mövenpick Berlin: design hotel implementation into listed building. Photos: Andrea Flake, Hamburg Bottom (left): Hotel Swissôtel, Zurich. Lavish lobby with sofas, seating islands, play tables, workstations etc. Creation and video installation with the topic “Living Switzerland“.

Photos: Bruno Helbling, Zurich

Renovation of existing buildings In Geneva’s historical hotel Métropole, Schmidt-Hoensdorf renovated all of the lake-facing rooms, which was a risky venture given the hotel’s many regular and returning visitors who have long valued the traditional hotel’s charm. For the new signature rooms, he developed colour-specific concepts for each floor, which incorporate warm wooden floors, transparency, and in-

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Main image: Compass Group (Switzerland) Inc, Kloten, Headquarters Switzerland Right, from top down: Astellas Pharma Inc, Wallisellen, Headquarters Switzerland Migros-Pensionfund, Schlieren, Switzerland Zühlke Engineering Inc, Schlieren, Headquarters Switzerland. Photos: Arnold Weihs

RBSGROUP

The culture of visual spaces RBS - Projekt Management (Schweiz) Ltd. is a creative yet experienced firm for visual communication, interior and workplace design, change management and project management. The Zurich-based bureau is dedicated to solving creative challenges with designing and optimising corporate workplaces and learning environments.

Headed by Niklaus Arn and Constanze Weihs, the multicultural team in Zurich designs and realises projects with the clear aim to improve the quality of knowledge management, dialogue and communication.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: RBS - PROJEKT MANAGEMENT (SCHWEIZ) LTD

Founded in Zurich in 2002, RBS - Projekt Management (Schweiz) Ltd. is an international planning and consulting firm and specialises in visual communication, interior and workplace design, change management, move management and project management. The Zurich-based bureau, part of the RBSGROUP with network partners throughout Europe, is dedicated to solving challenges in corporate workplaces and learning environments through a creative and holistic approach.

Experts for visual culture RBS - Projekt Management (Schweiz) Ltd. is in the business of designing purposeful spaces for people. Their consultants are experts in visual culture, embracing the credo that people and spaces should communi-

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cate ideas through design-oriented, modern and innovative interiors. “Open spaces for open minds,” is the firm’s philosophy.

Designing your dialogue Combining a plethora of design skills, professional expertise, industry knowledge and a holistic work philosophy, the firm curates and creates identities around their client’s individual needs. In practical terms, RBSGROUP’s cross-disciplinary team of 15 staff members specialise in communication and change management, interior architecture and design, move management and project management. RBSGROUP takes pride in accompanying their clients from the preliminary planning phase to realisation and implementation.

Together with partner firms in Munich, Milan and Wiesbaden, the Zurich branch of RBSGROUP has a diverse range of clients and projects across all business sectors.

They are passionate about their work and enjoy liaising with clients helping them to bring together their thoughts, ideas, visions and goals into built solutions. www.rbsgroup.eu

Portraits: Constanze Weihs, Chief Operating Officer RBS Projekt Management (Schweiz) GmbH (left) & Niklaus Arn, Managing Director Partner RBS Projekt Management (Schweiz) GmbH (right)

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Swiss Design

Design with substance Authenticity, simplicity and reliability are the foundations of Pibiri & Reich’s creative design work. The Swiss friends Luca Pibiri and Moritz Reich strongly belief in cooperating with experts from various areas to develop holistically convincing solutions.

The spectrum of their projects range from corporate to product development.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF | PHOTOS: PIBIRI & REICH

“Pibiri & Reich really is a project we created out of necessity,“ Luca Pibiri laughs. He adds: “After university, several freelance jobs and internships, both of us knew what we wanted to do but there simply weren’t any vacancies in the intersection of corporate development, marketing and of course design. That’s why we decided to found our own company.“The duo combines expertise in business administration, industrial design, marketing, advertising and also design management.“We use design methods in business and embed business strategies in design,“ Moritz Reich notes.

Of course they‘re not the only ones combining these fields, but what makes them stand out in the big pool of design agencies is their openness for cooperation. Reich says: “We closely cooperate with experts from various other disciplines and form tailored project teams - also with other designers.“ Besides working for other companies, the team has recently launched their first bath-

room furniture collection ‘Acqua&Sapone‘.

The wooden pieces produced in Switzerland merge the latest manufacturing technologies with traditional carpenter craftsmanship. ‘Acqua&Sapone‘ puts personal needs and objects into the centre of things. It’s simple and honest – just like water and soap.The collection, available in nut and cherry wood, comprises of a stool, bench and an open display shelf. The items invite for spontaneous use and combine high-quality materials with extensive attention to detail.

roundings with our products,“ Reich smiles.

Pibiri adds:“The way we work is not based on specific formal aesthetics. We follow a project-related route and hope this will be recognisable one day. Our works aren‘t showmanship but are instead simple and obvious.They‘re about subtle dealings with humans, their needs and stories.“ www.pibiri-reich.com Above: Acqua&Sapone collection with accessories Portrait: Pibiri & Reich founders Luca Pibiri (left) and Moritz Reich (right)

Due to its classic design language, the collection also fits in the living room, bedroom or the dressing room. The furniture collection is rounded off with an accessory collection made by local producers which put special emphasis on handicraft.

Whether one seeks a porcelain tin with a cork lid or a wooden bowl, Pibiri & Reich is sure to offer the finest Swiss handicraft.

“We seek to contribute to atmospheric sur-

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Wer auf Qualität achtet, der setzt die richtigen Prioritäten.

Und wer etwas Besonderes sein Eigen nennen will, ist mit Gartenmöbeln der Schaffner AG jederzeit gut bedient. schaffner-ag.ch

Spaghettistuhl Säntis in diversen Farben, im April 2015 von Karine & Oliver originell festgehalten.

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Focus on

Exclusive Eyewear

One of a kind: Spectacles with your history Can’t find the right glasses? Just create your own! Manufacturer Jörn Dackow will handcraft the spectacles that you always wanted. To make it extra special, you can even add on the family jewels.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: JÖRN DACKOW/HORST-PETER TRAUB

“We only sell in-house developed, handmade spectacles – straight from the manufacturer’s workshop,” explains Dackow, founder of Manufakturbrille and the German guild of spectacles manufacturers.

“Our slogan is: your style, your design, your unique specimen. We develop our spectacles based on the English‘bespoke’tradition according to our customer’s unique requests and measurements.This even makes sizes such as xxl or xxs a possibility.”

Dackow’s customers can choose from a vast range of materials including synthetics, wood, natural horn, stone, mammoth ivory, nacre, gold or silver. Alternatively, they can bring their own materials to be processed.

“The assignments I enjoy most are spectacles that the customers share a personal history with,”reveals Dackow.“For example if they request family jewels to be incorpo-

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rated into the spectacles. Personally, I like glasses that are made from antique things.

My own glasses have a frame temple from a 100-year-old foot rule.”

After 13 years as branch manager within the ophthalmic opticians industry, the fan of British tea and traditional British labels such as John Lobb wanted to find something completely new connected to his passion for craftsmanship. Opening hours of Manufakturbrille are by appointment-only, thus ensuring that the manufacturer can take the necessary time and tranquility for the eye examination and consultation. In addition, the antique workshop is situated in a 270-year-old farmhouse in the countryside north of Hamburg. Plus, in 2011, Dackow undertook a 'pilgrimage' to all the places related to 700 years of spectacles history.

Top: Silver setting with natural horn Above: Setting made of vintage silver

After several features in books and on TV channel NDR, news of Dackow’s unusual business idea soon travelled further than Northern Germany.“I now get many customers that come from further afield, for example Berlin, Dortmund or Switzerland,” he says before adding yet another significant business advantage. “Instead of the usual two years, I offer a five year warranty plus home and office visits. Repairs are free.” www.manufakturbrille.de

Portrait: Jörn Dackow with his teacher Hans Schnelle

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Exclusive Eyewear

Technique, lightness and creativity Thomas Akiyama’s spectacle frame company makellos.Potsdam is emblematic of quality, comfort and timeless design. Based in beautiful Potsdam, Akiyama has created a collection with a unique Japanese-German identity.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: MAKELLOS.POTSDAM

Raised between Germany and Japan, Thomas Akiyama feels equally at home in both countries. Since 2008, Akiyama has been the managing director of the Japanese company Aoyama Optical Germany (AOG). He purchased all shares in 2014.

During that year, Akiyama and his partner Britta Born founded a new spectacle frame company and named it makellos.Potsdam, the German word for flawless. Akiyama explains the difference between the two companies: “While AOG still follows the philosophy of founder Kiyohiko Aoyama, makellos is a project with a German-Japanese identity, where my personal vision of branding and design plays a major role.

The main focus of AOG is the cooperation with licensed brands such as Gerry Weber, Shiseido and S.T. Dupont.”

Makellos.Potsdam follows the art of reducing design elements to essentials. The design is puristic without superfluous features. This approach is time consuming and

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challenging but the resulting product is a timeless statement. Finest materials, such as titanium from Japan or acetate from Italy, are put together with precision. Akiyama uses his knowledge of the different countries to get the best from each one. Looking to the future, Akiyama reflects:“We want to firmly establish makellos.Potsdam in Germany and in the long run expand to the international market.This October we are going to introduce a special collection at the IOFT in Tokyo.The collection is dedicated to my grandfather and is hence called grandson collection. The Japanese market is very close to my heart and at the same time presents a real challenge.”

Exactly 100 years before Akiyama signed his contract with Aoyama in Sabae (Fukui), his grandfather left that very same town for Berlin. He found work as a chef in the famous Hotel Adlon and later at the Ritz in Paris. Akiyama’s grandfather was called back to be the head chef to the emperor

and became known for bringing Western cuisine to Japan. Thomas Akiyama is equipped with his grandfather’s ambition, so it should come as no surprise that he is successfully leading his companies.

When asked if there is anything he is particularly proud of, Akiyama remains humble:“We are not proud but grateful for the long-standing trust and loyalty of our many customers.” www.makellos-potsdam.de www.aoyama-optical.de

Main image: makellos.airbrush. Photo: Rolf Bügler From top down: Acetate model with titanium pads ‘Friedrich Wilhelm’ sunglasses limited edition - counterpart to ‘Luise’ ‘Luise’ sunglasses limited edition of 100 worldwide Portrait: Thomas Akiyama at the Dutch Quarter, Potsdam.

Photo: Silke Sage

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Exclusive Eyewear

colour, pattern or simply the effect of a certain model. We try to offer a variety of different designs which are timeless and yet unique. After all, glasses are more than a mere optical aid. Our glasses are a valuable accessory to accentuate one’s individual personality or a certain look.” Numerous patents prove their high quality and functionality.

With its extensive attention to detail and the constantly surprising and versatile designs, frost eyewear is something special and unconventional. Especially in times of mass production, this is important for many. Their models – all also available as sunglasses - are timeless and an anchor in our fast-paced world. Due to its exceptionalism, frost eyewear can be seen as key accessory at Berlin’s Fashion Week which reflects the strong focus of frost in the fashion sector. www.pm-frost.de/de/index.php www.facebook.com/frosteyewear

The freedom to reinvent oneself Glasses from frost eyewear are everything but normal: cosmopolitan, extroverted, optimistic and above all fashion trends. The unique design of each pair of glasses is a statement of one’s very individual personality. Creating significantly timeless design in our fast-paced world, frost impresses with its profound colour- and shape variety.

Top: Model NIXE made out of acetate.

Photo: Claudia Wycisk. Make-Up: Carola Hickl (left) Model IKONE made out of metal.

Photo: Claudia Wycisk. Make-Up: Carola Hickl (right) Below: Designer Marion Frost. Photo: PM Frost

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: PM FROST I CLAUDIA WYCISK

Trained goldsmith Marion Frost and her husband Paris Frost created their own label in 1996. When Paris was unable to find fashionable glasses 20 years ago, Marion herself designed a pair for her husband and thus, the idea of creating an unique glasses collection was born. Since then, the couple has transformed frost into an international success. While the design and production entirely takes place in Germany’s Sasbach, the collections have found their way into shops in over 40 countries. However, the internationally well-established label is kept down-to-earth and is perceptible as an authentic brand. A great bond with the Black Forest is a substantial part of frost’s brand identity.

Designer Marion Frost impresses with her striving for uniqueness. The results are glitzy, eye-catching glasses far off from conformity. Unexpected details and uncommon materials are combined with technical innovation. Her designs are precise and static but yet dynamic and functional.Three collections of expressive and often extravagant acetate- and metal frames were designed for women and men from 30 years onwards. Exclusively handmade in the Black Forest, most modern technologies, such as 3D printing or plasma coating are used for the precise production process.

“Our glasses reflect 20 years of craftsmanship,” Marion Frost notes. “People fall in love with our glasses because of its form,

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Focus on

Fine Jewellery Above: ‘Twin’ bracelet ‘Tau’ necklace

Glow more with less Jewellery designer Eva Strepp explains why it only takes a bit of steel cable and a graceful pearl to let every woman shine in a new light.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: EVA STREPP

“External proportions, a loud design or technical gimmicks were never my thing,” says Strepp, recalling her days as a student at the Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences School of Design.“What really fascinated me was a reduction to simplicity.

That’s why my pieces are not subject to seasonal trends, but reflect a timeless beauty.”

Transparency, tranquillity and concentration are the priorities the trained goldsmith have stuck with ever since. Now living in the middle of nature with her husband and young daughter, the Pforzheim local finds a great deal of inspiration for her work by

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just stepping outside. Just like in her student days, first draws are usually reduced to the bare essentials. The aim is to find simple forms without all the unnecessary addons.“My jewellery should feel comfortable to wear as well as please and beautify the wearer in a charming, yet unobtrusive way,” says the talented designer. “Even though my pieces are low key and stay discreetly in the background, they create subtle highlights that let every woman shine – in daily life as well as at special occasions.”

Her main materials are freshwater and Tahiti culture pearls of the highest quality.

‘Swing’ earrings

These are interwoven with 750 gold and sterling silver as well as simple, yet elegant steel cables. Pearls first occurred when the jewellery artist was looking to create the ideal birthday gift for her mother ten years ago. Up until today, the simple collier ‘pearls’, which was the very first piece of her collection, remains Strepp’s favourite.

This basic, yet effective idea of jewellery wearing has picked up fast by women around the globe. Already serving established jeweller and gallery partners in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, England and Switzerland, the business contacts of Eva Strepp reach as far as the US, Canada and China. To meet the increasing demand, the businesses website is currently re-designed and an English version is due to be launched in autumn. www.evastrepp.de

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Fine Jewellery

Main image: New ‘Blütezeit’ collection Below: Theme: ‘Alpenblick’ Theme: Wedding rings

EHINGER SCHWARZ 1876’s three current collections impress with diversity and varying themes. Graceful today, eccentric tomorrow? Collection ‘Charlotte’ makes it possible. With its unique plug system, one can easily become a designer. One can already participate in designing their favourite piece before the jewellery can be individualised and combined from a wide range of fine, singular modules for each special moment, mood or occasion.The collection‘Nature & Design’ comprises beautifully abstract motifs. The unique interpretation of nature has created beautiful necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings in form of leaves or gingko.“They invite the beholder for strolls, exude a natural confidence and reflect the high expectations of our craftsmanship,”Dr. Weiss adds. The third collection ‘Love’ creates alluring engagement and wedding rings which can also be highly individualised.

Soul enchanting jewellery since 1876 EHINGER SCHWARZ 1876, a family-operated manufacturer of jewellery situated in Ulm, has created exceptionally creative creations of the highest quality since 1876. Three beautiful collections translate nature’s originality into modern design language with fundamental shapes and colours, textures and temperaments.

Dr. Weiss concludes:“Only when a woman wears our jewellery, she brings it to life and bestows it its soul.”EHINGER SCHWARZ 1867’s designs are globally available at selected jewelers, as well as in their own stores and galleries. From attractively priced items suitable for a spontaneous purchase to high-end wedding rings – EHINGER SCHWARZ 1867 is sure to offer only the best quality.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: EHINGER-SCHWARZ GMBH & CO. KG

www.ehinger-schwarz.de

Four small circles in the shape of an abstracted flower, which symbolises EHINGER SCHWARZ 1876’s love for nature, clarity and quality, are the company’s symbol.“With its unmatched aesthetics, its endless versatility and perfection, nature is our biggest source of inspiration,” Dr. Christoph Weiss, manager of EHINGER SCHWARZ 1876, explains.Thus, nature immediately comes to mind when admiring the manufactured pieces. Rings that look like corals or remind one of a solar eclipse are just a few examples.

Chief designer Timo Küchler manages to create versatile desirable jewellery, which becomes a statement of the wearer’s individuality and independence.“We constantly follow the zeitgeist with our independent design language. Thus, our collections are innovative, filigree and light,” Dr. Weiss notes. Entirely designed and created in EHINGER SCHWARZ 1876’s atelier in Ulm, solely high-quality materials, such as diamonds or gold, are used. Only the manufacturing process is outsourced to a handful of selected producers.

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Fine Jewellery

the 1970s he made his passion a profession by enrolling at the renowned Pforzheim University of Applied Arts.“After receiving my designer diploma, I started to develop my own collection straight away,” he remembers. Aside from his favourite artist Marcel Duchamp, the jewellery expert gathers inspiration from formal contrasts, which encourage the mind to get thinking: “My favourite is the simple shaped ring.

The balance of the proportions, the ratio between ring strength and diamond size – that’s all crucial to create a classic form such as the diamond ring.” www.andre-ribeiro.de

Main image: Earrings Below: Necklace Bracelet Rings

Rebellious Ribeiro When jewellery designer André Ribeiro started out in the 1980s, his idea of mixing unusual materials to create high-end jewellery caused a lot of head-shaking.

Nowadays, his collection is considered a classic line that has even made it into prestigious museums.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: ANDRE RIBEIRO

“The main difference to other jewellery designers is my choice of base materials,”explains the French-born freelance designer now living and working in Berlin. “Conventional jewellery is usually based on metals or precious metals. My approach, however, is to use synthetic rubber as the carrier and contrast material for a classic composition with the diamond.”

When Ribeiro started using rubber as jewellery material 30 years ago, this was totally unheard of. But taking risks has paid off. After more than 20 years of existence, this jewellery line is now considered a“classic” which is updated continuously. Today, Ribeiro distributes his jewellery all around the globe through specialist retailer part-

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ners such as jewellers and galleries. In Glasgow, Scotland, for example, his pieces turned out to be a great success.

But it is not so much the sales, awards or prizes that make the designer proud. “It’s the recognition by established museums,” he reveals. Museums that have incorporated his collection in their displays are Cooper Hewitt in New York (1989), Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (2003) and the Schmuckmuseum in Pforzheim (2005).“After all those years, this was the greatest form of acknowledgement for me.”

Ribeiro’s interest in jewellery began at an early age. Using simple techniques, he created rings and pendants as a teenager. In

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made in Berlin pure stainless steel with diamond

FDUO GDX

there is much more to see at â&#x20AC;&#x17E;www.dau-berlin.comâ&#x20AC;&#x153;

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Fine Jewellery

Delicately touching the soul Storytelling Jewels by Lars Hetmanek Lars Hetmanek’s Storytelling Jewels go far deeper than just their exterior shimmer, they’re bearers of our deepest secrets.

pect of the wearer with the design, or by creating an antithesis of it.”

TEXT: ELKE KOEPPING | PHOTOS: SWEN GOTTSCHALL | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

With his necklaces he creates an impulse that the wearer embraces, interprets and subsequently responds to with their own unique history. “Such things only work if you engage with it, if you invest energy into it. This is part of my vision of beauty: a blend of perfection and unpredictability – which, in essence, is what we’re like as humans.”

Our choice of jewellery speaks volumes; revealing not only the taste and status of the wearer, but also betraying the age and the era in which the piece was created.

Many have even acquired a remarkable history during their lifetimes, or played a part in political events. Think of the legendary necklace that prompted the so-called‘affair of the diamond necklace’ at the court of Louis XVI in France – a veritable scandal that is reputed to have inched the scaffold yet closer to Marie Antoinette’s neck.

The Storytelling Jewels by the Berlin-based designer Lars Hetmanek are pieces of jewellery that write their own history. With a playful glint, the‘Louise’necklace draws its sheen from the court of the Sun King. An extravagant flower-sun made from gold encircles the sparkling green peridot at the core, from which delicate sun rays emerge in filigree tendrils with tiny balls of gold at

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their tips. Similarly, the ‘Essential’necklace, with its heart of amethyst, plays with colour too, enwrapped in a protective gilt cocoon with an array of filigree arcs and rings. ”Jewellery for the soul” was how a customer once described her Hetmanek necklace. When wearing the necklace, moments inevitably become memorable and remarkable, she declared. The Storytelling Jewels each have their own personal stories, just like a talisman or an amulet, revealing their magical powers exclusively for the wearer, as the outside world remains oblivious. For Lars Hetmanek, therein lies the appeal of designing jewellery, both for his collection and for commissioned bespoke pieces. "I think it’s crucial to express something about the personality, about the person who will be wearing the jewellery,” he explains. “That could be by reflecting a certain natural as-

www.lars-hetmanek.com

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Discover Germany | Focus on | Fine Jewellery

Unique jewellery with organic forms and a personal touch – literally!

Sabine Müller lives and works in the Harz Mountains creating unique gold and silver pieces – all of them handmade and available as a single copy, “I work with organic forms,” she says. And so one of her designs, called ‘Becherlinge’, has a matching counterpart in nature: a fungus growing in the autumn woods.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: SABINE MÜLLER

Sabine Müller’s 'Becherlinge' are miniature cup shaped forms she attaches to rings and bracelets, their surface looks soft, like the pieces have grown naturally instead of being cast. Indeed a Becherling is a species of fungus with various sub types like the common brown cup or the violet fairy cup.They display stunning colours, especially on the inside.

Born in 1963 Müller became a goldsmith’s apprentice in 1979 and started working as goldsmith soon after finishing her training.

From 1984 to 1990 she studied art and design in Halle to enhance her knowledge and craft.

Since 1990 the current mother of three has

worked as a freelance artist.

Every piece is unique:“I first mould it in wax and afterwards cast it in silver or gold,” explains Müller.“Since I modulate the form with my bare fingers my fingerprints are left

in the wax, when the Becherling is finished they form a rough structure on its back side.”Müller does every step herself, from modulating to casting, from polishing to colour application and setting of gems or pearls. Another aspect that makes her work special is the use of plastic. “It is a transparent material letting the polished surface shine through,”says Müller.“With this technique I create a shining point of light while the colour has different brightness levels. This gives the jewellery a very lively impression.” www.sabine-mueller.com

Below: Drop earrings 'Schneebecherlinge', cast in silver and blackened it has a red acrylic layer inside (left) and cast in silver and golden plated, green acrylic inlay (right).

OLSKI &

the SCARF - two pieces, a complete outfit,

on any occasion, in any season!

www. tucholski. at

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Hotel of the Month Germany

Charming and carefree Hotel Villa Sorgenfrei & Restaurant Atelier Sanssouci strike that fine balance between contemporary comfort, elevated country feeling and historic charm. The 18th century mansion is the ideal spot to celebrate a special occasion, anniversary, wedding or business event.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: HOTEL VILLA SORGENFREI & RESTAURANT ATELIER SANSSOUCI

The carefully restored building complex with spacious gardens invites you to dream, to enjoy and to indulge. Only a stone's throw from the historic Dresden's Old Town (about eight kilometres to the Semperoper Dresden), Moritzburg and Meissen, guests can enjoy a variety of cultural highlights and indulge in mouthwatering cuisine.

Portrait: Stefan Hermann

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Nestled in the lush countryside of Radebeul, HotelVilla Sorgenfrei is an impressive 18th century manor house that radiates splendour on every level. Each of the 16

beautifully designed guestrooms include first-rate boutique hotel amenities. With gorgeous grounds, historic but modern interiors and exquisite dining, the hotel is a romantic hideaway and affords everything you could want from an idyllic yet upscale experience.

Idyllic location and regional attractions During their stay, hotel guests can experience the region’s natural attractions, the characteristic baroque architecture and the warmth of Saxony’s people. For example, the close-by castle Moritzburg, Schloss Wackerbarth or the Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen are fantastic sights. In addition, the fortress Königstein, the royal gardens in Pillnitz, or the idyllic castle Weesenstein attract lovers of history and nature. The Elbe Cycle Route and the Saxony Wine Trail are also waiting to be explored.

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Discover Germany | Hotel of the Month | Germany

Restaurant Atelier Sanssouci – Historically beautiful The light-flooded aesthetic Restaurant Atelier Sanssouci offers a handful of different yet delicious dining choices. A talented and imaginative team of chefs spoils the guests with fresh, seasonal and fine cuisine. Guests who enjoy a sophisticated afternoon or evening dinner will love the commitment to quality ingredients and innovative creations, including a six-course vegetarian menu.

The perfect place for your special day Getting married? With a sweeping entrance, romantic gardens and your own private wedding suite, there are plenty of ways to plan your perfect day at Hotel Villa Sorgenfrei & Restaurant Atelier Sanssouci.

Guests will receive support from the hotel’s wedding coordinators who will always be on hand to help bring your dreams to life.

“From a Flying Buffet to a set seven-course menu, an Apero in the lush gardens, or a celebration in the historic wine cellar - we offer a picturesque backdrop for the most important day of your life,”states the hotel management.

Impressive meetings and events Want to wow your clients and colleagues?

The beautiful and flexible event spaces of

Hotel Villa Sorgenfrei set the scene for unforgettable conferences, galas and more – complete with exquisite catering. For any meeting or event, you can expect a premium venue, quality facilities and the assistance of dedicated and experienced conference coordinators.

Dine around Boasting one *Michelin Star and 17 points in the Gault & Millau, the restaurant bean&beluga offers a classic eight-course and a seven-course vegetarian menu. Other highlights include cooking classes with chef Stefan Hermann as well as a delicatessen store.

Stefan Hermann The hotel’s CEO, star-winning chef and entrepreneur Stefan Hermann wants guests to explore Dresden’s cultural history and culinary highlights through different angles, ambiances and different foods.Therefore, the chef has recently launched the dining concept ‘Dine Around’, which allows guests to effortlessly engage and try the entire range of culinary possibilities in his participating restaurants.

NewYear’s Eve 2015

WEINBAR’s exclusive wine card features more than 400 selected wines. Well-known German and European winemakers are part of the event-series ‘Winzer im Fokus’.

Only steps away from Dresden’s Semperoper, the restaurant william offers creative dining seven days a week. Theater and opera guests can enjoy an Aprés Opéra two-course menu – or a special theater arrangement (dinner before or after the show, during the break or other dining requests).

Hotel Villa Sorgenfrei offers special www.hotel-villa-sorgenfrei.de arrangements to enjoy New Year’s Eve in one of Germany’s most romantic and historic cities. The 2015 package includes the New Year’s concert at the Semperoper Main image: Hotel Villa Sorgenfrei Dresden and an exclusive gala Top: bean&beluga - fresh char creation (left) dinner, the operetta FlederWEINBAR - Salmon with Rocket and Tomato (middle) maus, a cooking class with WEINBAR - Dessert Rote Grütze with buttermilk (right) Michelin-starred chef SteBelow: bean&beluga restaurant interior (left) fan Hermann and a WEINBAR (middle) New Year's Eve in Restaurant William (right) unique culinary program.

TIP

Villa Sorgenfrei

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Restaurant of the Month Switzerland

A palace for the discerning palate Founded in April 2000, the restaurant Zum Kaiser Franz in inner Switzerland has gained a sound standing in the Swiss gourmet landscape. Its Austrian born manager conducts a charming concert of professional staff, heartfelt atmosphere, a rich selection of wines and a stunning location. This year’s major makeover got the quality of Zum Kaiser Franz flying higher than ever.

TEXT: BENEDIKT MEININGER | PHOTOS: JOY-KEVIN MALDINI

Born in South Styria in Austria, manager Felix Franz was endowed with his mother being very strict about her children’s politeness. His heart got a solid grasp on gastronomy during his years of apprenticeship. Franz phrases his deeply felt dedication to his profession stating that“a guest is a guest, no number. So we regal them just as we would do with a friend who has come over to our house.”

The restaurant’s upbeat composition sees a fully motivated team serve to its splendour.

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Portrait: Manager Felix ‘Kaiser’ Franz

“I have always had a very lucky hand when picking my staff,”Kaiser Franz, as his guests and friends call him, gratefully sighs. The harmonic blend of gastronomic professionals at Zum Kaiser Franz pay into the living up to the house’s philosophy of being a“charming Austrian restaurant in Switzerland starring a charming vitality, zest for life, elan and esprit partnered up with heaps of cordialness.”

Switzerland’s cute savoir-vivre and Austria’s greatness in endearing cuisine are fused into a song of gourmandising in a propitiating atmosphere. At Zum Kaiser Franz the soul can calmly lean back and put its feet up. Located just 35 kilometres (20 miles) south of Zurich, you may be looking out south-west into the sunset from Zum Kaiser Franz and all that blocks your view over Lake Zug and unto the Alps is the

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Discover Germany | Restaurant of the Month | Switzerland

and 2pm and 6pm until midnight. On weekends the gastronomic palace opens its doors only to circles of 40 plus people with preceding reservation. In fact, to make a reservation a few days in advance to your enjoyment at Zum Kaiser Franz is an advisable idea - 70 seats indoors and another 40 on the summer porch are swiftly occupied.

A glance into the menu defies prolonged wishing. Zum Kaiser Franz pulls out all the stops in the Austrian culinary organ the chefs master so skilfully. Homemade Austrian desserts like apple strudel, quark cheese strudel, Kaiserschmarrn and Austrian pancakes are but the culmination of a Viennese waltz through the Styrian cuisine. Salad variations are crowned with sprinkles of the rich essence of the Styrian oil pumpkin to create that fine sonata no sentient connoisseur could ever turn from.

If Mozart would have been a chef, his masterpiece would have been the Viennese Schnitzel. Perfection in this dish is achieved by baking it until it features that distinctive golden-brown shimmer – no other shade is allowed at Zum Kaiser Franz! Little princes and princesses of up to eight years are treated with 'Sopherl' - a free serving of homemade tagliatelle with cream sauce. Be

a guest old, be they young, a refreshing stroll through a poem of exquisite culinary poetry is a given fact at Zum Kaiser Franz.

The wine vault holds for you in storage an abundant variety of wines and champagnes. Their wine menu has a solid focus on wines from Austria, Italy and France.Yet, Spain and Germany as well as delectable drops of Bacchus’s dew from wine press houses from all over the globe sit ready to be enjoyed. For epicures in wine, resplendent vintages await the oenologist’s critique: a 1974 Cantenac 2ème Grand cru classé and a 1981 Ch. Beychevelle 4ème grand cru classé are but two examples.

In a magnificent composition, Franz created a symphony of Austrian specialties prepared by a team motivated to go whole nine yards in order to please their guests’ palates. Buttered up with sincere friendliness and full dedication to courtesy, all set in the paradisiac surroundings of inner Switzerland, a magnus opus in gastronomy for you to relish has been composed.

Be a guest at Zum Kaiser Franz – you will never forget the sensations. www.kaiser-franz.ch

narrow strip of Rössli park’s luscious green that snuggles up to the gleaming waterfront.

In times when competition is rough and currency exchange rates put their strain on gastronomes, Zum Kaiser Franz celebrate their 15th anniversary. Not only do guests approve, but also critics certify a harmonious overall impression. The worldrenowned French restaurant guide Gault & Millau awarded Zum Kaiser Franz a full 14 points!

An Austrian cornucopia Franz and his team love to pamper their guests.The gallant ambience of Zum Kaiser Franz – Kaiser being the German word for Emperor – ennobles their visitors by its sheer splendour. You may dine at Zum Kaiser Franz on weekdays between 11am

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Country Resort of the Month Germany

Feel like Lord of the manor Enjoy the best of Mecklenburg-Pomerania in the historic manor house, where history comes alive and ultimate recreation is guaranteed. Grand and cosy at the same time, the Relais & Châteaux Gutshaus Stolpe is famous for its Michelin starred cuisine and authentic historic premises.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX GUTSHAUS STOLPE

Driving up the grand cobbled driveway towards the stately yellow 19th century manor house instantly makes one immerse into a grand country ambience. The North German location couldn’t be better. Right along the river Peene the manor with its various outbuildings is nestled in one of Germany’s finest nature parks.“Lifestyle in Stolpe is defined by the Peene European Destination of Excellence, one of the last and most diverse wildlife areas in Western Europe,”Mathias Laux, Maître de Maison at Relais & Châteaux Gutshaus Stolpe says.

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“During the different seasons we really live nature to the fullest, in spring the storks and the cranes return. In summer the meadows are blossoming as far as the eye can see. Autumn brings the harvest season and in winter an enchanting silence covers the land,”he enthuses. Beavers and eagles are also part of the local neighbourhood, which is a sanctuary not only for fishermen, hunters, horse-riders or hikers.

The Relais & Châteaux Gutshaus Stolpe is perfect to relax and unwind. 32 rooms and

four suites are designed in a grand, yet very cosy, manor style, offering the ultimate comfort and stunning views over the ad-

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Discover Germany | Country Resort of the Month | Germany

featuring authentic regional specialties with a sophisticated twist. “The kitchen is the heart of our house. In our Michelin-starred Gourmet Restaurant, finest Lord of the manor cuisine awaits guests. Only handpicked local products, among others are deer from our own hunting lodge that find their way to the tables,”Laux says.

Wine lovers are catered for by sommelier Michel Buder, who skilfully assists on choosing the perfect wine - be it from the finest German vineyards or some of the best harvest from the old and the new world. And the intimate hotel bar is a cosy place for a digestive after an exquisite meal or a nightcap to finish the day in style.

A few yards away from the main building, and slightly more casual, is the rustic Stolper Fährkrug, named after the historic ferry crossing point and also part of the Relais & Châteaux Gutshaus Stolpe. “We serve coffee, tea and cake as well as authentic Pomeranian culinary delights. The beer garden outside overlooks the river Peene and stands exactly where, 350 years ago, the ferry to (back then) bordering Sweden took off,” Laux explains. The Stolper Fährkrug is said to the one of the most beautiful and oldest restaurants in the country.

Culture and events in the historic stables In autumn the stunning renovated historic stables are serving as a stage for the great musicians, who perform as part of

the Mecklenburg-Pomeranian Music Festival. Stars on stage in the Relais & Châteaux Gutshaus Stolpe include Kent Nagano and Götz Alsmann to name just a few. An amazing string of concerts is scheduled until Christmas. When not serving as a stage for the world’s musical elite, the old equestrian quarters are used for private as well as corporate events.

Equipped with the latest technology, they offer a truly inspiring ambience. Smaller groups may prefer the intimate Maltzan room, while up to 200 people can find space in the elegant Bülow hall. Weather permitting, a large terrace offers a romantic al-fresco backdrop for an unforgettable party under the stars.

Bring your own horse Plans for the future include the modernisation of another historic building on site, which will provide further guest accommodation due to rising demand from a very special group of travellers.“We are looking forward to welcoming more guests with their own horses. Discovering the beautiful nature of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s North on horseback is a dream come true for passionate riders. The Relais & Châteaux Gutshaus Stolpe not only offers two-legged guests and unforgettable country stay, but also the horses enjoy the ultimate treat. Horse-riding has long been a tradition on our manor grounds,”Laux concludes. www.gutshaus-stolpe.de

joining 11 hectares of parkland. Or the river Peene and the Elemente sauna and wellness area is ideal to recharge the batteries.

Michelin-starred gourmet delights and hearty Pomeranian cuisine When it comes to great dining, guests are spoilt for choice at the Relais & Châteaux Gutshaus Stolpe.The exquisite and Michelin starred Gourmet Restaurant does not fail to impress even the most discerning guests. Head Chef Björn Swanson and his team are in charge of the creative menu

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Event Location of the Month Switzerland

AURA

Zurich’s premier event location Need a place to hold a business seminar – or bash? Whether you're hosting a seated dinner, flowing reception, fashion show or business conference, Zurich’s premier event location AURA is the perfect venue to suit your needs. The contemporary venue with a rich history is a versatile space that can be transformed for any occasion.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: AURA GROUP AG

Traditionally, the definition of the word ‘aura’ means a distinctive and pervasive quality, a special character, atmosphere or experience. To be fair, Zurich, the cosmopolitan yet chic hub, has always had its own aura. But with the latest renovation and opening of AURA, the premium event location, this definition has taken on a whole new meaning.

AURA, the multifunctional venue is equipped with the latest technology and a 360-degree visual system. Located in the

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heart of Zurich’s buzzing centre, in the old stock exchange on Paradeplatz, AURA is the new high-end location for all of the city’s high-end events.The in-house AURA Restaurant features contemporary and modern dining. Guests are spoiled with an upscale ambiance and cuisine at its finest.

Rich history The owners, family Haussener, whose other properties include Zurich’s ICON club and the restaurant Tao’s, transformed the historic building into a new, exciting and ex-

clusive temple.The AURA event location is run by 35 full-time staff, and supported by a motivated and professional event team.

“The 450 square metre Event Hall sets new standards, featuring an imposing ceiling nine metres high and ground breaking 360 degree projection capabilities,” states the management.

Business meetings and social events An enviable location in the centre of Zurich makes AURA an optimal venue for conferences, seminars, presentations and more.

The two floors are equipped with the latest audiovisual technology. The AURA event location, measuring a total of 2,000 square metres, can allow up to 500 persons.

AURA’s architectural splendour, mixed with the contemporary interior and warm am-

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Discover Germany | Event Location of the Month | Switzerland

biance, create an elegant aesthetic. The materials used for floors, decoration, and furniture, range from natural tones to dark wood and metals.

This plurality of influences and styles gives the location a feeling of understated luxury and polished urbanism. AURA provides an ideal setting for a variety of events, including exhibitions and receptions, fundraisers, private parties, corporate events and off-site meetings.

AURA restaurant – culinary highlights But not only the central location and highend venue make up the charm of AURA. The kitchen, too, offers culinary highlights and creations for every taste prepared on the opened grill. In fact, the upscale menu and tasteful interior reflect the team’s dedication to using the finest ingredients and cooking according to the highest quality

standards. AURA’s charm has been compared to the urban metropolitan vibes of Paris and London.

The AURA management explains their philosophy and approach to spoiling their guests:“European specialties, international delicacies and an infinite array of tantalizing treats – the AURA Restaurant has something to suit every taste. AURA is a gourmet oasis where you can enjoy an outstanding business lunch or exclusive dinner.

Our experienced kitchen team spoils our guests with exquisite crossover specialties.

Warm hospitality and meticulous service are paramount.”

Bar and smoker’s lounge Looking to relax and unwind from a long day at a work or business event? AURA also features a modern lounge and full bar area with 50 seats. The Smoker’s Lounge invites guests to surrender to life’s pleasures and unwind with friends, partners or colleagues.

“We provide a cosy and distinctive ambiance, warm interior and stylish menus.

Our selection of cocktails and cigars leaves

nothing to be desired. Retreat to the smoker's lounge, where you can indulge in the pleasure of smoking without being disturbed,”explains the management.

Corporate and private events “Let yourself be swept into the awe-inspiring world of outstanding technology, a luxurious atmosphere and visual highlights.

With its 360-degree projection surface, the AURA Event Hall is one-of-a-kind in Switzerland.Virtual worlds, landscapes and professional product presentations with 3D sound can be created at the touch of a button,”explains the management.

Competent event planners will work with clients to realise their individual demands and custom-tailored concepts – even the most challenging ideas. The organisation and implementation of events will be professional, reliable and competitively priced. www.aura-zurich.ch

Main image & above: Zurich's premier event location Below: AURA restaurant chic and casual setting

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History and modern comfort in one location With its exceptional flair and idyllic setting in the Swiss Spa town of Baden, everything about the Atrium Hotel Blume is truly convincing. The historically significant building transports guests back to a time of Roman baths but ensures that all modern needs are met.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: ATRIUM HOTEL BLUME

Hotel Blume is the German word for flower. The name might have its origin in the discovery of the warm healing spring in Baden. First mentioned as early as 1421, Blume was already a spa hotel even then, and it has kept its charm over the centuries.

In 1972 Heidi and Johann Erne fell in love with the old building and the estate has been in the family ever since.Their sons Silvio and Patrik took over in 2004 and shortly after that the new á la carte restaurant on the picturesque first floor gallery started flourishing. Owner Patrik Erne says:“Today the Blume has become not only a place for guests who are in love and for travellers who search for some quiet, but also for business guests and architecture fans. During the week we welcome many international guests on business trips whilst on weekends and during holidays we have more leisure guests who stay for a few days.

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A range of different offers combined with the Roman baths, our new Blume-Spa, the tasteful interiors and the culinary delights bring the flair of the past into the now for everyone.”

A true highlight for romantics is their Candlelight Bath and Dinner package. The hotel’s Roman baths are decorated with candles and roses and couples can have a soothing soak in the historic double baths.

Afterwards guests can indulge in a special candlelight dinner on the romantic gallery.

“Freshness and origin is very important to us,“ explains Erne. “Therefore we get the majority of our produce from the local farmers of the region.”Hotel Blume is not only a magic place for a holiday but also offers a wonderful setting for meetings and events. Weddings, birthdays, seminars and conferences held in this environment full of history will be remembered for years to

come. Modern features ensure that events run smoothly.

Hotel Blume remains close to its historic roots, yet it perfectly manages to pamper its guests with contemporary luxury and outstanding service and so it should come as no surprise that the hotel received the Heritage Prize of Aargau. www.blume-baden.ch

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Schön, Sie als Gast bei uns begrüssen zu dürfen!

RESTAURANT ZUM KAISER FRANZ IM RÖSSL in Zug seit 2000

Am 11. April 2000 gegründet, mit einer Idee und einer Vision. Unsere Gäste auf höchster Ebene zufrieden zu stellen, unsere Art Gastronomie auszuleben, die Freude am Beruf zu verwirklichen und es auch zeigen zu können. Ich bin mir sicher, dass alle Mitarbeiter hier im Restaurant zum Kaiser Franz, den Beruf den sie erlernt haben, ernst nehmen und alles daran setzen, dass unsere Gäste sich bei uns wohl fühlen und gerne wiederkommen.

Ein Österreichisches Restaurant im Herzen der Innerschweiz, mit Charme, Vitalität, Lebensfreude, Elan und Esprit, nicht zu vergessen eine grosse Portion Herzlichkeit.

Damit dies alles verwirklicht werden kann, braucht es auch die richtigen Mitarbeiter, die ich glücklicherweise auch immer finde.

Ihr Felix Franz aus Leibnitz in der schönen Süd-Steiermark (Steirische Toscana) zu Hause in Baar, Schweiz

Ich möchte nun meine Brigade, auf die ich sehr stolz bin, kurz vorstellen.

Service

Küche Markus Gottschalk Christoph Zrim Severin Diz-van Beek Nelson Machado sowie Mathimithan

Küchenchef aus Bad Camberg, Deutschland Sous Chef, aus Graz, Austria Chef Gardemanger, aus Graz, Austria Kochlehrling aus Zug Zeichnet sich für Geschirr, Gläser und weitere Arbeiten im Hause verantwortlich!

Bozana Pasku Bettina Reichmann Carmen Amrein Debora Schmid Karin Franz-Ittensohn

Gastgeberin aus Zug, Schweiz Gastgeberin aus Kärnten, Austria Gastgeberin aus Baar, Schweiz Lehrling aus Kriens, Schweiz Meine Gattin aus Baar / Dekoration & liebevolle Mutter unserer Kinder, Prinzessin Lisa-Maria (19) und Kronprinz Maximilian (14)

www.kaiser-franz.ch | 041 710 96 36 | info@kaiser-franz.ch

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Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | TIAN

Enriching lives with a ‘wow’ Located in the heart of Munich at the Viktualienmarkt, The TIAN restaurant and its magnificently creative and light dishes will convince everyone that meat and fish don’t need to be part of a tasty meal.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: DANIEL SCHVARCZ

Opened in 2014, the TIAN has established itself as a true trendsetter. One of the few entirely vegetarian restaurants in the German-speaking area, it impresses with a healthy organic breakfast, fine bistro delicacies for lunch and artfully composed meatless dishes for dinner in an urban puristic ambience. Here, head chef Christoph Mezger creates light, tasty food with a gourmet touch. Solely using sustainably produced, seasonal, organic and regional ingredients, his willingness to experiment and his perfection suit TIAN’s philosophy:“TIAN’s motto‘experience taste’ stands for what I love doing. I concentrate on the natural tastes of my ingredients to

get the distinctive character out of each one,“ Mezger explains.

An uncomplicated place for sensual delights, the TIAN is the perfect place to look, smell, taste and enjoy. The open kitchen lets guests explore the preparation of desserts or tarte flambées.The healthy minimalist menu reveals the ingredients, but doesn’t disclose anything about the overall composition which guarantees a positive surprise effect.“There are things which do us good and which enrich our life with a ‘wow‘,“ Christian Halper, owner of the TIAN, explains.

Why not try one of TIAN’s two- or three-course lunch menus from 19 to 24

®

Ochsenstolz - best beef to go In 2009 the German brand Ochsenstolz® embarked on a new venture aiming to provide the finest organic beef snacks in the country.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: OCHSENSTOLZ®

Sustainable farming, lavish pastures and quality control without compromise is the Ochsenstolz® secret of success.“Our cattle are raised on farmland, they develop a natural top quality with absolutely no artificial boosters required,” managing director Tobias Brandstetter explains. Ochsenstolz® only works with the best suppliers of organic beef to ensure a continuous top quality, rather than aiming at the mass market.

While beef jerky is a well-established form of nutrition in the United States, Germany is still an emerging market for hearty and healthy snacks. Serving the national market from their own farm shop, Brandstetter and his team are conquering the taste buds of Northern Europeans by storm with their

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protein bars.“The Ochsenriegel brings the best quality in a handy format. It is the best organic beef from free range local cattle with 40 per cent natural protein, without

Euros or a three- to five-course dinner from 35 to 62 Euros? www.taste-tian.com/en/restaurant/de/munich

any additives and ideal after a workout or as a little snack in between,” Brandstetter recommends. Especially active people and athletes appreciate the benefits of the beef to go snacks.“From professional cyclists to the spare time hikers, the Ochsenstolz® protein bar is a hearty alternative without sugar or flavour enhancers,” Brandstetter says. The Ochsenriegel is available in good fitness studios, selected delicatessen stores and sports nutrition retail outlets as well as online. Follow the company motto and beef it up with Ochsenstolz®. www.ochsenriegel.de

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Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | German Food Heroes

‘Quark’to go Think a healthy snack without preservatives, artificial colouring, rich in calcium and protein and without genetic engineering doesn’t exist? Now it does. Quarki is a new, tasty nibble by LAKOMKA, fresh food factory GmbH which is filled with fresh quark and impresses with a variety of exciting flavours.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: LAKOMKA FRESH FOOD FACTORY GMBH

Put on the market just recently, Quarki has quickly grown to be the ideal combination of pure delight and conscious nutrition for adults and children alike. “The basic concept comes from Eastern Europe.The product is already really popular and strongly consumed over there. I myself am from Ukraine and thus the idea of bringing the product to Germany emerged. We have modified the product for the German market and this took us two years altogether.

We have processed around seven tonnes of quark to create the perfect snack bar,”Andrej Volynec, marketing manager of

LAKOMKA fresh food factory GmbH, explains. Produced in Berlin, Quarki mainly comprises of local ingredients from Germany. The filling is solely manufactured from fresh milk, while the high-quality, crunchy glazing doesn’t include any hydrogenated fats.

it as a tasty ice cream. Available in six light flavours from vanilla and freshly picked strawberries to raspberry, caramel, chocolate-cherry and plain chocolate, Quarki is solely produced from fresh milk and not from milk powder as most other similar products. “Thus, Quarki has up to 60 per cent less calories than common snack bars and is a healthier option than many other sweets,”Volynec notes. The tasty snack bar covered with crunchy glazing and filled with soft quark has already found many buyers, such as Kaufland, the REWE-Group, Metro, Kaiser's Tengelmann, Globus, Netto and many other wholesalers throughout Europe.

It is no question that Quarki will soon gain many more young and old fans. www.myquarki.de

The first snack bar on the market made from fresh quark, Quarki can simply be stored in the fridge. It can be enjoyed as a small snack during the day, a dessert after lunch or as a quick, rich breakfast substitute. In summer, one can even put it in the freezer and enjoy

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Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | German Food Heroes

An authentic taste of Bavaria at home For the innovative family business, Burgis is all about the potato. The Bavarian food manufacturer produces quality potato products for chefs as well as providing an easy yet delicious meal at home.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: BURGIS

From German dumplings, fried and roast potatoes to the famous thick Schupfnudeln (rolled noodle), Burgis has it all. Besides the traditional German dishes, they also produce tasty baked potatoes with either American or Brazilian flavours.

The key for every product lies in the quality of the potato itself. It is the heart of the entire production and as such is processed gently. Even before processing, Burgis keeps a close eye on the harvesting and storage.This genuine dedication can be tasted.

“We are not aiming to be the biggest manufacturer, we want to remain true to our ambition to produce the best potato products from outstanding potatoes. Our

goal is to be at the top when it comes to quality,”owner Timo Burger explains.

Ensuring that all products meet the required standards to be certified with the prestigious Proven Quality of Bavaria seal, Burgis is supplied by two regional producer's associations with 74 farmer members.

Burger adds: “Five years ago we established ourselves using 100 per cent regional produce with a focus on the catering industry. That strategy has paid off and we are now highly regarded food manufacturers. We intend on continuing to meet the standards to retain our position as leading innovators for potato products.”

Top: Burgis Oktoberfest Dumplings

www.burgis.de

Finest organic oils Berlin’s Ölwerk combines innovation with tradition: based on the long-standing traditions and techniques of Germany’s peripheral linseed oil mills, the Ölwerk combines this with the diversity and the innovative demand of a health-conscious gourmet cuisine. Tradition, freshness and high quality are the maxim of their work.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: PETRA HEINRICH I ANNA DABROWSKI

From apricot kernel oil or wild garlic oil to rosemary oil and apple vinegar – the Ölwerk is sure to solely use ingredients from organic farming. After pressing in one of Ölwerk’s three oil mills, the oil doesn’t get further treatment. A resting period follows in which suspended solids can settle before the oil gets filled in bottles, labelled and then freshly arrives at markets or customers.“We only press as much as we instantly sell. Our oils are fresh and your palate will thank you,” Henning Borchers, the founder of Ölwerk, smiles.

As all oils are fully untreated and natural, they comprise a wealth of different vari-

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ants of vitamin E, acids or polyphenols so that a diet’s valuable components get preserved. The Ölwerk’s highest priority is to

Above: The Burger family

produce high-quality, unmixed oils with generic scents, unique and unadulterated taste and natural colour. The healthy, clean and matured kernels and seeds from organic farming, as well as the experience and the finesse of the pressing chief form an unforgettable taste experience. The owner-managed company offers quality without compromise:“Edible oil isn’t only a product for us which we produce and sell – it is our passion,”Borchers concludes. www.oelwerk.de

Below: Founder Henning Borchers at an oil mill. Photo: Petra Heinrich.(left) The Ölwerk’s oils. Photo: Anna Dabrowski (right)

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MANNHEIM – A LOT TO DISCOVER! Only 30 minutes from Frankfurt’s airport, in the centre of the Rhine-Neckar region, Europe’s second-largest baroque palace and the water tower with its beautiful Jugendstil park can be found – as a former residence city, Mannheim has a lot to offer. In addition, the two-river city impresses with a diverse culinary offering which guarantees to turn a visit to Mannheim into a real treat.

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Attraction of the Month Germany

Science park and outstanding venue: GALILEO-PARK Where people can explore science with hands and mind Grasping science – literally speaking – is key at the GALILEO-PARK, to experience ideas and projects close to the frontiers of today’s human knowledge. As a seminar and congress centre the science park houses business events and special occasions in the middle of its exhibition spaces. It is an outstanding venue not only for those interested in science.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: GALILEO PARK

The GALILEO-PARK in the German Sauerland region can already be seen from afar due to its landscape design and the buildings’unusual shape: Pyramids. Owner and founder Wolfgang Schmidt had the idea in 1999. He wanted to create a place to amaze and astonish people, not only to entertain.“GALILEO-PARK is a mixture between museum, science centre and event location,”says Wolfgang Schmidt. Its concept, the pyramided form of its buildings and the presentation of regular and special

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exhibitions make the place special.Take for example the science pyramid, where visitors can explore and try out exciting scientific experiments. “While most museums display these topics in a very static way, GALILEO-PARK presents them more playfully, things can be touched and people can experience science directly,”says Schmidt.

GALILEO-PARK impresses children and adults alike.“We inspire children and young adults with our virtual worlds we create

with modernVR-technology,”says Schmidt.

Adults on the other hand are mostly interested in the discussed science topics, often enough scratching the border of today’s human knowledge. In addition to regular exhibitions the science park focuses on changing special topics – from legendary monsters to journeys to the moon, from space to the deep sea.

Not only day visitors profit from the outstanding exhibitions and the overall concept as a science centre and leisure time destination but also events – no matter if speaking of business gatherings or private functions. “Events will take place in extraordinary surroundings, for example in our show pyramid that bribes with its technology in the middle of different exhibitions, changing every so often,” says

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Discover Germany | Attraction of the Month | Germany

also be organised as special group events.

In short:“The GALILEO-PARK always offers an experience people will never forget.”

The team behind GALILEO-PARK supports customers during planning and the actual event, no matter if it concerns press conferences or high-class events for companies or societies. The show pyramid for example can be jointly booked with the restaurant pyramid therefore offering various possibilities how to shape the event. If wanted GALILEO-PARK offers a comprehensive package including catering, an evening program and overnight stays in one of the region’s best hotels. During the day the seminar rooms provide great working spaces equipped with first-class modern technology and seating according to customers’needs. Presentations can be put on to screen and in only minutes the staff can build a stage with variable size. In the evening the park offers front cooking and a cocktail bar as well as, for example, a performance of artist ensemble holliewald with comedy, music and a magic show.

Schmidt. Many choose the GALILEOPARK exactly for this reason: the ambience and the offered services. “Companies for example have the chance to present their products in the exhibition space, like the new Smart for two and for four was presented to the public on the moon’s surface,” Schmidt emphasises. During that event 100 Smart cars drove towards the science park in a convoy while Smart presented its two new types to the public in the park’s then featured special exhibition about the moon.

Those in for something a bit scarier might choose a knight’s meal in the middle of a room exhibiting torture devices from the Middle Ages or on the market square that is part of the exhibition. Events in the historic ambience are always sold out, but can

Many visitors and those organising and taking part in an event will soon find a pyramid or a part of the permanent exhibition they like most and they feel drawn to immediately. For owner Wolfgang Schmidt this is the 'Zeitmaschine', time machine, the biggest pyramid and exhibition space the GALILEO-PARK has to offer. The 450 square metres are without any windows and is painted entirely in black.“This might sound rather grim and gloomy, but indeed is a great space to work with light,”he says.

“Using light effects in a completely dark room creates great ambience. We create an atmosphere one can experience nowhere else.” Often enough GALILEO-PARK organises in-house events, like recently a space weekend with more than 2,000 visitors.

Even weddings can be held at GALILEOPARK since the city of Lennestadt has a branch of its registry office here, allowing the official wedding ceremony to take place in the middle of the exhibition spaces. www.galileo-park.de

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A whistle-stop tour of the great musical maestros of Germany, Austria and Switzerland Austria, Germany and Switzerland have collectively produced some of the world’s most influential composers. It is impossible to imagine what the world of classical music would sound like today without Beethoven’s symphonies, Mozart’s requiems, the waltzes of Strauss or the film scores of Honegger, to name but a few.

TEXT: HELEN CULLEN | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

There is no doubt that German composers have accomplished phenomenal feats of popularity and endurance as the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, George Frideric Handel and Richard Wagner continue to be some of the most frequently performed pieces across the globe. Every year Bach-

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track publishes statistics pertaining to the performance of classical music.Their analysis shows that Handel’s Messiah was the most frequently performed work last year and Beethoven was responsible for five works in the top ten. Schubert featured prominently also alongside Mozart who composed three of the ten most popular operas.

Germany’s romance with classical music originated at the beginning of the 15th century when Oswald von Wolkenstein revolutionised the scene by embarking upon a musical expedition to discover classical music across the continent of Europe. He returned to his homeland with a myriad of new techniques and musical innovations that influenced musical composition of the time. One of the original composers to emerge from this period was organist, Conrad Paumann but by the turn of the century, Germany had started to produce internationally renowned composers.

There are few who can contend Mozart as the most influential of all the great com-

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Discover Germany | Culture | Feature

posers; his impact on Western music was utterly profound. During his prolific career, he composed over 600 works that have are considered now to be the pinnacle of symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic and choral music compositions. His contemporaries were not immune to his genius and Austrian composer, Joseph Haydn, has been famously quoted as saying that the world would not see another composer like Mozart for another 100 years. The great maestro Ludwig van Beethoven also emerged from the shadow of Mozart and was deeply inspired by his innovative work, however, he ultimately established his own important contribution through his daring explorations of harmonies and rhythm. Beethoven is recognised now as the prominent figure that transitioned Western classical music from the Classical to the Romantic era. We also cannot neglect to mention Bach, of course, whose work revolutionised baroque music and thematic explorations have caused many to position him as one of the greatest composers of all time.

By the middle of the 18th century, both Germany and Austria had become synonymous with classical music asVienna, Berlin, Dresden and Mannheim became the epicentres of orchestral music. It was during this time that the Austrian composer, Joseph Haydn, invented the string quartet, symphony and sonata formats that inspired the emergence of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart later that century. Haydn is also credited for writing the first bi-lingual com-

position that consisted of both German and English and has been called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Father of the Symphony'. It is impossible to think of the Austrian classical musical landscape, however, without calling to mind Johann Strauss and the waltzes that he popularised during the Romantic era. When we consider the greatest composers to emerge from Austria, however, the incredible contribution of Franz Schubert should not be overlooked. Although Schubert was not awarded many accolades during his short but incredibly prolific career, he is now acknowledged as one of the greatest Austrian composers to emerge from the early Romantic era. He is particularly recognised for his contribution to the Lied genre as his 600 lieder compositions expanded the potential of the genre in a manner that was completely unprecedented before his time.

Although Switzerland may not have produced the classical musical legacy that originated from the music heartlands of Germany and Austria, there are a number of prodigious Swiss composers whose influence and contribution should be recognised. Hans Huber, Joachim Raff, Fritz Bovet and Edouard Du Puy are have all produced notable works. In more contemporary times, however, it is Arthur Honegger that is most internationally recognised as the greatest Swiss composer. His most frequently performed work is an orchestral piece entitled Pacific 231 that was inspired by the sounds of a locomotive train.

He is celebrated now for reviving the ora-

torio and for the incredible influence he exerted on film scores.

Germany, Austria and Switzerland cumulatively represent a musical dynasty that is unparalleled for its influence, innovation and popularity. From Bach to Mozart, Handel to Strauss their music resonates still today with timeless modernity.

Main image: New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Photo: Austrian National Tourist Office / Lammerhuber Above: Halle/Saale: statue of Handel.

Photo: GNTB/Norbert KrĂźger Below: W.A.Mozart painting by Barbara Kraft. Photo: Austrian National Tourist Office / Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (left) Painting: Joseph Haydn portrait. Photo: Austrian National Tourist Office / Trumler (middle) Portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven. Photo: Austrian National Tourist Office / Trumler (right)

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Cultural Highlight of the Month

Dachau

Dachau Main image: Dachau’s historic city centre

A Bavarian gem, home to artists and a fascinating history The city of Dachau lies at Munich’s doorstep and can look back on a 1,200-yearold history. Today it is a cultural hotspot with many tourist attractions as much as a starting point for exploring the area’s beautiful landscape. Since the 19th century this has made Dachau home to many artists.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

In 1578 the house of Wittelsbach, one of Germany’s oldest aristocratic families, erected a summer residence on the hill overlooking the city, today surrounded by a picturesque historic district and the castle’s fruit garden. On a clear day, from here visitors can see as far as Munich and the Alps.

The beauty of this castle and the so called Dachauer Moos, a moor landscape near Dachau, inspired many artists during the 19th and 20th century because of the special lighting conditions they found here.

Among them were artists like Christian Morgenstern, a landscape painter, and Franz Marc, one of the most influential Expressionist painters. Especially from about 1875 onwards artists flocked into the city and made Dachau one of Germany’s most important artist colonies. And since the Academy of Arts in Munich forbade women to

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study there until 1926, many women artists moved to Dachau instead to learn fine arts with private tutors and schools. Today the artists‘ works are exhibited in the Gemäldegalerie Dachau. And still many artists are working here whose paintings can be purchased in one of the many art galleries.

Every year in early August the city celebrates a typical Bavarian festival with a procession in traditional costumes, a bicycle race, Bavarian beer and fireworks over the castle silhouette. The beer prices here are the lowest in the area, about €5.30 per Mass.

But Dachau also has a dark past. In 1933 the Nazis erected their first ever concentration camp near Dachau for detaining political prisoners. With the Nuremberg Laws, homosexuals, Romani people, Jehovah’s Witnesses and later prisoners of war

Top: Summer residence of the Wittelsbach Above: Dachauer ‘Musiksommer’ – one of the many cultural events Below: At the turn of the century Dachau became an important artist colony

were incarcerated in Dachau, about 200,000 in total originating from 34 countries. The US army liberated the camp in April 1945.

At the instigation of former prisoners in 1965 it became a memorial and museum that today is open to visitors. Guided tours and audio guides telling the place’s history are also available in English. www.dachau.de/kultur-tourismus

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Discover Germany | Culture | Mannheim

Mannheim

Top: Mannheim University. Photo: Stefanie Eichler (left) National Theatre Mannheim (middle) Technoseum (right)

The city, the palace and its two rivers Four equal sides, four right angles, four axles of symmetry – squares are such uncomplicated, concise objects. And such objects define the city of Mannheim, which takes its charm from its chessboard-esque city centre.

TEXT & PHOTOS: STADTMARKETING MANNHEIM GMBH/MANNHEIM MARKETING | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

The grid-like structure dates back to 1607, when Elector Friedrich IV and engineer Barthel Janson constructed the city and its fortress. With 144 squares, there’s little chance of getting lost. But even beyond the borders of the squares, nothing is too far away; the train from Frankfurt airport takes just 30 minutes to reach Mannheim central station, Straßburg is 90 minutes away and it’s just three hours to Paris – with such a location, conditions are optimal for a strong economy. Given the long history of welcoming visitors, newcomers quickly feel at home in this two-river city, which boasts vast cultural diversity, a high quality of life and inspirational residents with typical Electoral Palatinate charm. As a former imperial city, Mannheim was the

seat of the Palatinate Elector. Built in the 18th century by Elector Carl Philipp and Carl Theodor, Mannheim Palace is Europe’s second-largest Baroque palace. Today, it houses both the Castle Museum and the University. While its exterior is baroque, the interior was furnished in the rococo and early classicism style. As a devoted lover of music and the arts, Carl Theodor sparked Mannheim’s cultural scene with frequent visits from artists, musicians and famous figures. In fact, Mozart, Voltaire, Goethe and Schille paved the way for today’s lively arts scene. As the birthplace of the very first German university of popular music – the Popakademie – Mannheim was crowned a UNESCO City of Music in December 2014.

Staging performances such as Friedrich Schiller’s Die Räuber, Germany’s first and the world’s oldest still-running municipal theatre, the NationalTheatre Mannheim, has long received acclaim. Cultural traditions abound with Mannheim’s diverse array of museums too. While the Kunsthalle is home to a collection of paintings, sculptures and graphics from the 19th, 20th and 21st century, the Technoseum offers interactive, hands-on exhibitions, and the Reiss-EngelhornMuseen has a striking collection that attracts worldwide interest. From 11 September 2016 to 19 February 2017, the exhibition Baroque – Nothing but an illusion? will present this fascinating and contradictory epoch in all its facets, through six themes (space, body, knowledge, order, belief and time).With help from spectacular exhibits, the baroque era will be presented as a European phenomenon, but with inextricable ties to Mannheim and the surrounding region. www.tourist-mannheim.de

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Discover Germany | Culture | Fotostiftung Schweiz

Preserving Switzerland’s photographic heritage A true pioneer in Europe, the Fotostiftung Schweiz is Switzerland’s oldest and one of the most important photography institutes. Seeking to collect and preserve Switzerland’s photographic legacy, it manages to communicate the medium as a diverse language of our time through a variety of exhibitions, events, discussions and publications.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: HERBERT MATTER / FOTOSTIFTUNG SCHWEIZ I CHRISTIAN SCHWAGER

Comprising of more than 50,000 exhibition prints, 250,000 archival prints and one million negatives, as well as diapositives, the Fotostiftung Schweiz encourages visitors to think about photography in a visually attractive way.“In times of social media, photography has become extremely shortlived. We want visitors to understand and interpret a picture.Thus, we collect Switzerland’s photographic past because, after all, if we don’t understand the past, we don’t understand the present,“ Dr. Peter Pfrunder, director, explains.

The current Jules Decrauzat exhibition shouldn’t be missed. Displayed until 11 Oc-

tober, it tells the visual story of a still unknown photographer, who became Switzerland‘s first photojournalist. More than 100 modern prints deriving from historical glass negatives from the time between 1910 and 1925 show his impressive works, which include an extensive portfolio of sports photography.“The dynamics of his snapshots are incredible. We are proud that we have discovered and are able to show a new chapter of Swiss photographic history,“ Dr. Pfrunder notes.

Collaborating with the Fotomuseum Winterthur, both institutes have created the Centre for Photography on site to allow for a wider picture of photography. Both inde-

Top: Herbert Matter, Trudi als Chinesin, 1933 Above: Exhibition view of Aerial Photographs by Georg Gerster

pendent institutes follow different aims and thus create an impressive space for international and national temporary exhibitions. www.fotostiftung.ch

The best you, you can be.

It’s all about who you are, what you have to off ffe er, and what makes you unique.

Let’s fi fin nd it out.

www.markuspuettmann.de 20 min. apart Frankfurt Main Airport

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Special Theme

Discover the magic of butterflies Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Vienna’s Butterfly House is a great place to discover, observe and admire over 500 exotic butterflies in the heart of the city.

Adventurous Austria

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: STEPHEN FRIED

The building itself is impressive, being one of Europe’s finest Art Nouveau palm houses ever created. Measuring 128 metres in length and a floor area of around 2,000 square metres, it is part of the Hofburg Royal Palace Burggarten grounds, which once served as an oasis of calm and tranquility for Emperor Franz Josef I and his wife Sisi, the iconic Austrian Empress.

Founded in 1990 the Butterfly House moved into the Palm House a few years later and until today does not fail to impress visitors of all age groups. Inside a paradise of tropical plants allows the butterflies to live freely in their natural habitat resembling their countries of origin such as Costa Rica, Belize, Suriname, Thailand and the Philippines. A constant 26 degrees and a

humidity of around 80 per cent plus plenty of sunlight make sure that the flying creatures are exposed to the highest level of well being. “All of our butterflies are produced by us, or for us, at recognised butterfly farms in various tropical countries.

None of the butterflies are taken from the wild and there are no endangered species in the exhibition. We do not sell the butterflies we produce to collectors, only to other live exhibitions,” owner Stephen Fried points out.

Often dubbed as nature’s flying flowers, butterflies come in the most amazing shapes, sizes and colours. All butterflies undergo a complete metamorphosis during their life cycle. From egg to larva to pupa they only emerge as a fully-grown butter-

fly after having gone though all the stages.

They live from a few days up to a year, depending on the species and the little beauties are quite picky when it comes to choosing a home. “The Owl butterfly generally lays her eggs on banana leaves, the Heliconius species on passion flower leaves and the Monarch only on milkweed,”Fried explains.

Whatever the weather and regardless of age, the Butterfly HouseVienna is certainly a place not to be missed while being in town. The Butterfly House is also available as an event location, being a most romantic backdrop for a wedding or other oncein-a-lifetime moments. www.schmetterlinghaus.at

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Adventurous Austria

Asian serenity The Asia Spa Leoben, near Graz, is the ideal place to take a break. Built following Feng-Shui guidelines, the spa boasts seven different saunas and nine pools with up to 34 degrees Celsius water temperature and has been awarded the prestigious European Health and Spa Award as Europe’s best public bath.

Main image: Relaxation pool Top: Lotus blossom pool Above: Saline pool in the sauna world Below: Asia infusion at the teahouse sauna

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: ASIA SPA LEOBEN

steam bath and tepidarium to the herbal sauna, the infrared cabin and the teahouse sauna.

hydrating, purifying effect on the skin promoting new cell growth and leaving the skin soft and radiant.

Spokesperson Barbara Grandl says: “The impulse for the Asian direction came from the long-lasting partnership between our town Leoben and the Chinese city Xuzhou.” Extensive research into Chinese traditions, architecture and the principles of Feng-Shui laid the groundwork for the spa.

“The five elements wood, fire, soil, metal and water are presented equally throughout the Asia Spa Leoben,”Grandl adds.

“Our sauna team, who prepare the aromatic infusions, turn a visit into an unforgettable experience,” enthuses Grandl.

“Adding flowery, wooden and fruity mixtures to the infusion water prevents colds and has a relaxing effect. At the Finnish sauna not only do guests receive the experience of the infusions, but they are also further treated to the Asian influence with the hot air being distributed by traditional Asian wooden fans. At the plunge pools the change between intense heat and the refreshing cold supports the immune system and clears the head.”

After the experiences of the sauna infusions, culinary delights await the guests at the main bistro or the sauna bar. Keeping it light and healthy, the chef creates delicious dishes such as the Sesame Honey Scampi.

There is so much more to discover at the Asia Spa Leoben, you simply have to pay it a visit.

The children’s pools are separated from the relaxation area, ensuring everyone gets the most out of their visit. A highlight is the range of saunas, from the Finnish sauna,

The sauna infusion Asia Dream merges Asian flowers with the freshness of spices and minted scents whilst Asia Peeling gently treats the skin. The Asian salt has a de-

Only 50 kilometres away from Graz, nestles the 28,000 square metre Asia Spa Leoben featuring impressive Asian architecture. It is richly decorated with Chinese architectural elements of the Ming Dynasty and, for the guests, inside the doors of this modern spa awaits a holistic relaxation concept.

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www.asiaspa.at/en

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Living tranquility A treatment centre with state-of-the-art medical equipment, a four star hotel situated in architecturally stunning buildings and a health spa with a sauna area make DAS KURHAUS Bad Gleichenberg one of the most beautiful and competent health facilities in Austria.

TEXT: JULIKA HĂ&#x153;THER | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Situated 60 kilometres southeast of the capital Graz with its international airport, the historical spa town Bad Gleichenberg comprises of 20 hectares of parks, picturesque old buildings, a brand new main square and two golf courses, amongst other things.

Surrounded by the softly sloping hills of Southeast Styria, it offers visitors everything they require to recuperate and reach a state of lasting well-being.

The newly constructed KURHAUS houses the four-star hotel and the health spa where tranquility is not merely a slogan but an everyday reality. Neither an animation programme nor water slides disturb the perfectly peaceful atmosphere. Guests can relax, take a step back from their busy

lives back home and recuperate amidst the beautiful setting of the English-style spa gardens. The large glass panels and the stone and wood elements that dominate the building create a seamless connection to nature outside.

A diverse team of general practitioners, physiotherapists, dermatologists, pulmonologists and masseurs, as well as other highly qualified health care professionals, look after guests on a daily basis. In addition, the spa and the cold chamber offer relief for numerous medical conditions.

In fact, the natural spa in Bad Gleichenberg has been used as a healing treatment for more than 180 years. The brine won from

these spas is used to treat respiratory diseases, skin disorders such as psoriasis and atopic eczema as well as muscular-skeletal and locomotor system problems. Treatments for children with their chaperones are available during the summer months and dedicated burnout prevention programmes are available all year round.

Apart from traditional methods, new forms of treatment such as autohemotherapy for arthrosis patients ensure guestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;treatments at KURHAUS are as good as they get. The cold chamber, which patients visit following a medical check-up for three minutes at a time, relieves pain, has an anti-inflammatory effect, releases tension in the muscles and activates the immune system. At minus 110 degrees Celsius, it can improve vitality, general well-being, sleep, physical ability and speed up regeneration.

The tranquil atmosphere, stunning setting and excellent medical treatments guarantee a stay at the KURHAUS Bad Gleichenberg will have a positive lasting effect on body and soul. www.daskurhaus.at

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In harmony with nature Herbs and happiness around Lake Fuschl Calling the Salzkammergut’s unique landscape of mountains and lakes its home, the wellness hotel Ebners Waldhof am See boasts spectacular nature to set both mind and body at ease. Guests can indulge in the healing properties of nature with the hotel’s own massage oils and heated sauna infusions with fresh extracts from the region.

TEXT & PHOTOS: HOTEL EBNER‘S WALDHOF AM SEE RESORT & SPA | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

Nature’s charm is all encompassing in the Salzkammergut Lake District, with strength and inspiration radiating from the vast meadows of the foothills of the Alps, its 76 lakes, unspoilt natural rivers and becks, charming pastures, as well as the impressive limestone massifs of the Dachstein, Totem Gebirge and Höllengebirge mountain ranges. From the 1,000-year-old village lime tree in Faistenau to the distinctive Nockstein mountain in Koppl, the area around Lake Fuschl has crowned 13 unique locations; ‘Glücksplätze’, places of happiness. Follow your own bespoke ‘GlücksWanderung’ [Happiness Hike] for a touch of meditation and enjoyment in the Salzburg region.

When the time comes to head inside, Ebners Waldhof has a delightful homely feel, and its location, nestled between the mountain and the lake, is enough to set hearts’ racing. For time-out from the daily grind, the hotel offers archery, guided hikes, mountain bike rides, walks to discover local herbs, meditation in the forest and yoga amongst other activities.

Interested guests can gain first-hand knowledge directly from the hotel’s experts on herbs as they reveal everything needed to know about the strength and effectiveness of herbs, including ones like eyebright and Zirbe pine. Naturally, the variety of herbs found depends on the time of year.

When it comes to culinary delights, Ebners Waldhof pays close attention to the healing plants of any scale that grow amongst the unspoilt nature of the surrounding Alps and in the hotel’s own herb garden. Head chef Alexander Ebner will certainly blend the most appetising around into his healthy herb-filled dishes.

Plenty of events are scheduled during the summer season such as the Garden Show in Bad Ischl that runs from April to October, and Austria’s largest flower show, the Narzissenfest, takes place in Bad Aussee from 26 – 29 May. From June to September, high summer sees daily events taking place on the Hollersbach mountain pastures, and budding chefs can follow the gourmet Via Culinaria 4 Kids trails from July to September. All in all, these unique activities that play out in and around Ebners Waldhof promise a summer break that’s quite unlike any other and will leave guests feeling more revitalised than ever. www.ebners-waldhof.at

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Adventurous Austria

New hot spot in Vienna’s city centre Welcome aboard! The Motto am Fluss restaurant and café in the ‘Vienna city’ boat station is the place to be. Whether one wants a quick cup of coffee before work, a business lunch in impressive ambience, a tasty dinner or an extraordinary cocktail, the Motto am Fluss caters for all wishes.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: MARIANNE GREBER

Since its opening five years ago, the Motto am Fluss is a true trendsetter. Located in the modern building of a boat station, the stylish venue impresses with classy window fronts, an exclusive ambience and iconic Donau canal views. The first floor is home to Motto am Fluss’s restaurant which is furnished and decorated in the Venetian style of the '50s. The lunch menu is different every day and tasty national and international dishes on the a la carte menu are on offer for lunch or dinner. An extensive wine menu rounds off the program. Not a usual restaurant, it also hosts a lounge in a separate room which serves exquisite cocktails and is perfect for partying with changing

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DJs. “The restaurant, as well as the extra room can also be booked for private celebrations, parties or press conferences,” Philippe Schrader, managing director, notes.

The dishes stand out with their regional and organic ingredients. “We believe that we owe this to mother Earth,” Schrader says. From homemade lemonade to culinary highlights, such as saffron risotto, the extensive and special menu is sure to impress. “I’d describe our food as Austrian with international influences. One of our signature dishes is the braised veal shoulder,” Schrader smiles.The Motto am Fluss’s

second floor is home to the café which follows a different design concept than the restaurant: a big terrace and a light ambience with white wood details create for a young, stylish, casual and urban ambience.

Breakfast is available from eight to four in the afternoon and the big bread oven is a real highlight. One can grab a small snack, a soup or selected patisserie while enjoying the beautiful view of the Donau.

“We tried to implement two separate concepts and thus have created a combination of urban and warm, of trendy and international and familial,”Schrader says. The little oasis in the middle of the city centre stands out with its special ambience and the staff’s friendliness which seeks to fulfil every guest’s wish. www.motto.at/mottoamfluss

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Adventurous Austria

An inherent part of Vienna Vienna’s club U4 has been a fixed component of Vienna’s nightlife scene and has substantially influenced the city’s flourishing into a modern, open international city.

Over three decades, the U4 has been the only club in Austria with international importance.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: CONNY DE BEAUCLAIR I PASCAL RIESINGER

Prince, David Bowie, Kurt Cobain with Nirvana and Grace Jones all have been guests in the U4. Today, international house stars, such as David Guetta and various hip-hop, pop and rock celebrities play concerts in the club.“Many stars come here to party incognito. Johnny Depp once spontaneously came over and sang some songs on stage,” Michael Groess, the manager, smiles.

As an important place for live music, the U4 also thrills its guests with a varying weekly entertainment program. Every Tuesday, the TUESDAY4CLUB fires the crowd up with themed student parties. Wednesdays at the HEARTBREAK HOTEL the U4

turns into the best ‘90s club in Vienna and on Thursdays people can enjoy the U4 COCKTAIL LOUNGE. ADDICTED TO ROCK offers differing rock specials on Fri-

days and Saturday’s BEHAVE! is for all house music party enthusiasts.

While other locations come and go, the U4 has been popular for 30 years.“Our secret of success is that we constantly reinvent ourselves. We create and live trends, as well as dance to older hits,” Groess explains. “The U4 welcomes everyone: Student, rocker, middle-aged banker. This tolerance is unique in Vienna’s club scene.”

The club is directly at the underground station u4 ‘Meidling Hauptstraße’. www.u-4.at

RESTAURANT MIRABELL A wide selection of tasty wines and the love for the native cuisine will make every visit to the Restaurant Mirabell a unique experience. The restaurant pampers its guests with Austrian and international delicacies. The inviting ambiance of the restaurant and its romantic Mirabell Terrace offer unforgettable culinary moments.

Restaurant Mirabell Auerspergstrasse 4 5020 Salzburg, Austria restaurantmirabell.at facebook.com/sheratonsalzburghotel

RESTAURANT GOLDENER HIRSCH Discover authentic Austrian cuisine at its best. The Gourmet Restaurant Goldener Hirsch offers an ambiance with Salzburg charm and award-winning cuisine as well as a selection of fine local and international wines.

Restaurant Goldener Hirsch Getreidegasse 37 5020 Salzburg, Austria goldenerhirsch.com facebook.com/goldenerhirschsalzburg

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Special Theme

Swiss Lakeside Splendour

Enjoy the Swiss shores It’s afternoon rush hour leaving Lugano on the first Tuesday in July and this southern Swiss city is unseasonably warm. Newsreaders report that the temperature is set to rise to the mid thirties. This marks the long-awaited and much lauded arrival of summer.

TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: SWISS-IMAGE.CH

Down by the lakeside, hordes are gathering. Released from the office they make their way steadily in the direction of water.

It’s a similar scene in Zurich, Bern and Lucerne too. If they’re not lining the pavement cafes, they’re locking their bikes up and queuing diligently for the lido. Having the good sense to dress for the weather, their bags, slung nonchalantly over their shoulders, contain bikinis, towels and swimming shorts.

ticularly during summertime, adopt an easy rhythm. Ties are loosened earlier than normal and cars are duly packed up for weekend breaks. But where are they heading?

Options include heading south towards the southernmost canton, Ticino, where good weather is guaranteed. Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore are the obvious choices here. Further north the lakes of Walen, Brienz and Thun with its historic paddle streamer, are calling out to be visited.

Switzerland, like so many central and northern European countries, embraces the outdoors, come rain or shine. Its cities, par-

But opting for less-travelled roads gives you the opportunity to discover rarer destinations, whose more tranquil lakes and

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mountains more than rival the tourist hotspots in terms of beauty.

Here, Discover Germany highlights a selection of some of the country’s best lakes and pastimes such as Lake Murten. Bordered by exquisite vineyards and the imposing Mont Vully, this quaint little lake is one of West Switzerland’s gems. Given this lake’s shallow nature, its waters are always temperate and its wide network of canals link it nicely with Jura’s other lakes so it’s a veritable hotspot for yachtsmen and women.

Lake Walen is another prime example. Passing it by on the motorway, this lake on the border of St. Gallen and Glarus jumps out at tourists with its glimmering waters and mountain scenery. A stop-off in the car-free town of Quinten (reached by foot or boat) is not a pit stop you’ll regret. The Untersee is

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Swiss Lakeside Splendour

found at 1,800 metres above sea level.This is the lower lake of Lake Constance, widely considered one of the most popular swimming spots in Switzerland – and deservedly so given its fine sandy beach. Another top tip is the Lake Hallwil in the canton of Aargau.

There is plenty to do at the Swiss shores such as sailing. Hiring a boat is a truly Swiss way for you to enjoy this country’s diverse scenery. Cruising along to small village ports, taking in the views and enjoying a cool glass of sparking Swiss wine in the process. The larger lakes are your best bet here: consider Lake Lucerne, Lake Neuenburg, Lake Constance, Lake Geneva and the Ticino lakes for larger vessels. Or hire a boat: pedalos, rowing boats, yachts or speedboats. In the German-speaking regions look out for the words ‘Boote mieten’, in the French parts of Switzerland, keep eyes peeled for ‘Locations Bateaux‘ and in the Italian-speaking canton head for the ‘Noleggio’ signs to take advantage of this waterbased transport.

current then you might need to make your core work harder to keep you upright. As your pace is always steady, you don’t need to worry too much about falling in.

Prefer to stay dry and take a hike? With arguably as many amazing squares metres of water as there are lung-busting altitude metres in the mountains, Switzerland’s lakes are frequently located amongst spectacular scenery with mountains providing their panoramic backdrop. From the shore of Lake Lugano, head up alongside the funicular railways on Monte Bre and San Salvatore or take a boat over to Brusino to climb the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Monte San Giorgio. However, Switzerland’s most treasured lakeside hike is in the centre of the country: the Four-LakeHike in the Jochpass region.

As essential to Switzerland as mountains, crafted time pieces and fondue, these diverse bodies of water, often fronted by high mountain peaks, offer the Swiss people and tourists alike the opportunity to enjoy all the aquatic delights you could think of when by the seaside, yet within striking distance of snowy peaks and high alpine pastures.

Swimming is one of the cheapest ways to get the most out of Swiss lakes, it’s always a great idea to find a lake with a floating platform for the kids to jump off. A sport that appeals to the more risk-adverse lakegoer is paddle boarding, as this pleasant pastime requires little courage and only a small amount of coordination. Place your feet wide on the board, facing directly forwards and alternate rowing on either side of your body.To turn, just increase the number of strokes on a particular side. Balance is kept by your wide stance and calm waters naturally make it even easier. If there’s a

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Classic, chic and contemporary elegance The elegant four-star Hotel Des Balances offers the perfect balance between modern and historic charm, and its award-winning gourmet restaurant provides the perfect backdrop for any occasion. Unwind at this adorable spot in Switzerland’s jewel, the historic city of Lucerne.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: HOTEL DES BALANCES

Historic elegance. Relaxed luxury. Unrivaled location.The Hotel Des Balances is a model example of thoughtful historic preservation while featuring contemporary amenities and a world-class kitchen.

legacy in all its architectural splendor, and our passion for tasteful modern elegance,” explains the hotel management.

“We have put considerable effort into creating a new sense of harmony with the elements that surround and inspire us; our unique location alongside the boundless energy of the Reuss River, our historical

Hotel Des Balances, with its iconic, century-old building with an antique façade, looks back at centuries of hospitality and gastronomy. Located within steps of fine restaurants, cafes, nightlife, boutiques, art

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Historic charm in the centre of the old town

galleries and Lucerne’s Reuss River, the hotel strikes the balance between historic charm and traditional Swiss hospitality.

The landmark hotel is surrounded by the charm of cobblestone streets and the history of the town. Lucerne is a buzzing city, small yet lively and full of cultural highlights. The beautiful hotel offers inviting spaces and travel enhancing amenities for relaxing, dining, working, meeting and connecting in the heart of the old town.

Perfect for business or pleasure Hotel Des Balances is designed to meet the needs of individual travelers, tourists and business executives, making it an ideal choice for exploring what Lucerne has to

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Swiss Lakeside Splendour

offer.The in-house restaurant serves locally sourced food, and a cocktail at the bar is a great way to refresh after a day out in the city. Rooms are decorated with warm colours and all rooms and suites are nonsmoking.

“The hotel is your home away from home, for business or pleasure, for drinks or the night. Our restaurant, bar, terrace, as well as our conference rooms and salons are at your disposal for seminars or banquets and ideally situated in Lucerne’s Old Town," states the management.

Balancing modern comfort and hotelier tradition The upscale Hotel Des Balances is renowned for its balance between classic and contemporary chic. From the outside façade, to the spacious rooms and panoramic terrace, the hotel offers many opportunities for guests to let their eyes wander and marvel at the tasteful design. A real eye catcher is the reception and lobby area. The rich, warm, natural tones that characterise the hotel are also matched by the quality and discretion of the experienced staff.

the opportunity to spoil you at lunch or dinner with a market fresh creation inspired by the season. Whether you are a connoisseur or simply appreciate good wines, you will surely find a superb selection on our wine list,” states the hotel management.

The four-star establishment wants guest to: “Experience pure ins-B-ration! Embraced by our ambiance and careful attention to inspire and pamper you, let us reawaken your senses; taste, feel and relax Balances style!” www.balances.ch

Special occasions and experiences From business seminars, to official banquets, catering and special occasions – such as weddings or other social events – the hotel is an experienced and trustworthy service partner. A stay or business seminar at the Hotel Des Balances will be an elevated experience for all guests involved.

Main image: The hotel’s front and antique facade Above: The restaurant’s beautiful sun terrace Below: The acclaimed and star-winning restaurant (left) One of the elegant salons (right) Bottom: The classic and elegant lobby area (left) Hotel Des Balances tasteful and spacious suite (right)

Today, the hotel boasts 56 tastefully appointed rooms in various categories, all of which are comfortably equipped with a bath, shower (or both), a minibar, TV, radio and direct-dial telephone as well as coffee and tea appliances.

Gourmet restaurant balances Fresh and locally sourced ingredients make up the innovative menu creations served at breakfast, lunch and dinner.The Restaurant Balances, with its lounge and bar, offers an intimate venue for friends, family, or business partners to come together during the day or in the evening. On warm days, guest can enjoy the panoramic views on the outside terrace.

The Restaurant Balances, headed by Chef Andy Fluri, has been repeatedly – and internationally – recognised for its culinary creations and gracious service. “Our 14 Gault-Millau point award-winning culinary artist and his crew, anxiously await

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A touch of Thailand in the heart of Switzerland Swiss design hotel Seerose Resort & Spa is not only boasting a terrific lakeside setting, it also treats guests to authentic Thai cuisine and spa as well as offering three different design worlds for ultimate comfort.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: SEEROSE RESORT & SPA

“Our location is a dream, but the Thai ambience we offer is quite unique,”says managing director Tina Halbeisen. As part of the exquisite Balance Hotel Group, the Seerose Resort & Spa convinces with a wonderful blend of genuine Swiss hospitality and truly Asian features. The hotel owner and founder, Felix Suhner, has a passion for Thailand, its culture and its people and he made his dream come true by bringing the Thai experience to Switzerland. And this is exactly, what one can expect when passing by. With a most idyllic setting along the Eastern shore of Lake Hallwil in the canton of Aargau, the Seerose Resort & Spa offers

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the best of both worlds: Unparalleled Swiss hospitality and authentic Thai treats for all senses.

Three different design worlds 91 beautifully decorated rooms and suites are spread over three different houses and each house is following a different design theme, while the common areas such as lobby or restaurants are dominated by natural materials in neutral hues with a subtle note of Thai luxury resort ambience. “Besides our authentic Thai orientated concept, our guests appreciate the unique lakeside location and the fact that we offer three dif-

ferent design worlds. Each of the three buildings are following a very special interior design concept. We have Classic, Elements and Cocon,” Halbeisen explains.

Classic rooms are designed in a natural and contemporary manner and offer fabulous views over Lake Hallwil. The Elements quarters are created in a modern design concept with a vibrant colour scheme

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Swiss Lakeside Splendour

Truly Royal Thai is the motto in the Restaurant Samui-Thai. Here, every single bit from the china and the flower arrangements on the tables to the always smiling staff are a 100 per cent Thai. Gaeng Kiaw Wan Gung or Gai Priaw Wan are just two examples of what to expect from the mouth-watering menu, which is a Royal Thai culinary journey of discovery.

of a relaxing Thai spa experience, Thai dining or experiencing the beautiful surrounding nature,”Halbeisen concludes. www.seerose.ch

Swiss-French with magnificent lake views is what awaits guests in the Restaurant Seerose and if the weather is nice, a visit to the rather casual Seeterrasse is the perfect backdrop for an al fresco dining experience. The best place to end a relaxing day is to enjoy a single malt whiskey in the newly designed Bar & Lounge.

Take a spa trip to Thailand Dreaming of a trip to Bali with a relaxing Thai massage and stunning water views?

No need to board a plane as the new 1,000 square metre large Cocon-Thai-Spa offers all of the above. Again, the team of therapists is Thai and for all therapists it is a must to be fully trained in his or her field.

“It was quite a challenge to find the right people as we needed fully qualified and trained staff,” Halbeisen recalls. Today the spa is attracting visitors from far beyond the Aargau canton borders. deriving from the four elements earth, air, fire and water and refer to the Asian philosophy of the founder. Total privacy and ultimate comfort can be expected in the lavish Cocon Junior Suites and Suites with their large individual outdoor bathtubs, ready for a dip under the stars with stunning lake views.

Swiss delicacies meet Royal Thai cuisine Guests are spoiled for choice in the Seerose Resort & Spa. Just in time for the summer season, new head Chef Andre Buser took over. He spent over 20 years in the finest kitchens of Asia and now spearheads the three restaurants on site. The Restaurant Cocon convinces with a menu made of Swiss classics with an Asian twist.“Discovering the exotic in the familiar”is what Andre Buser and his team strive to create by using only the finest, freshest and most original ingredients.

Unforgettable events Given the picturesque location and the unique dual culture business concept, the Seerose Resort & Spa has become a popular private and corporate event location.

Several conference and banquet rooms, again clients may choose from the three different design worlds, are equipped with the latest technology. They offer space for events of up to 200 participants and can be decorated for any kind of event including a romantic wedding or a big birthday bash. A top tip for smaller group entertainment is a tasting session in the exclusive Solaia Wine Cellar or a party in the bright and airy Winter Garden.

If it is private or leisure, a trip to the sunny side of Lake Hallwil is rewarded with a great deal of treats for all senses.“The place is great for a compact stay. Be it in the form

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Exploring Switzerland on a budget Swiss hostel Lago Lodge doesn’t only attract young backpackers. With a magnificent proximity to Lake Biel, Neuenburger Lake, Murtensee Lake, the biggest bilingual town Biel, castle Nidau and the Jura mountains, it attracts people from all walks of life. The hostel is the perfect starting point to explore the ‘real‘ Switzerland far off the beaten tourist path.

est panoramas of Switzerland - on clear days, visitors can see the Alps from Austria to France. The short distances even allow for a day trip to the Alps. www.lagolodge.ch

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: NATHAN GÜNTENSPERGER

The Lago Lodge is a simple hostel with many young employees, for guests that don’t need a minibar, a TV in the room and white tablecloths. However, with its 20 two-, four- or six-bed rooms, it is not a usual hostel. Even though the prices are as cheap as conventional hostels, the Lago Lodge has far more to offer. Despite providing showers and toilets in each room (which is uncommon for a hostel), the hostel owns its own bistro, as well as an integrated organic beer brewery with the name ‘Seeland Bräu’. The cosy bistro is a much-loved hangout in summer or winter due to its big terrace and fireplace.“Our motto is ‘keep it simple’ and we put special emphasis on wellbeing and cosiness,” Nathan Güntensperger, manager of the Lago Lodge, explains. Offering two changing menus per day and other smaller or bigger dishes, the hostel seeks to use ecological

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and regional products, as well as local producers and suppliers.

Main image: Bistro with terrace and petanque course Above: Lodge with lawn Brewhouse of the Seeland Bräu brewery Below: Two-bed room

The brewhouse of the brewery stands directly behind the bar and caters for guests with a variety of different beers all year around. Beer enthusiasts can even visit the brewery. “Due to the close proximity to Lake Biel and our big terrace, we have many locals visiting who come to eat and drink a beer. Thus, we also offer a direct and easy contact to locals,”Güntensperger says. He adds: “The Lago Lodge isn’t located in a main tourism area of Switzerland and thus, we are perfect for guests who want to experience the ‘real’ Switzerland.” The ‘Seeland’ with its connected lakes and the Jura mountains are destinations for active travellers who want to explore Switzerland on their own. The 1,609 metre high Chasseral, the highest peak of the Bernese Jura, boasts one of the pretti-

Bottom: Four-bed room

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Swiss Lakeside Splendour

Enjoy lunch on an island Ever travelled to an island in a quest for an unforgettable dining experience?

Taking the ferry to Schwanau is rewarded with amazing gourmet food, stunning views and a good bit of history.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: SILVAN BUCHER

The restaurant Schwanau, named after the island it sits on, offers culinary pleasures in a spectacular surrounding. Right in the heart of Switzerland the beautiful island Schwanau is the largest of its kind in Lake Lauerz. Dating back to 1200, it’s myth-enshrouded and reconstructed ruins are the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable dining experience. Swiss hosts Claudine Bruhin and Robert Zwyer are passionate about their island and its rich history. While Claudine entertains guests with the legends and stories about the island’s vivid past, outstanding chef Robert is in charge of the mouth-watering menu featuring high end local cuisine. Only fresh ingredients from the local market are used and every single recipe is strictly archived.

The restaurant itself dates back to 1640, boasting many historical features such as wooden panelling or a ceramic stove. During the summer season the terrace offers splendid lakeside views, while the adjoining ancient chapel is ideally suited for a most romantic wedding. Besides couples willing to tie the knot in style, corporate event organisers have also discovered the charm of Schwanau. Seminars of up to 15 people are best held in the modern tree house - a truly unique ambience.

The ferry departs every 15 minutes, the ride takes approximately five minutes and restaurant reservation is recommended. www.schwanau.ch

Wine experiences, Events & Incentives

Enjoy Wine experiences from the treasure chest Rhine Valley and heart of Rhinehessen.

Taste the famous Riesling wines in its own region.

Exclusive, customised services and packages.

Only 30 minutes from Frankfurt Airport.

urs Wine to moon g at full in st ta e Win t picnic gour me & e in W te chocola Wine &

Herrgottsgarten Her r g ottsgar ten · Berges-Kitzer Ber g es-Kitzer & Schneider GbR R · Augustinerstraße A ugustinerstraße 31 · D-55116 D Mainz · www.herrgottsgarten.de www.herr r g ottsgar ten.de

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Kid’s Corner

Zipping it in style Breastfeeding fashion label Zippidoo After her son was born by caesarian, yoga instructor Marisa Zanon felt uncomfortable wearing trousers. “As it was impossible to breastfeed while wearing a dress, I decided to alter mine and add a zipper across the chest.” This inspired Zippidoo, a fashion label offering stylish, practical dresses for breastfeeding mums.

TEXT: JULIKA HÜTHER | PHOTOS: ZIPPIDOO

A young Austrian label and family business, Zippidoo was founded in 2013 by Marisa and her sisters Nici PederzolliRottmann and Patrizia Pederzolli.“We have four kids altogether and have often found that breastfeeding in public can be awkward and inconvenient,” says PederzolliRottmann. “Zippidoo solves this problem and adds a bit of style to our everyday lives.”

Their trademark dresses with the zipper running across the chest are made from fine cotton and are produced to the highest standards in Portugal.

Function meets fashion “Zippidoo offers breastfeeding mums a product that is distinctly practical and comfortable to wear. The variety of dress types cater to all women,”says PederzolliRottmann. The main feature of the dresses is the Vislon zipper that can be

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opened easily from two sides, enabling women to breastfeed discreetly no matter where or when. It can even be opened with just one hand while cradling baby with the other arm. The subtle design means flashing some flesh while breastfeeding is a thing of the past. The zipper is available in bright and plain colours. In addition, the dresses have appliquéd pockets on the sides, which add a touch of style and can be used to hygienically store nursing pads.

The casual silhouettes mean the dresses can either be worn in a baggy or figurehugging style, and can be combined with leggings, tights or a pair of jeans to match both formal and informal occasions. Due to the high quality, Zippidoo dresses can withstand frequent washing without changing colour or shape.

“As we all love sports, we have tested the dresses doing baby yoga, hiking, cycling, sledging and other sports and have only had positive experiences,” former snowboard pro rider Pederzolli-Rottmann explains. “But we also offer elegant models such as 'Gloria' and 'Betty' that are suitable for special occasions.” Hand-felted and knitted kid's accessories complete the product range, and the coming autumn season will see additional dresses made from organic cotton and long sleeves, leaving stylish mums with a great choice of practical, trendy breastfeeding fashion. www.zippidoo.at

Portrait: Nici und Marisa © Fred Einkemmer

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Discover Germany | Culture | Kid’s Corner

Licence to parent Parenting can be a challenging business. In order to tackle the tricky bits, why not get a parent or baby driver’s licence at Vienna-based parents workshop Elternwerkstatt?

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: ELTERNWERKSTATT

“Our baby license is not about how to change your baby’s diaper but aspects such as effective time management and bonding,” explains Veronika Lippert, chairwoman, training organiser and press representative. “We also offer special father courses like our children-fatherweekends, which have become increasingly popular.”

The parents workshop trainers learn their trade within the association’s very own academy. What’s more, all courses are certified through the Austria-wide Ö-Cert – a fact that the parents workshop is particularly proud of as only a few selected associations receive this seal of quality.

www.elternwerkstatt.at

Love to wear Buzzidil baby carriers can easily be adjusted to suit both the carrier and the baby in its various growing stages.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: BUZZIDIL

Babywearing is not just a trend, It is an attitude towards parenting. Comfort for babies - freedom for parents.“Before founding Buzzidil in 2010, I was searching for the ideal baby carrier for my son Raffael, but just couldn’t find it,” remembers Bettina Stomper-Rosam.“I needed an ergonomic, quickly fastening baby carrier that was comfortable to wear and would support baby’s development in the best way possible.” Thus, the Austrian mum promptly came up with her very own baby carrier for Raffael, nicknamed 'Buzzidil'.

Today, the Buzzidil products are available from the online store and countless retail partners throughout Europe, Chile, Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada. What

Moreover, the Austrian quality work is soon to be expanded to other territories.“In about a year’s time, we are aiming at offering courses in English, Hungarian, SerboCroatian and hopefully Turkish, which will be delivered by travelling mother tongue trainers,”reveals Lippert.“We are also translating our website into English and expanding in Switzerland and Germany. It’s great that our tools are for everyone, no matter which nationality, religion or background.”

So does Lippert have the ultimate parenting tip?“I have three children aged 15, 12 and nine and I do lose my nerves sometimes,” she admits.“My tip: Don’t try to be perfect, but authentic! Listen to what your instincts tell you, be a good role model and try to remember what it was like to be a child. As adults, we often forget.”

makes the team behind Buzzidil most proud, however, is that their carriers help parents to make their lives easier and babies to enjoy the closeness to their parents.

As sustainability is one of the company’s core values, parents will be glad to know

that all Buzzidil products are made from organic materials within Europe.

With her fourth son Jannik, by now nine months old, the Vienna-based businesswoman is continuing to gather inspiration.

“From the beginning, it was my goal to develop the ideal baby carrier for me and my child,”explains Stomper-Rosam.“Through Jannik, I now get the chance to test all the developments that we made over previous years and I can honestly say that I am really happy with the result.” www.buzzidil.com

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Discover Germany | Culture | Kid’s Corner

Her colourful, unusual and unique fashion for babies and children became so popular that Izabella had to assign a small familyowned tailor shop to sew her designs.

“Babauba even became the fastest growing Facebook page in the category Austria/Fashion with over 30,000 fans,”Izabella says. She adds: “I’m happy that my specific taste of exceptional patterns and colours seems to be really popular.” Her collections impress with high quality materials, diverse combination options and exceptional exclusivity. Strictly limited to selling a small number per item, the collections are released in 12 to 24-week cycles. Due to the high demand, Babauba even created an invitation list: only those, who are registered on it, get the access link for the new collection in the first few days.

“We don’t want that every child wears the same looking clothes,”Izabella explains.

From a mother, for mothers Blue dinosaurs, big-eyed owls, cute crocodiles and adorable monkeys – Babauba’s exclusive and colourful baby and children’s clothing lines are sure to light up parents’ and kids’ eyes alike. The Viennese label impresses with the highest quality, perfect workmanship and an affectionate selection of unique fabrics far off the mainstream.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF | PHOTOS: ANA POZDERAC I KAROLINA HORNER I BABAUBA

“I’ve always loved colours and have constantly worn colourful clothes myself,” Izabella Csik, Babauba founder and mother of two, explains. She adds:“After I got my first child, I learned sewing with my friends and I immediately became addicted. I wanted to create clothes for my daughter that I couldn’t get on the high street.”Thus, jazzy colour- and pat-

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tern combinations quickly became Izabella’s trademark and more and more friends and people fell in love with her quirky designs.“The demand became so big that I founded my own company. It was always my dream to work creatively and I’m really grateful that I can now spend my life doing what I love,”Izabella notes.

Whether lively and jolly t-shirts, beanies, hoodies, skirts, jumpsuits, dresses or vests, Izabella’s creations are sure to bring a smile to parents’and childrens’faces alike.“We often hear that babies squeak when they see our designs and that older children start to ask questions about them. We believe that our clothes therefore foster communicative skills just like colourful toys,”Izabella says.

She adds:“We simply seek to give pleasure to adults and children alike. We constantly improve and give our best to achieve this.” www.babauba.at Main image: Izabella Csik, founder of Babauba. © Ana Pozderac Below, from left: ‘WildBlueMonkey-Set’ © Karolina Horner ‘FantiGirl’ © Babauba ‘Jumpsuit’ © Babauba ‘Kleidchen’ © Babauba

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Discover Germany | Culture | Kid’s Corner

Two in one and one of a kind It’s the product multitasking mums have been waiting for: At Germany-based jacket label mamalila you can find babywearing jackets to suit all weather conditions so there really is no excuse anymore to not get outdoors with a growing bump or baby.

feather jacket,”reveals the German entrepreneur.“Similar to the jackets by Primaloft, it’s an extremely light, lined jacket that fits into a small bag and will constantly keep both of you warm.”

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: MAMALILA

Label founder Vicki Marx used to carry her own two children around in a sling whenever she could. The only time when a traditional sling didn’t work for the active mum was bad weather. Her baby would not be protected enough and when wearing a jacket over the sling she couldn’t zip it completely and thus the jacket would remain half-open.

As a consequence, the multifunctional mamalila jacket was born. Thanks to its useful zipping solutions, this clever invention now provides many practical benefits to pregnant women, mums or dads with babies

and even for those whose baby has grown out of the carrying age.“My favourite piece is the All-Weather-Jacket,”says Marx.“I do a lot of sports outdoors and I love the colours, so I wear it quite often - without any children though as mine are ten and 12 by now.”

In 2013 and 2015 the young brand won two prestigious ISPO awards. However, for the enthusiastic team of mothers at mamalila, success does not equal standstill and so they continuously develop the initial idea further. “We are looking forward to soon introduce our new synthetic downy

So no matter if you are looking for summer or winter, outdoor or casual, pregnancy, nursing, baby wearing or solo wearing: mamalila is always a great choice for parents on the go and active people in general. For the whole range, take a look at the mamalila website, where you can purchase all products through the online shop. Alternatively, check out specialist retailers such as pregnancy, baby sling and outdoor shops where you will also have the advantage of receiving a personal consultation. www.mamalila.de

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Event Location of the Month Germany

A magical place for every occasion The Hasenöhrl Hof in Upper Bavaria, near Munich, is a truly enchanted location for corporate or private events alike. With modern facilities in a rustic environment and professional staff, the farm is certainly one of a kind.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: HASENÖHRL HOF

The listed farm was originally built in 1516, but was completely renovated in 2001 by its caring owners Bärbl and Frank Hasenöhrl.

With over 25 years of experience in the event industry Hasenöhrl had been looking for a more unconventional event location and in Hasenöhrl Hof they found it. Surrounded by the pre-alpine landscape, it was love at first sight for the Hasenöhrl family when they stumbled upon the old farm.

Project manager Pia Widmesser says:“The Hasenöhrl Hof nestles in 20 hectares of scenic nature and almost every event and idea, indoor and outdoor, can be accommodated. Located in Geitau near Bayerischzell, we are also easily accessible.

Guests can leave their daily lives behind and find inspiration as they are immediately captured by the farm’s unique atmosphere.”

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Team-building courses are held at the Hasenöhrl Hof and the facilities include high rope courses and rafting amongst many other activities. Weather permitting open air meetings can be held in one of the beer gardens allowing a wonderful view.

With a love for detail and a great deal of warmth the hosts make sure that special occasions such as weddings and birthdays will be remembered by their guests for years to come. Every event is tailor-made and receives the team’s full attention.“We are absolutely dedicated to our guests.

Every day the team around Bärbl and Frank Hasenöhrl works with passion, enthusiasm and the goal to realise their customer’s ideas to perfection. For us it is not just a job, it is a calling to make unconventional ideas possible,”adds Widmesser.

Taking in culinary specialities from selected alpine regions, the farm kitchen creates an overall experience for the palate and can cater for small groups or up to 600 people, whatever the case the chefs know their art.

“From event management, to on-going activities, the actual events to our own catering and courses, we have a very diverse and complex job here,”Widmesser explains.

“We are particularly proud of our employees. Without this team who works so passionately, showing immense personal commitment and standing up for each other, we would not be able to deliver all these exceptional events.” www.hasenoehrl-hof.de

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Discover Germany | Business | Solicitor Column

Food fight at the TTIP table TEXT & PHOTO: GREGOR KLEINKNECHT

From chlorine chicken to hormone beef, hidden genetically modified ingredients, and the protection of the authenticity and provenance of regional products such as Champagne, Black Forrest ham or Cornish pasties, the TTIP proposals on food standards and safety, and on protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications, proved controversial enough last month for the European Parliament not even being able to agree to vote on draft recommendations (although that vote has now taken place).

TTIP (which stands for Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) frequently makes the headlines because of the equally controversial rules on Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) procedures and also because of the impact it may have on public services, such as the NHS. But its consequences for the food we eat are going to be much more likely to matter to real world consumers.

Most people will probably agree that free trade is a good thing in principle and many of us will no doubt benefit from the boost to European economies which free trade with the US would bring. But free trade is not just about tariffs on imports, it is also about eliminating regulations that pose barriers to trade. In jargon, this is called 'regulatory convergence'. While the EU is often much maligned in this country, it has put in place some of the highest standards

in the world for protecting us, our health, and our environment from pesticides in agriculture (and the levels of pesticide residues allowed in food), GM foods, growth hormones and accelerators in beef linked to cancer, banned chemicals in cosmetics and more. Our American counterparts would dearly love to see these removed because they mostly apply regulations which are much less strict.

Does it matter? What does matter is, first, that TTIP must not result in a watering down of standards to the lowest common denominator and, secondly, that the freedom of European consumers to make informed buying decisions on the basis of clear food labelling is preserved.There may be some who prefer their Parma ham indeed to come from Parma, and are prepared to pay a little extra for the privilege, whereas others may be perfectly happy for their Parma-style ham in fact to come from Pittsburgh. Equally, I would quite like to be told whether the food product I buy contains GM ingredients so that I can decide not to buy it if I don't want to, rather than for them to be slipped onto my plate under the radar screen.

Until the final wording of a treaty has been negotiated, we will not know what standards and rules the EU and US can agree upon in relation to this and other topics but there are many issues at stake about which EU citizens should care; food is definitely one of those.

Gregor Kleinknecht LLM MCIArb is a German Rechtsanwalt and English solicitor, and a partner at Hunters Solicitors, a leading law firm in Central London.

Hunters Solicitors, 9 New Square, Lincolnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inn, London WC2A 3QN E-mail: gjk@hunters-solicitors.co.uk www.hunters-solicitors.co.uk

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Experts in creating innovative information technologies The Voigtmann GmbH is a pioneer in developing individualised software and in operating highly available IT systems. While also offering services in software development and individualised digital innovations, their core competency especially lies in the area of healthcare IT with which the owner-run company seeks to rise to the challenges of tomorrow.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: VOIGTMANN GMBH

“Every four hours, a diabetic goes blind in Germany. Throughout the world, and especially in Third World countries, the statistics look even worse. Ophthalmologists can detect the symptoms at an early stage and thus, could completely prevent the eyesight’s stagnation. However, due to a shortage of doctors and a growing number of diabetics, ophthalmologists are overwhelmed with this task,” Peter Voigtmann, founder and CEO of Voigtmann GmbH, explains.

He adds: “Therefore we seek to support doctors with our innovative and individual

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the technological possibilities and limitations for the development of a diagnosis system which simultaneously and also chronologically measures the human vision and easily evaluates eye motility, fixation, convergence, accommodation capabilities, as well as stereoscopic vision.

healthcare IT solutions. Our primary goal is to help people.”

Providing everything but standard solutions, Voigtmann GmbH managed to develop an innovative vision screening unit for the ophthalmology. A common project with the University Erlangen-Nuremberg, research institutes and a European partner developed a device which seeks to foster the automated detection of the loss of eyesight at an early stage. With a team of experts, the Voigtmann GmbH investigated

Portrait: Peter Voigtmann, CEO of Voigtmann GmbH

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Discover Germany | Business | Voigtmann

Left: Healthcare IT Software

administers IT outsourcing services, as well as managed services such as a data backup service, system integration or remote desktop service. Through this, the Voigtmann GmbH boasts extensive know-how in the conception, programming, implementation and operation of mobile software applications and stationary devices, complex databases, secure data networks and system integration.

Their profound knowledge in this field has brought about substantial business partnerships with the likes of HP, Microsoft, IBM or Apple.“We have substantial knowledge from preparing the initial white paper to implementing and operating the finished product,”Voigtmann says.Voigtmann GmbH’s subject-specific experience combines the fields of services together to one integrated profile.“After all, whoever knows and masters the daily requirements of the technical operation is also able to design and create highly individual software solutions and reliable IT systems for the productive use in business,”Voigtmann notes.

However, not only does the company develop ideas of their own, they also work on behalf of other businesses.

The result is a system which comprises a novel vision screening unit with corresponding computer-based investigation technology by the Voigtmann GmbH. It brings about manifold advantages for day-to-day life in medical practices and facilitates new diagnosis methods. As examination procedures are conducted automatically, time is saved and costs are cut. Furthermore, important new possibilities for research and science arise through Voigtmann’s new approach to the investigation of neurophysiological processes which help the human vision, their vision screening unit and the corresponding computer-based examination methods. Common, currently available devices don’t make investigations like these possible. Voigtmann notes: “This doesn’t mean that we can replace a doctor. They’re still as important – we simply see our products as valuable support of their work.”He

adds: “We constantly try to strike out in a new direction with intensive, interdisciplinary research.”A great innovation, the project still waits for approval as a medical device.

Not only developing innovative software, Voigtmann GmbH also operates and certifies them according to ISO 13485 for medical devices. “We carry out certification processes for medical products and accompany this process with our clients,”Voigtmann notes. An owner-run, medium-sized and certified IT system house that develops and operates client-individual software and IT solutions for business clients,Voigtmann GmbH also provides IT consultancy and

Already knowing that he wanted to become an entrepreneur at university, Peter Voigtmann has always loved finding new solutions to problems. He says:“I have always loved the new and innovative.”Thus, he created theVoigtmann GmbH according to his philosophy“a product needs to be individual so that it brings about new solutions”. With the highest quality and a big portion of innovative capacity, as well as reliability, the IT service provider’s philosophy is humble:“Quality is our self-concept. We see our work as software developers and IT specialists as our passion. Our solutions guarantee value creation and sustainable success for companies and institutions that have the desire to improve existing processes with digital innovations or to realise innovative ideas.” www.voigtmann.de/en

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Pioneers of simple and modest elegance

Valentien & Valentien landscape architectural office’s goal is to keep things plain and simple to withstand ever-changing requirements. The family business, already in its second generation, follows a design philosophy which banks on innovation, clarity, unobtrusiveness, durability and aesthetics, while breaking up structures with a fundamental landscape architectural element: plants.

Covering a broad range of tasks from regional planning and urban development

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From disused airport to city oasis An exceptional example of Valentien & Valentien’s work is the exhibition city Riem

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF

Founded more than 40 years ago, the small family business impresses with a familial but productive ambience. The team in Wessling, near Munich, works with a handful of employees collectively developing intelligent landscape architectural solutions that astound.“We focus on working multidisciplinary and that makes us stand out.

Our overall goal is to create simple and plain designs which withstand changes.

After all, landscape architecture needs to be usable for a long time,” Donata Valentien, one of the founders, explains.

transform traditional Chinese park elements in contemporary design,” Donata Valentien says.

to private gardens, Christoph and Donata Valentien’s focal point lies in the development of a city’s public spaces from revitalisation of historic town centres and the enhancement of residential estates of large-scale housing constructions, to the conceptualisation and the building of open spaces in new parts of town. In the last few years, the landscape architectural office has put special emphasis on projects in China, such as the Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai (with Auer + Weber + Assoziierte) or the ‘Wasserplatz’ in the Central Business District in Wuxi (with Klaus Molenaar). “We constantly try to identify with the locations in China and to

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Discover Germany | Business | Valentien & Valentien Architekten

in Munich (with Maya Reiner + Jörg Weber). The architectural office implemented sustainable landscape concepts in a new neighbourhood on the grounds of the former airport Munich Riem.The project seeks to create 13,000 new jobs and new flats for approximately 16,000 people – all under the motto ‘living and working amidst greenery’.“We had to think in a forwardlooking way. Since we started to build the green spaces before the houses were built.

People would already find a liveable and attractive environment, when moving in during the coming years,” Donata Valentien says.

The project reveals Valentien & Valentien’s design philosophy: a park or a place needs to outlive decades, sometimes centuries, it makes a city distinctive for humans; it gives identity, orientation and a sense of home.

Public spaces are common goods where people search for silence, relaxation and a connection with nature in contrast to the city. The design of a new city should think ahead of future inhabitants, should feel and artistically interpret the spirit of a place and thus, create unique ambiences which are contemporary but can become timeless.

Messestadt Riem embodies exactly this philosophy.

The design of the built open space structures are plain and architectural. Sturdy materials such as natural stone, concrete, wood and gravel were carefully placed and tension and diversity were developed through different vegetation compositions: green carpets of grass merge into colourful, near-natural meadows and forest-like patches change with light tree groves. Each street and each courtyard have a special character.“Orientation doesn’t emerge from signs, but rather through design, alleys, trees and blossoming hedges. Each street has a different tree for example,” Donata Valentien explains. The ‘Platz der Menschenrechte’ in the project’s centre comprises of pine trees which conjure a southern ambience with their smell and their shimmering light, while the sandy ground and the big oak trunks create a holiday feeling. In contrast, the birch grove, a light portico with a dark ivy ground, creates intimacy. The way towards the big park leads through swinging prairie grass and the borders of the quarter are planted with triplerow robinias. The long esplanade will hold markets, as well as festivals for the residents.“We have managed to create an intelligent combination of strictness and liveliness,” Donata Valentien concludes. www.valentien.de

Valentien & Valentien managed to create open spaces, which follow the project’s social and ecological goals. Developed in interdisciplinary teams, the open spaces form a legible, spatial framework which gives orientation and individuality to the housing units. The residents got private and semipublic open spaces, as well as a big park and playing or sport areas for common use.

Each flat is safely connected to walkways and cycle paths which lead into open landscapes. Additionally, one can see the Alps from each perspective. “Our fundamental material, the plant, brought another dimension to the project – the liveliness, the colours, the cheerfulness of nature and constant change,” Donata Valentien explains.

She adds: “The location was a design-determining factor despite, or maybe because, of its bleakness. The dry, gravelly soil, the relics of the old airport and the wide view inspired us.”

Top left: Reed grass strips in autumn. © Christoph Valentien Above left: Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai. © ER Dongqiang (left) Wasserplatz Wuxi. © Jan Siefke, Shanghai (middle & right)

Top right: Church centre with pinewoods. © Christoph Valentien Above right: Robinia esplanade. © Michael Heinrich Below: ‘Platz der Menschenrechte’. © Michael Heinrich

Bottom left: Cycle lane in the birch grove. © Michael Heinrich

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Discover Germany | Business | Arcona Living

Subtle elegancy and modern comfort The four-star lifestyle and design hotel arcona LIVING SCHAFFHAUSEN offers fabulous accommodation and facilities for a quick getaway or a business trip. With a large wellness area, the Asia spa, and various seminar rooms, the arcona ticks all the boxes.

rant. “We follow an international theme, from Mediterranean to regional specialties, for example the Schaffhauser Riesling Soup, to healthy Asian and Arabic cuisine,” explains Wiman.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: ARCONA LIVING SCHAFFHAUSEN

Schaffhausen is mainly known for its spectacular waterfalls, the Rheinfall, but the beautiful area of the Blauburgunderland, with its lush Rhine landscape, is still a real insider tip.

The arcona LIVING SCHAFFHAUSEN is conveniently located adjacent to the train station and is only about half an hour away from Zurich airport, making it easily accessible for international guests.

The modern building, which opened its doors in 2014, boasts 112 rooms and 18 apartments and over 400 parking places.

Seven high-quality seminar rooms of various sizes give space for up to 340 guests.

These daylight filled rooms feature modern interiors and are equipped with state of the art conference technology. Professional personal conference staff are on hand to en-

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sure the smooth running of any event. The arcona is the ideal destination for holding a conference or event in a tranquil setting, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Special business packages are available for a range of different occasions.

Director of Sales and Marketing Anna Wiman says:“As a newly established conference hotel, we are the perfect host for meetings and seminars. With the Asia Spa, our 1,200 metre-squared wellness oasis and the natural beauty of the waterfalls only ten minutes away, we are meeting the requirements of each guest whether on business or on holiday.”

After a day’s work or a hike in the area, guests can relax at the wine bar and restau-

The show kitchen on the sunny terrace offers some subtle entertainment and on Thursdays fresh cocktails are offered with a tapas buffet and cool DJ sounds. At the arcona there is also a little wine store, where guests can buy their favourite local wine to take it home. A tasty souvenir, be it of a business or leisure trip. www.schaffhausen.arcona.ch

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Your Shortcut to Scandinavia Bergen

NORWAY

Oslo Stockholm Bromma

SWEDEN Aalborg

Gothenburg

Aarhus

UNITED KINGDOM

DENMARK Billund

Manchester

London City

GERMANY Brussels

D端sseldorf

BELGIUM

SWITZERLAND

Munich

Z端rich

S n acks

Me als

Drinks

ba.com

Pap ers

Lounges

Smiles

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Special Theme

Top 3 Austrian Architects

querkraft

Architecture between poetry and pragmatism Architecture is both precise and visionary. It is all around us and impacts our living experiences and practical functions. Good architecture can work as a social catalyst, underpinning peoples’ aspirations, their activities, joy, and life contexts.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: QUERKRAFT

Embracing this philosophy, the Austrian architectural firm designs spaces for people to enjoy, live and work in. “We want to give people spaces”, is the credo of the firm. In other words, they focus on how the built environment connects to peoples’quality of life. The starting point for their designs are people and their environments; their scales, interests and engagement in their communities.

“We build around the needs of people.They are at the centre of our designs. Our approach – a balance between poetry and pragmatism – is always a new challenge for us,” explains Jakob Dunkl, one of the three querkraft owners. He adds:“We never

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give up. We are excited about new, challenging projects. And, we are told that we stay cool even under pressure.”

Poetic and pragmatic solutions querkraft embraces the duality of poetic ideas and pragmatic solutions. With refer-

ence to a Werner Herzog movie, in which the protagonist wants to build an opera house in the jungle, art critics have labelled querkraft’s museum in Carinthia the“Fitzcarraldo on the Drau”.

Through their strategic approach and by focusing on the needs and goals of customers, users and other stakeholders, the firm’s design solutions have always proved to be innovative yet effective.This also epitomises querkraft’s approach to look at things in their context and to employ this

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top 3 Austrian Architects

other European countries. Each year, they take on a selected number of clients, and querkraft has been commissioned with the construction of prominent projects ranging from commercial and apartment buildings, private residences, residential highrises, to museums.

Life - spaces - joy - work The firm’s focus is working with their clients to create mutually beneficial relationships between people’s quality of life and their built environment. A recent example of their work is the conversion of a huge lobby in the historic Vienna stock exchange into their new office headquarters.

Main image & above: Museum Liaunig, Museum for Contemporary Art, in Neuhaus, Suha, Carinthia, Austria Portrait: The three querkraft owners Jakob Dunkl, Peter Sapp, and Gerd Erhartt Below left: querkraft headquarters in the historic Vienna stock exchange Right: Technical Museum Vienna Citygate Tower, a residential highrise in Vienna Leopoldtower, a residential highrise in Vienna U31, residential passive house

contextual knowledge to build onto it; philosophically and practically. querkraft - approach and history Located inVienna, Austria, and founded in 1998, querkraft provides design services in corporate architecture, urban design and interiors for a wide variety of public and private clients and industries. Together, the three owners Jakob Dunkl, Gerd Erhartt, and Peter Sapp head a team of approximately 30 multicultural, dynamic and highly qualified architects. After getting their start more than 17 years ago, the partners have successfully established querkraft as one of the most respected and integrated design firms in Austria.

The architectural office has completed award-winning projects in Austria and

In order to make more qualified decisions about how to design, conceptualise and change environments, querkraft architects take the time to understand people’s use of public spaces.Through this creative process, which is beneficial for everyone, they actively improve the quality of life of individuals, communities and cities.

Past and present projects From the on-set, querkraft has been recognised for their modern, innovative and puristic design. “We won the first big, international competition that we took part in – the Adidas Brand Center in Germany.

Similarly, we also won our first competition in France recently – with an apartment complex in Paris,”states Dunkl.

In 2013 querkraft won the state prize for architecture and sustainability for their housing project U31 in Vienna. While querkraft has great expertise in constructing housing buildings, they have also realised museums. The most prominent example is the Museum Liaunig in the Austrian province of Carinthia.“In fact, the Museum Liaunig was declared part of the Austrian cultural heritage, only five years after we finished construction,” explains the querkraft’s owner.

Contextual design for people Having worked in many segments and successfully mastered a plethora of diverse projects, querkraft is confident and excited about future projects. The firm states:“We

look forward to bigger projects that combine both creativity and building quality. We want to continue to build for people – and to bring more joy to people. We want to grow and advance qualitatively and as well as in quantitative terms.” www.querkraft.at

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Architects with heart and soul Contemporary and intelligent architecture at its best: Austria’s hmA (Hann Mitterecker Architekten) architects constantly put the human in the focus of their architectural creations. Their architecture seeks to act as a background for different and changing stages of life and situations and thus, their architecture impresses with a distinctive timelessness and a design vocabulary reduced to the minimum.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: PHILIPP KREIDL I ANDREAS BUCHBERGER I HMA ARCHITECTS

“Our formal design is unconditionally modern without being fashionable,”Wolfgang Hann, one of the two founders of hmA, notes. Located in the middle of Vienna’s city centre, hmA’s office is the place

where founders Wolfgang Hann and Georg Mitterecker, alongside 15 employees, bring their intelligent ideas to life. A true architectural general contractor, hmA offer their long-term experience and extensive knowhow in a variety of areas from property valuation to the turnkey handover. hmA’s special emphasis lies on designing and building new buildings, as well as in building revitalisation where hmA’s careful and meticulous planning manages to breathe new life into existing building structures.

facetted process. “Thus, we comprehensively listen, understand and grasp the motifs and needs of our clients and can achieve the set goals,” Mitterecker explains. He adds:“Our architecture isn’t an end in itself.

Rather, projects with surplus value are the result of our work. We are architects with heart and soul and know that architecture is more than mere building.” Therefore, their architectural creations touch emotionally and intellectually and always keep the human in the focus of their implementation of ideas. Hann says: “We see architecture as a process in which we constantly develop ourselves. We are curious and don’t shy away from questioning because detours can increase knowledge.”hmA’s main emphasis is put on sustainability, individuality, as well as suitability.

“Our solutions surprise in a positive way”

Portrait: hmA managers Georg Mitterecker (left) and Wolfgang Hann (right) – hmA Architekten

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With a special focus on strong client bonds, the architectural office perceives their contracting entities as partners in a multi-

“We are authentic and truly love what we do,”Mitterecker smiles. This work philosophy can be recognised in their vast portfo-

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top 3 Austrian Architects

reduced, while one can easily cool off the flat in summer. The inside is kept white and impresses with most modern furnishings, as well as spacious, open rooms.

Another great example of hmA’s work can be gazed at in Vienna’s Neubaugasse. The flagship store of sustainable bag manufacturer Freitag has been given a very individual nuance by the architects. In cooperation with Zurich-based spillmann echsle architects, the team managed to reflect the company’s philosophy and their unelegant, yet stylish product in the architecture and the interior design. Simple, raw materials and recycled elements were used and thus, the architectural office managed to effectively revitalise the existing shop premises with the help of most simple means. hmA freed the existing space of unnecessary dividing walls, cleaned and washed floors, ceilings and walls and thus, made the original building materials and the traces of time visible again. A big opening in between the front and back of the shop creates generous space – all this with a mere construction period of six weeks.

lio of impressive work. Projects like the new penthouse apartment in Vienna’s Westbahnstrasse on top of an old building are sure to impress. Situated in a light attic, hmA managed to create three beautiful private apartments with impressive views across the city through the use of big window fronts. While the overall look is simple, elegant and timeless, it is also modern. The outside is characterised by an intelligent shading system which can be easily adjusted to the inhabitant’s needs and wishes.

While looking exceptional, this architectural miracle also helps to balance the temperature and light incidence of the property.

In winter, the energy consumption can be

A new construction in the Grillparzerstrasse in Purkersdorf near Vienna impresses with luxury throughout and a beautiful contemporary design on the inside, as well as the outside. The spacious luxury villa boasts simple, yet elegant structures and a colour concept that is entirely dominated by white nuances. The initial challenge for hmA was the land configuration.

A very steep slope was embedded in unattractive neighbourhood developments in close proximity.The architectural team then vertically designed the substantial space program so that it would follow the initial hillside course with different levels.The upper level is the heart of the building with a

generous living area and impressive views across the landscape. hmA created the greatest possible transparency, as well as privacy at the same time. Many open areas, such as terraces, a wellness court or an outdoor pool were added. The house appears hermetic from the outside, but from the inside views in all directions are possible.

Neither the hermetic ambience, nor the close proximity to neighbours can be felt through spectacular spatial impressions.

No wonder hmA has been awarded with the European Best Architects Award in 2015 for this building. www.hmA.at

Main image & left: Penthouse in Vienna’s Westbahnstrasse.

Photos: Philipp Kreidl Above: Freitag flagship store in Vienna’s Neubaugasse.

Photos: Andreas Buchberger Below: Luxury villa in Grillparzerstrasse in Purkersdorf near Vienna.

Photos: Philipp Kreidl

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Challenges handled with care For Thomas Lorenz and his team at Graz-based civil engineering company Thomas Lorenz ZT GmbH, an architectural or technical challenge is not an obstacle, but an opportunity.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: THOMAS LORENZ ZT GMBH

“Even though we offer a range of different services such as project controlling, general planning, structural engineering and site supervision, there are also a couple of specialist areas that we can call ourselves true experts in,” explains DI Roland Reichl, qualified engineer and head of structural engineering at Thomas Lorenz ZT GmbH. “These include building bridges, facade statics and detailed steel construction planning.” As such, the team of founder and CEO Thomas Lorenz can apply its indepth professional knowledge to architecturally challenging high-rise buildings and technically challenging infrastructure projects alike.“No matter if we cover just one of our previously mentioned specialist

104 | Issue 29 | August 2015

fields or several of them: our approach is always solution-oriented and characterised by creative, interdisciplinary thinking,”adds Reichl.

Portrait: Thomas Lorenz

One for all and all for one This interdisciplinary approach is becoming more and more important in today’s civil engineering landscape. “Planning is increasingly considered as one overall integrated, interdisciplinary process,”the company’s representative continues to explain.

The keyword here is BIM –‘Building Information Modelling’. Interdisciplinary cooperation also means that planning procedures and changes can be implemented more easily. It helps that the Austrian firm is not only an expert in technical matters, but on a social scale, too.“We like to think that our main strengths are our broad professional knowledge, plus our young and motivated team,” reveals Reichl. “We appreciate and communicate in a most friendly way with all our colleagues, project partners and clients. Respect, fairness, quality work and meeting deadlines are the key values of our business. As such, our ideas and recommendations are always well re-

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Top 3 Austrian Architects

ceived.”Handling the interest of all parties with care pays off: The clients of Thomas Lorenz ZT GmbH can expect a fast realisation of high-quality solutions at all times.

When it comes to buildings, the trend is that these become increasingly complex in terms of geometrics and styles. Free form styles for buildings, roofs, bridges or infrastructure buildings are not a rare occasion anymore, but are now dominating the company’s daily work.

Promising potentials The developments in the industry also mean that the creative minds behind Thomas Lorenz ZT GmbH can reach the full potential of their engineering aspirations.“One project that we have been particularly proud of was the new air traffic control tower at the airport of Vienna,”recalls Reichl. “It was the very first project that Thomas Lorenz tackled after deciding to found his own business in 2003. Thanks to the different specialists involved, we were able to provide great solutions for several areas. The project was also awarded the European Steel Design Prize.”International projects soon followed, for example in the Far East.“The re-construction of the funicular railway in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku, the most Eastern city in Europe, allowed us to develop our full potential as it involved all disciplines,”gushes Reichl.“We supported the architects in finding the right form and roof construction, developed the

static structure, calculated the steel-glass construction and provided the geometrical calculations as well as the complete planning of the project’s steel construction. We were even involved in the assessment of the existing soil. It was a truly all-encompassing project.”

A strong team Aside from providing high-quality services to building companies, Dr. Lorenz is committed to sharing his knowledge as a professor at the University of Applied Sciences in Graz. In this context, he also holds several lectures outside the University, for example at the 30th Austrian Steel construction day in Salzburg. Additionally, the team of by now 40 employees enjoys being part of opening ceremonies for their own projects such as the recent ceremony for the Styria Media Center in Graz. Moreover, they put a strong emphasis on being involved in charity events as well as on social activities such as the annual 'office ski day' to strengthen the team spirit. In Britain, the

international player with offices in Graz, Vienna and Moscow has been involved in yet another fascinating development within its industry.“For a good few years now, we have been part of facade engineering in the UK,”says Reichl.“We have been calculating the facades and steel constructions in partnership with the executing companies of various projects in England.”Most recent projects include the new office building ‘BP Sunbury’ by British Patrol in Sunbury or the new company house ‘Dyson09’ of vacuum cleaner manufacturer Dyson in Malmesbury. www.tlorenz.at

Main image: Baku Funicular Above: Styria Media Center (left) Pavillon construction finished (right) Below: Air traffic control tower in Vienna (left) OEBB Zentrale (middle) DC-Tower (right)

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Green Business of the Month Germany

A prime example of sustainable entrepreneurship One litre of sunlight in just one jar! The solar powered glass jars bearing the name SONNENGLAS™ are eco-friendly, truly sustainable and improve the quality of life of countless people in the heart of South Africa.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: SONNENGLAS™

In 2011, electrical engineer Harald Schulz invented the solar powered light made of recycled glass jars in order to facilitate locals in remote areas with a source of light without electricity. Schulz left a comfortable corporate life behind to pursue a new path of helping those less fortunate in South Africa. The SONNENGLAS™ was born and a fairytale like story of successful Third World aid started. Within a few months 15 employees were part of the SONNENGLAS™ factory staff team, the

106 | Issue 29 | August 2015

number doubled swiftly and today 70 people are working happily under fair conditions. And the team is constantly growing.

Everyone is most welcome to see for themselves what Schulz has established.Visitors are always surprised by the company culture which makes the workforce appear like a big and happy family rather than a bunch of work colleagues.“It is totally different from what one would expect when entering a production plant,”Stefan Neubig, distribution and brand manager at

SONNENGLAS™ / Consol Solar Jar™ says. “The SONNENGLAS™ production offers much more than just a work place to the people, who mainly come from the

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Discover Germany | Green Business of the Month | Germany

townships: They are part of a community,” he explains. And it does not stop here, as he continues: “With the revenue we gain, we fund education for our workers. Most of

them do not even have a proper school education. They are able to gain a school leaving qualification during work hours and it always amazes me to see how conditions improve every time I visit.”

expansion is quite a challenging process, but we are very excited about it. We are also currently developing new solar products, but details are confidential so far,” Neubig drops a hint.

Truly sustainable

Great, yet simple award-winning design

The concept is almost too simple to be true. Solar panels on the top of the jar catch the sunlight at daytime, which can be used after dusk. High quality LED lights provide a warm light that lasts for hours.

Handmade with love in South Africa, over one million jars have been produced so far by the people of Alexandra and Soweto.

“Unfortunately sustainability has become a bit of a corporate buzzword in recent times. But it really should be a concept and core value of a company. It starts with the corporate mission, the product design and the client relationships far across the borders of ecological issues. For us this is normal,” Neubig points out. At SONNENGLAS™ every single step in the production chain is put into question over and over in order to identify room for improvement.“We just replaced the padding material for the packaging with recycled paper. This recycled paper comes from a plant close to our production facilities. Cutting the recycled paper is a slightly more costly than using the old foam fillers for packaging. Bottom line is that it costs more, but at the same time it is a truly sustainable solution. It is all a question of priorities,” Neubig explains.

The SONNENGLAS™ has won numerous design awards and is known globally as Consol Solar Jar. Its natural and beautiful design has already gained a loyal fan base across the globe and it seems that designsavvy and eco-conscious customers can’t get enough of developing ever-new decoration ideas.The jar can be filled with sand, pebbles, shells or whatever matches one’s personal preferences and it provides a romantic and cosy ambience all year round, outdoors and indoors alike. Be it a dozen of jars in a garden tree or a glass filled with miniature figurines on the dining table inside the house, options are endless. The SONNENGLAS™ is ideal for any purpose.

No batteries needed, it helps to something good to our planet. Putting it on the table at a dinner party, placing it next to the BBQ or bringing it along as a gift for the host, certainly brings along interesting small talk opportunities and those who haven’t heard about the ingenious jar yet, will definitely be amazed.

2015 is another exciting year for SONNENGLAS™ as expansion plans into North Africa are currently under way.“The

www.sonnenglas.net

Getting a SONNENGLAS™ (or a few more) is a win-win situation for everyone – here in Northern Europe and in the remote valleys of South Africa.

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Special Theme

Great, Green & Organic

Delicious corporate gifts with a healthy twist Having successfully conquered a niche in the corporate gift market, myfitmix supplies high-quality personalised organic food gifts and promotional items to forward thinking and health-conscious companies all over Europe.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: MYFITMIX

After Oleksandr Shcherbina completed his MBA degree, he was eager to set up his own business. Together with wife Lyudmyla, a law graduate, he developed the idea of producing organic snacks for the consumer market. It did not take long until corporate clients discovered the opportunity of sending a healthy greeting to their clients. Large order quantities kept pouring in and myfitmix turned into a global player.

“On the one hand, myfitmix offers Europe’s largest range of organic corporate gifts in the food sector. On the other hand we recently added the so far neglected snacks and nibbles to the classic sweet promotional articles. A few years ago sweets and gummy bears dominated the industry, but now our products like organic student nut mix, organic muesli bars or organic fruit snacks have taken over,”myfitmix founder Oleksandr Shcherbina reveals.

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All myfitmix products are 100 per cent organic, free of preservatives, additives and additional sugar and bear the bio/organic DE-OEKO-005 certification. Extremely competitive prices are a further advantage as, as according to the owner“organic does not have to be expensive”.

Creative and innovative, the Shcherbinas continuously add new products such as candles, coffee, spices and much more to the myfitmix portfolio. In-house production facilities and creative packaging solutions ensure outstanding quality and the client list is impressive, featuring names like Allianz, Mercedes Benz, Sony, Greenpeace and many more.“Most of our clients appreciate the variety of our product range, the opportunity of individualisation, good prices and small minimum order quantities.

On top of that, the topic ‘organic’ is grow-

ing ever more important in our society,” says Oleksandr Shcherbina. Current topsellers are the trail mixes, followed by the organic gummy bears and, just in time for the high temperatures, the organic ice pops are flying off the shelves.

Novelties such as organic popcorn, organic chocolate bars and more will be added to the product portfolio shortly and just in time for the upcoming Christmas season various advent calendars. Organic cinnamon stars as well as organic roasted almonds will also be available. www.myfitmix.de

Portrait: Oleksandr Shcherbina

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Sustainability concerns us all !

We manufacture high-quality toys using sustainable materials, and want to work with you to a greener future and happy children.

Our contribution: • Production using FSC®-certified woods and bamboos • Ecological shipping with environmentally friendly packaging material • Careful handling of resources • Use of water-based dyes with no harmful chemicals • Planting new trees and expanding forests with the help of our “Plant-A-Tree” campaign

EverEarth Europe GmbH • Pappelteich 24 • 30539 Hannover Phone +49 511 64217410 •

www.everearth.eu

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Great, Green & Organic

Top: Top Pipette with skirt Isa (left)

Get ready to be surprised

Suit: Shirt Louanne with trousers Manon. © Messe Frankfurt (middle) Dress Odette (right) Below: Dress Hanna

Germany-based premium fashion labels WalkBoxx and SilkBoxx are sure to keep us curious. By putting the surprisingly well mixed ingredients of eco, couture and individuality into the box the two founders get ready to shake up the fashion industry.

comfort of our walk collection,” they say.

“The other one loves to dress in beautiful silk with exceptional prints, to feel the sensuality of the silk on her skin.”

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: WALKBOXX / SILKBOXX

www.walkboxx.com www.silkboxx.com

“We are aiming at an unusual combination of high fashion and eco fashion,” explains Constanze Janusch, CEO design. “So far, no-one else has attempted this within the premium segment.”Furthermore, the couture experts concentrate on just one single basic material for every new collection. In the case of the WalkBoxx and SilkBoxx collections, the material at hand is easily identified. “Our WalkBoxx is all about fulling material, which means that we use 100 per cent virgin wool in many different variations,” says Janusch.“Our SilkBoxx, in contrast, is devoted to photo art on silk, using our own exceeding motifs with a special view on details. Both collections are totally unique in the industry and focus on their relevant materials, which are 100 per cent naturally produced in a sustainable way.”

But what about the box, you might ask.“To us, a box symbolises a container with con-

110 | Issue 29 | August 2015

tents that you don’t know anything about unless you open it,”explains Janusch.“This implies that you have to be curious and open-minded about new things. We just love the idea of being surprised.” Meanwhile, the double x stands for something special and truly extraordinary. “As a designer, I just never found exactly what I had in mind,” remembers Janusch, who now shares her love for fashion with Cosima Wachs, CEO of Marketing and Communication. “So at one point, I just created my own idea. Right from the beginning, I enjoyed playing with sensual and visual impressions, with haptic and vision, with the traditional and the contemporary.”

These various influences clearly show in the designs available at the boxxfashionshop.com and selected concept stores.“One customer might like the simplicity and the

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Great, Green & Organic

Undies for heroes Saying it with a wink, the underwear of German label kleiderhelden is both comfortable and ‘heroic’ to wear. Here, the label’s founders Janos Kalmann and Gerrit Pfurr explain why.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: KLEIDERHELDEN

“At first glance, we don’t actually differ so much from other fashion labels. Our underwear is both stylish and comfortable just as you would expect it to be,”says Kalmann.

“What makes us different is our commitment to sustainability. All our products are made out of Indian cotton from fair and controlled organic cultivation. Our established German production company also meets the highest ecological and social standards.”As a result, the complete kleiderhelden product range is certified by both the ‘Fairtrade label’ and the renowned ‘Global Organic Textile Standard’ (GOTS).

Moreover, kleiderhelden actively supports a Children’s Fund.

The favourite item of the two sports management graduates, who launched kleiderhelden out of the necessity to find good Fairtrade underwear, is the so-called ‘BeatBux’. Wearing it daily themselves, they gush: “It’s incredibly comfortable and soft men’s underpants with a wide waistband.”

In terms of popularity, the women’s underwear line launched in autumn last year is catching up fast, too.“This includes our women’s slip ‘SlipTease’ or our undershirt ‘LadyCover’, which according to one customer feels like a cordial hug.”

“Our journey was and is a lot of fun,” smile the two friends.“We believe that we are on a good way to further encourage

Fishing for compliments Jewellery by Ramona Stelzer is more than an accessory. The beautiful pieces are a statement of individuality, of thinking differently and of sustainability. Uniqueness that you can wear made of stunning fish leather.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: RAMONA STELZER

Designer and goldsmith Ramona Stelzer wanted to start a label that used special materials to design a completely new product. In fish leather she has found one of the most unique materials to create jewellery from.

Stelzer remembers: “The material was literally swimming towards me one day in my hometown by the Baltic Sea. I suddenly had the idea to not only eat fish but also to use the tanned fish skin, the fish leather, to create real quality jewellery.”

The rings, necklaces and earrings feature a variety of different fish leather types from salmon to carp and tilapia, each stunningly beautiful, making it hard to choose from.

“Every fish skin has its own unique structure and different spectrum of colour.

It is a playground of possibilities for a designer like me but the best feature of the material is its sustainability. Fish skin has no

the ‘revolution in the underwear drawer’.

Our goal is making people happy and protecting our planet at the same time.” www.kleiderhelden.com

use in the food industry and through tanning it, it becomes lasting, soft and elastic whilst keeping the characteristic scaled structure,” explains Stelzer. No wonder it was love at first sight.

There is still prejudice against the material but Stelzer is on a successful mission to change people’s perspective. Her jewellery can be bought at her online shop, her atelier in Wismar and in selected Northern German galleries. www.ramonastelzerdesign.tictail.com

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Great, Green & Organic

For a better future EverEarth has committed itself to implementing a holistically sustainable concept throughout their entire product range and company structure. Offering high-quality toys for children and babies, EverEarth has also brought the innovative Plant-A-Tree campaign to life which seeks to expand the world’s valuable forests.

Main image: Noah’s ark in large Top: Fairytale doll’s house Below: Garden tools

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: EVEREARTH EUROPE GMBH

EverEarth seeks to inspire children and parents to come closer to nature as “sustainability and environmental awareness concerns all of us,” according to Christian Diehl, CEO of the EverEarth Europe GmbH. Thus, the company solely uses recyclable packaging, eco-friendly shipping, the sun’s natural energy through solar panels and much more. From colourful bricks and children spates to toys that teach walking, cute pull-along animals, creative name plates or interesting educational games – the entire product range of EverEarth is manufactured out of sustainable FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified wood.“The health and safety of your children is our main concern,”Diehl smiles.

Therefore, all toys are exclusively made out of sustainable and environmentally conscious materials, while excluding the use of chemical contaminants. Diehl notes:“Our toys shouldn’t only provide fun and pleasure while playing, but also communicate

112 | Issue 29 | August 2015

the eco-friendly philosophy of our company.” Therefore, the high-quality, robust and safe products all comprise of suckingproved colours on a water basis and rounded off edges. To foster children’s creativity, EverEarth put special emphasis on a sustainable value in their toys so that children obtain an understanding for environmental awareness in a playful manner.

EverEarth’s products also have a significant educational character. For example, a wide range of motivity toys helps babies train motion sequences. Children can improve their hand-eye coordination, their agility, as well as their spatial imaginative power.“The best, however, is that our toys cater for collective fun for the whole family.

Our goal is to collectively learn about sustainability, do one’s bit for a greener environment and to create great memories,” Diehl says.

In accordance with their philosophy, EverEarth solely uses FSC® certified timber

from sustainable forestries and from their own sustainable forest in the heart of China. Their 8,000-hectare forest has also been certified by non-profit organisation FSC®.Their project‘Plant-A-Tree’even enables each of their customers to plant a new tree for each bought product in their sustainable forest to preserve the world’s green spaces. Customers can simply register online and EverEarth will plant a tree for each purchased product. www.everearth.eu

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Für alle, die eine Vision haben.

Aber noch keine klaren Ziele.

Sie wollen Ressourcen schonen, Kunden, Lieferanten und Mitarbeiter möglichst fair behandeln und dabei wettbewerbsfähig und erfolgreich bleiben? Sie wissen aber noch nicht, wie Sie Ihre Vorstellungen in die Tat umsetzen können?

Dann lernen Sie jetzt den N-Kompass kennen! Dieses neue Online-Werkzeug für nachhaltiges Wirtschaften hilft Ihnen, klare Ziele festzulegen und selbstständig zu erreichen.

ehmen Wie wird Ihr Untern nachhaltiger? ter Kostenlose Analyse un r1 www.n-kompass.de/cs

Nachhaltig wirtschaften mit dem N-Kompass.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Great, Green & Organic

The healing quality of olive leaf extract Andrea Ciccolella’s Swiss company Olivum offers a range of organic products developed from the olive tree, perfect for a healthy lifestyle.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTO: OLIVUM

It all started in 2011 when Andrea Ciccolella’s Italian friend figured out how to extract the precious Oleuropein from the olive leaf. For health-conscious Ciccolella, who was ready to get back to work after her maternity leave, this was the perfect opportunity to start a company she truly believed in. Olivum was born.

“I tried the product and was absolutely thrilled. It was love at first sight,”Ciccolella remembers.“I put all my energy and passion into it, which was maybe a little naïve, without market analysis.”But her instincts were right.

Today Ciccolella has close ties with homeopaths, pharmacies and health food stores. Products range from pure Oleu-

ropein to olive oil and face cream. The Oleuropein boosts the immune system and is particularly advisable during autumn to strengthen the body for winter.

“We have been most successful with people who generally object to medication but have health problems such as high blood pressure or elevated blood cholesterol. Digestive problems, chronic fatigue and skin problems have also vastly improved with our products,” explains Ciccolella.

For Ciccolella it is not only about the products. Work ethic and sustainable distribution methods, such as using shipping boxes made of recycled paper, are equally important to her. Olivum is still at the beginning of its journey but it is certainly bound to grow. www.olivum-vitae.ch

For a familiar feeling when feeding

R

EN

’S H O S PI

T AL S

IN CHILD

In the first months after birth, hygiene is your top priority – especially with delicate or premature babies. But often when travelling, it may have to lose its status. Here’s a solution.

Over 90% of German children´s hospitals use NUK teats.** **Evaluation of Mapa clinic data base 11/2014.

MEDICPRO MAPA CLINICAL SUPPORT

In the NUK First Choice Travel Set there are sterile NUK Disposable Bottles and NUK Disposable Teats that can be used immediately. Just remove the individually-wrapped bottle from its packaging, take off the cap, pour in the feed, screw on the teat and you’re ready. And when you’re finished, fi nished, simply dispose of the bottle and teat. tea The NUK First Choice Travel Set helps make feeding your yo baby on journeys just a little more relaxed.

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NUK is a registered trademark of MAPA GmbH, Germany *In accordance with applicable regulation.

Ideal for travelling: the NUK First Choice Travel Set for single use

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Special Theme

Made in Austria

The healing tree Home to the Austrian Alps, the Arolla pine has recently been identified to provide numerous health benefits to humans. Thanks to Austria-based AROLLA Home, you can now enjoy nature’s merits such as a deeper sleep from the comfort of your home.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: AROLLA HOME

“On average, we inhale and exhale approximately 26,000 times a day,” explains Philipp Mayerhofer, Managing Director at AROLLA Home. “The air of a room enriched with the pure ingredients of the Arolla pine, has been proven in scientific studies to have many positive effects on human health and wellbeing. So why not benefit from what nature gives us?”

The products that Mayerhofer and his American business partner Emanuel Coelho distribute across Austria, Germany and even as far as the USA, range from sleeping pillows enriched with Arolla pine shavings and its oil, tall-standing air diffusers or cubes made from 100 per cent Arolla pine wood to pure Arolla pine oil. All products can potentially lower your heart

rate, induce a deeper sleep, improve recovery time post exercise or strenuous activities, increase your immune system functions, stabilise blood circulation, decrease weather sensitivity and provide antibacterial effects.

Meanwhile, the innovative business partners have extended their offering to soothe the little ones too.“I am a father of a twoyear-old daughter,” explains Mayerhofer.

“When Anna was born, I asked myself why only us adults should benefit from the advantages of the Arolla pine. So we developed a sleeping pillow for babies. The soothing effect of the Arolla pine shavings inside the pillow helps children to sleep deeper more quickly. This way, the parents will benefit too.” www.arollahome.com

All this was discovered by chance, as Mayerhofer recalls. “When Emanuel was in Austria on a business trip, we sat down in an Austrian Zirbenstube, a bar panelled with Arolla pine wood. He asked me where this nice smell came from. He couldn’t explain why, but for some reason he felt really good. Somehow it felt soothing. I then told him a bit more about this kind of wood and we both became so curious that we continued pursuing this initial thought, eventually founding AROLLA Home.”

Issue 29 | August 2015 | 115

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Regional ties and international praise Austrian dairy company Gmundner Milch takes pride in its strong bond with the Salzkammergut region and produces a world championship winning cheese.

TEXT: DORINA REICHHOLD | PHOTOS: GMUNDNER MILCH

Crystal-clear lakes, blues skies, a stunning mountain range and cows peacefully grazing on endless green pastures.This is every touristâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s typical idea of the beautiful Salzkammergut region in Upper Austria and it fully lives up to these expectations.

Cheese production has always been an important part of the traditional crafts within the region and with its unspoilt and healthy nature, Salzkammergut is the perfect area to produce milk and dairy products of the highest quality. It comes naturally that it is also the home of award-winning dairy producer Gmundner Milch, one of Austria`s leading dairies. Its headquarters are situated in the town of Gmunden, famous for

116 | Issue 29 | August 2015

its ceramic manufacturing and a popular tourist destination.

The company has been connected to the region for a long time, having been founded more than 80 years ago when 40 dairy farmers got together to found the first dairy cooperative of the Salzkammergut area. Today around 3,000 dairy farmers from Upper Austria, as well as from the bordering areas Salzburg and Lower Austria, supply fresh raw milk to the Gmundner dairy every day. Here it is manufactured into various dairy and cheese products, which are distributed internationally.The dairy company owns the three different brands Gmundner Milch, Almliesl

and Rosan, offering a wide range of different dairy products such as drinking milk, coffee cream, yoghurt, sour cream, whipped cream,

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Made in Austria

Gmundner Milch is one of the biggest employers in the region and the company is well aware of its social responsibility. "We are looking after the people working for us and those connected to our company and subsequently we take responsibility for the whole region," explains Waidacher. "Our dairy farmers maintain the cultural landscape and therefore are of high significance for the region’s tourism industry." The company employs three advisors who work directly with the dairy farmers to help with administration and to ensure that the delivered produce is always of unflawed quality. The strong regional ties are also visible in the product design used for Gmundner Milch`s dairy produce. The various types of cheese all show the distinct green rings that are associated with the famous ceramics produced in Gmunden.

One of the Gmundner Milch`s most accomplished products is the award-winning Gmundner Berg Premium cheese.

With its distinguished strong aromatic taste, which is the result of a six month maturing time, it has won the cheese World Championship 2010 in Wisconsin, USA. Further international awards have been won by different types of cheese, adding to the company’s international recognition. Gmundner Milch sees their products as international culinary ambassadors for Austria and they do their best to ensure that in all their products there is part of the Salzkammergut region. Their

ambitions have proven a success, as the company exports nearly half of its produce in more than 15 countries in Europe and even as far as Libya, Iraq and China.

The international success lies in the company`s flexibility and the ability to react quickly to a customer's needs. Consistency, reliability and stability are further qualities the company guarantees its customers. Several certificates such as the 'genetic-manipulation-free' or the Austrian AMA-certificate, which distinguishes food productions exceeding quality standards, give customers the highest assurance and proof of the product’s qualities. The company uses the newest technology and most advanced techniques during its manufacturing processes.

For 2015, new cheese specialities will be added to the product assortment such as cheese with walnuts as well as different types of mushrooms like truffles or porcini.

Another new creation, which will make for a perfect addition to an autumn cheeseboard, is one with chilli pepper and bell pepper.

Regional traditions, the newest technology, social responsibility, high quality production and great flavour of products, as well as international accomplishment, ensure the future success story of Gmundner Milch in Austria and world-wide. www.gmundner-milch.at

butter and various cheeses. It also produces lactose-free milk products, offering an alternative choice to its customers.

The Salzkammergut region is famous around the world for its unique landscape and stands for tradition, quality and a strong bond with its stunning nature. "We are proud to be able to live and work here," states Michael Waidacher, Managing Director of the dairy company. Their strong ties to the region do not only relate to the cultural landscape’s perfect conditions for dairy farming, but include the people living and working in the region as well as the tourists coming to visit.

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‘Nature is our best designer’ Family business mafi stands for exceptional, natural wood floors which are sure to impress with their sustainable character and high quality. Exclusively made in Austria, each floor is completely organic and individually tailor-made for each client with more hands than machines.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: MAFI.COM

“Our core philosophy is sustainability,” Christian Hemetsberger, Public Relations and Sales Manager at mafi Naturholzboden GmbH, explains. While everything is produced and controlled in two production plants in Austria, all wood used stems from sustainable Central European wood plantations. “We use the whole tree. Even the smallest cut-offs are made into heating pellets,” Hemetsberger notes.

glued together without formaldehyde before it gets finished with chemical-free oil.

He adds:“Indoor climates can substantially be changed by wood floors and many conventional floors are closed up with unnatural layers just on top. We oil our floors the most natural way and let the oil dry by air so that pores remain open.” Brushed and oiled, the floors are sure to last a lifetime and are scratch-resistant and stiletto proof.

The family business has quickly developed into a sustainable wooden floor company over the past 100 years. What is special about mafi’s wooden floors is that the natural wood keeps its positive characteristics “so you can feel nature at home,”Hemetsberger notes. He says: “After all, wood should remain wood.”The raw material gets air dried and three layers of solid wood are

A special symmetrical three-layer construction of the plank ensures stability and prevents gaps, warping or cupping.“Wood moves and our symmetrical structure creates a countermove which limits this motion,” Hemetsberger explains. mafi wooden floors are also easily cared for. Just like human pores, wood needs to breathe and be cleaned with soap. Thus, mafi’s own natu-

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ral, antibacterial cleaning product regenerates and moisturises so that the wood ensures a balanced humidity and regulates the room climate. It also filters and cleans the air and therefore reduces dust formation. No wonder mafi floors have been approved by the Australian National Asthma Council.

Another advantage is that wood directs one’s body temperature slower than smooth materials so that one can experience a warm feeling under their feet. Thus, the product is also perfect to embellish bathrooms; also because the floors are nonslip. Available in a variety of beautifully rustic, natural looks or with exciting carvings, each floor is produced to order and are therefore unique and customisable. www.mafi.com

Main image: The milled BEECH Vulcano Fresco collection Top: Mafi’s carving collection (left & middle) Tiger Oak Collection (right) Portrait: Christian Hemetsberger, Public Relations and Sales Manager at mafi Naturholzboden GmbH

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Made in Austria

Traditional herbal remedies for today’s needs From popular Swedish bitters, tinctures, teas and oils to modern day health and personal care products such as shampoos, lotions and anti-aging creams, Maria Treben Naturprodukte offers a wide range of herbal remedies based on the recipes and ingredients that its namesake developed almost a century ago.

TEXT: JULIKA HÜTHER | PHOTOS: MARIA TREBEN NATURPRODUKTE

Lead by the idea of giving the traditional Swedish bitters, so popular with women for many generations, a new lease of life, sales professional Rosi Nothegger founded the company in 2007 and handed the business over to her daughter Kathrin one and a half years ago.“We live the philosophy of Maria Treben and are focused on restoring her wisdom through her herbal remedies,” says Rosi Nothegger.

Austrian Maria Treben, a herbalist whose book Health from God’s Garden was published in 20 different languages, started studying herbal medicine after surviving a life-threatening illness in 1947. She is best known for her Swedish bitters, which are said to grant

a long life and everlasting health to those who consume them regularly.

The current recipe the company has been using for 30 years was updated by Treben in 1982 to comply with modern legal requirements and includes a range of high quality herbs. Non-alcoholic Swedish

bitters were added to the range in 2008 to adjust to a market where alcohol-free options become more and more popular.“I am convinced Maria Treben would approve of this, having been a progressive thinker herself,” says Nothegger. And so Maria Treben Naturprodukte regularly develops new products and continues to apply traditional herbal knowledge to today’s needs. www.mariatreben.eu

Portrait: Kathrin and Rosi Nothegger

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Special Theme

Successful Start-Ups

1ofa100

A marketplace for beautiful things 1ofa100 is a curated marketplace for sustainable, creative and artisanal design.

Mass-produced items don't belong here. The platform features inspired goods from aspiring designers and entrepreneurs who care about what they produce and connecting with their conscious customers.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: 1OFA100

From classic leather bags and edgy jewellery, to polished fashion items, art and modern décor, the digital marketplace offers items for every taste and pocket. But they all share one thing in common: they are beautiful things made by beautiful minds from around the world.“1ofa100 offers an exclusive marketplace for designers with an entrepreneurial spirit and people who prefer individuality over mass-production. On 1ofa100.com, the customer can pick from a genuine range of products, offered by carefully selected designers and brands,” explains Christian Gafner, Swiss industrial designer and Design Director of 1ofa100.

Products to love

Portrait: Team of 1OFA100

120 | Issue 29 | August 2015

The philosophy of 1ofa100.com is the careful selection of design objects. Only the most creative and best quality products are

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Successful Start-Ups

chosen from a plethora of products and ideas. In most cases, these designer pieces are handcrafted and sometimes they are only available in a limited edition. Also, the 1ofa100 selection is constantly updated so that customers will keep encountering a fresh and genuine range of products.

At the moment, the webshop offers furniture, fashion, artwork, innovative bicycles and other goods from independent brands.

The 2015 fall highlights include an exclusive selection of designer watches; among others the MIH Watch and products by Zurich designer Maurice de Mauriac.

“We present a wide range of designers with unique products, selected by our team based on different criteria. Most importantly, we value special ideas: Creativity and uniqueness are both key for finding a way into our portfolio. Another key ingredient is the simplicity of the design as well as its functionality,” explains Christian Gafner.

Philosophy and sustainability 1ofa100 was launched just over a year ago, in June 2014. The Dutch entrepreneur Joris Straatman (CEO and founder) heads the small, passionate team consisting of product designers, communications and marketing experts.The CEO’s initial idea was to build a digital platform for exclusive and unique designs – but also to facilitate the work of talented self-starters and independent designers.

Today, this unique marketplace connects many artists with customers and lovers of good design. Designers and artists interested in selling their products on 1ofa100.com can simply sign up at no charge and thus increase their exposure.

This innovative concept helps emerging artists, young graduates, independent studios – as well as established designers – to sell their work and not be tied up in the daily business and hassle of administering their own store. The start-up also works with talents and design school graduates, and offers guidance in terms of production, pricing and the selection of materials.

Versatility as a success model The belief in quality, sustainability and integrity makes 1ofa100 stand out from other design portals:“Designers have an important role when it comes to sustainability in production. Whether social, economical or environmental sustainability, the design of a product, choice of materials, production means or location, are all influenced by designers’ choices. We take good care to find artists who support our values and produce accordingly.”

A conscious community The Swiss start-up has a keen eye for design, and an even keener mandate to help up-and-coming and established designers create and sell their work. The platform provides an environment where the entrepreneurial spirit of creative minds and conscious commerce can thrive.Through direct and personal contact with the designers, customers become part of a community that appreciates quality design – and the love for spotting new trends. The site also features profiles of each designer, so cus-

tomers can get to know the brains behind the talent.

Usability and future growth The 1ofa100 online marketplace, which can be navigated using different languages and currencies, features each artist’s work philosophy, inspiration and suggested interpretation of the particular item. Looking ahead, 1ofa100 is striving to become a trusted and highly valued marketplace for unique design experiences in Switzerland and other European countries. By continuing to grow slowly and mainly investing in the product and the creative community, they want to expand their product range. www.1ofa100.com Main image: Couch table Leo & Lia by HEÉ swiss design (Switzerland) Above: Layers of Needs by Side Effects (Serbia) Below from left: Polygon Epresso Cup by Studio Lorier (Netherlands) Copper Candle Holder by Designer Duo ARNO WOLF, Basel (Switzerland) Gold necklace with blue jewel by EVELYNE-M (Switzerland) Izeh Top by That Brand (Germany)

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dacadoo ag Digital health and wellbeing Keeping healthy can be a challenge. Some lack the motivation to do sports, others fail to make sense out of the huge amount of data that fitness tracking apps, pedometers and digital scales provide. dacadoo offers a holistic solution for tracking, managing and testing one’s health in an easy, entertaining way.

TEXT: JULIKA HÜTHER | PHOTOS: DACADOO AG

The innovative, award-winning Swiss health engagement software company was founded in 2010 by Peter Ohnemus, who had sold his previous company the year before and had decided to take some time off to recuperate mentally and physically by ski mountaineering. In the beginning, Ohnemus struggled to walk up the mountain, but over the course of days and weeks, climbing heights became easier. This sparked the idea of tracking his physical progress in real time and visualising the effect the training has on his health and wellbeing in a simple, straightforward way.

Thus the Health Score was created, a single number from one to 1,000, which measures the health and wellbeing of any individual in real time.This dynamic value depends on the user’s body metrics, his or her emotions and lifestyle. “The holistic approach

122 | Issue 29 | August 2015

provides users with a simple, all-inclusive score that is generated from a multitude of health and fitness data,” says Manuel Heuer, COO of dacadoo.

continuously improve their health. They use motivational techniques used in online video games, social and collaborative motivators found in social networking sites as well as personalised feedback and coaching based on the data generated for each user.“Our aim is to support users so that they keep at it and do more for themselves,” Heuer says. With a brand new version of dacadoo launching this autumn, users can be sure that keeping track of their health will become even more engaging. www.dacadoo.com

“We are an open platform,”Heuer continues, “meaning we can connect with the most popular devices such as pedometers and digital scales and applications such as fitness tracking apps. Although dacadoo offers its own app that can record over 115 different indoor and outdoor activities, we do not want to force anyone to use it. If users have amassed data through different devices or apps, they do not need to start all over again but can connect their data to dacadoo.”

But the Health Score is not the only way the company keeps their users motivated to

Portrait: Manuel Heuer

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Successful Start-Ups

Celeroton: Developing ultra-high-speed electrical drive systems What Celeroton AG does is already implied in its name: Celeroton comes from the two Latin words celer, which means fast, and rotare: rotating. The company designs and builds ultra-high-speed drive system products including turbo compressors, permanent-magnet motors with high energy-efficiency, small volume and the lowest possible weight as well as speed control electronics for electric motors.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: CELEROTON

Celeroton AG has its headquarters in Volketswil near Zurich. Founded in 2008 as a spin-off company of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich’s (ETHZ) department for power electronics, today Celeroton has become a leading manufacturer of ultrahigh-speed electrical drive systems reaching speeds up to one million revolutions per minute (rpm). With more than 20 employees the founders, Dr. Christof Zwyssig and Dr. Martin Bartholet, have turned their business into a success in only a few years, selling their products worldwide.

“The innovation is based on our interdisciplinary know how in areas of me-

chanics, electromagnetics, electronics, control systems and software, allowing us to create outstanding solutions in terms of size, efficiency and control performance,” says Martin Bartholet, responsible for sales and marketing.

In the end Celeroton offers overall solutions consisting of motors, matching electronic and complete turbo processors resulting in maximised efficiency – no matter the area of application.“They can be used for example in medical or dental tools, air conditioners and heat pumps, for rotating mirrors and prisms in optical systems, lasers and scanners, flywheels and many more.”

Revolutionary caries treatment Healing caries at an early stage without having to go through a painful procedure?

Switzerland’s credentis AG have found an innovative technology to naturally regenerate dental enamel so that ‘drilling and filling’ is a thing of the past.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: CREDENTIS AG

“We seek to develop and introduce true novelties in the form of regenerative products to prevent and treat oral diseases,”Dr. Stefan Buchloh, Product Manager at credentis AG, explains. credentis’ biomedical solutions are based on a ground-breaking discovery by the University of Leeds. Dr. Dominik A. Lysek, credentis founder, recognised the potential of their idea and has developed the intelligent CUROLOX® TECHNOLOGY. “Inspired by nature, it promotes the natural regeneration mechanism of dental enamel and enables new prospects for non-invasive dentistry,” Dr. Buchloh explains. He adds: “We have created the missing link between prevention and invasive procedures. A treatment of

this sort hasn’t existed before.”

The pain-free and uncomplicated caries therapy sustains natural structures and leads to a guided enamel regeneration simply by applying CURODONTTM REPAIR, the winner of the Swiss Technology Award.

It enables dentists and dental professionals to cure caries as it contains‘intelligent’pep-

Top: Converter Above: Motor

Celeroton currently has sales representatives in Germany, the US, Japan, Korea and Israel. www.celeroton.com

tide molecules which stimulate self-healing.“Dental professionals now have a therapy at hand which doesn’t damage tooth structure, but preserves it for a longer lifetime of the tooth,”Dr. Buchloh notes. Complementary products developed by the company for general use and also based on the CUROLOX® TECHNOLOGY biologically protect the teeth from acids (CURODONTTM PROTECT) and treats sensitive teeth by placing a protective barrier on them (CURODONTTM D’SENZ). www.credentis.com Below: Mechanism of CURODONTTM REPAIR

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Successful Start-Ups

BestMile solves the last mile problem in public transport Swiss start-up BestMile develops solutions for a new urban mobility and modern fleet management, especially for the last few miles between a bus or train station and people’s doorstep. Using innovative software and autonomous vehicles, BestMile helps making a step into a new world of public transport.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTO: BESTMILE

Imagine taking a flight: How do people get to the airport? Perhaps by bus or train. But what if the next station is not in walking distance? This is something most public transport systems suffer from, especially in peri-urban rural areas. There is always a gap between the last stop and people’s true destination, often discouraging them to use public transport at all.This is also known as last mile problem, one of the key areas BestMile focuses on.

BestMile helps companies setting up transport systems for a last mile mobility service – from planning to implementation.

BestMile offers software solutions to manage fleets of autonomous vehicles. Shared

mobility services and particularly on-demand mobility can be a solution for the last mile problem. If new mobility solutions are implemented – often combined with the already existing traditional transport system – BestMile offers assistance in operating it.

Real-time management not only improves the service but also lowers operational costs.

Just recently BestMile has been part of the CityMobil2 project co-financed by the European

Commission that addresses barriers to deploying automated road vehicles. BestMile has been remotely managing a fleet of six driverless vehicles (open to the public) thanks to its software. These vehicles were manufactured by a French company. In addition the start-up is working on making on-demand services become a reality with its homemade mobile app. www.bestmile.com

Specialist for excellent presentations

Keynote Coach Der Regisseur unter den Top-Trainern!

Frank Asmus ist Regisseur, „Best-of-Trainer“ 2014 und Top Executive Coach für strategische Präsentationen. Seine Kunden sind Konzernvorstände, Geschäftsführer und Unternehmer. Frank Asmus lehrt als Kommunikationsexperte u.a. an der Technischen Universität Berlin.

frankasmus.com +49.30.44 04 27 76 · office@frankasmus.com

Referenzen: Apple Inc., Airbus S.A.S., Allianz SE, Audi AG, Axa Konzern AG, BASF SE, Bayer AG, BMW Group, Robert Bosch GmbH, Continental AG, Deutsche Telekom AG, Henkel AG, HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG, Kühne + Nagel AG, Liganova GmbH, L'Oréal Deutschland GmbH, Merck KGaA, Novartis AG, Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Roche Diagnostics, SAP AG, Shopware AG, Siemens AG, Software AG, Swarovski KG, Volkswagen AG, u.v.a.

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Special Theme

Taboo in work and life Who is the leader?

Coaching & Consulting

Those in responsible management positions, we answer. However, the interesting question is: Who leads you? Who’s the boss of your thoughts? You? Perhaps there’s the persistent worry that this isn’t the case? Are you trying to suppress that very thought but cannot shake it off?

TEXT: GABRIELE LÖNNE | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

Anxiety in work and private life Where do these unpleasant thoughts come from, this cruel uneasiness, and these unsettling fears? They’re the result of emotional experiences since birth – whether consciously or unconsciously experienced.

Experiences are a combination of events and feelings. They’re not genetic; no one is born with the fear of enclosed spaces, flying or spiders. We first learn emotions from our parents, and later from our environment.

We mimic behaviour that displays emotions and release it instinctively. Through individual experiences and personal events, we then learn to question this behaviour and consequently adopt or reject it. The closer we are to others, the more we take on their mannerisms. Certain situations that instill fear in us could be related to our fathers, or from an experience back in our school days that still torments us today.

Freedom is everything Take the initiative! Free yourself from constricting thoughts, ingrained ways of behaving, and troublesome feelings. By using special techniques learned through coaching sessions, clients can release, develop and bolster their inherent strengths. Humans can control their own thoughts; they aren’t prescribed to us.This represents genuine personal freedom – even from these nagging fears!

clients can finally be free from those nagging fears.

Update Perhaps it’s time for a brain update? The software is quite aged now; is it outdated?

Develop new processes that boost your motivation, ability to perform, resilience and leadership qualities. Learn to transform subconscious processes into conscious ones, learn to tackle emotional experiences independently, learn to develop intrinsic resilience.Your whole character will undertake a remarkable upgrade. www.loenne.info

Good news Within a matter of hours, Mrs Lönne unites extraordinary methods from the fields of medicine, psychology and communication studies in order to neutralise debilitating emotions, such as panic attacks. This creates a sense of enormous relief for the clients. Whether it’s a fear of flying, enclosed spaces or stage fright, her

Portrait: Gabriele Lönne

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Vocally enraptured A captivating presence is a game-changer, but what exactly does such a presence entail and how do we go about getting one? Presence is being able to captivate and enrapture your audience, whether they are business colleagues, competitors, the media or even a ‘real’ audience at the theatre, as Laura Baxter, the founder of The Voice for Leadership, knows only too well.

TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Lending years of international stage experience as a professional opera singer to her Germany-based company The Voice for Leadership, Laura Baxter provides executive coaching, seminars and keynote speeches that focus not just on honing your presentation skills, but on owning the room.

126 | Issue 29 | August 2015

“When you’re on an operatic stage,” explains the convivial American,“you have to be in your centre, acutely aware of everything surrounding you and in command of the stage.” This, in her eyes, is where the similarities with leadership positions arise.

Her extensive experience of music and busi-

ness inspired her to set up her leadershiporiented firm that focuses on bolstering the mind-set of executives when representing their company and leading their teams.

Since childhood, the Mezzo Soprano has been fascinated by the effect of the voice and body language on non-verbal communication. After specialising as an operatic singer in the States and teaching at the faculty at Duke University, she headed to Germany to continue pursuing her career. She interjects: “My goal was never about being famous; it was about understanding everything about the voice and

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Coaching & Consulting

The Four Pillars of Presence: Inner Presence Outer Presence Clarity & Sense of Purpose Knowledge of Human Nature

“Here you need to understand how people think and are motivated. If you truly want to inspire, you have to be able to connect with people,”she explains.“And that takes a strong understanding of human nature.”

With international corporate clients from the fields of medicine, law, politics, business, education and the performing arts, the bilingual Baxter explains with a smile that there’s no one-size-fits-all method for overcoming mental fears and enlarging your presence. “Clients approach me for many different reasons, be it a presentation in English or an important and potentially challenging press conference with hordes of media and competitors.”Fittingly, Baxter tailors every session to help the individual executive to meet the demands of the situation, stressing the importance of learning to“stay in their centre”.

Since launching The Voice for Leadership, she’s had commissions from around the world, which she carries out alongside giving concerts, speeches and teaching at the university. Follow-up sessions are vital according to Baxter. “Mastering presence is about being aware of yourself and your surroundings. And it’s about connecting to everything and everyone around you. This takes time and commitment. That having been said, it is the most rewarding journey you will ever go on!”

The path to presence Citing a client in the medical industry, Baxter stresses the important work he undertook to master his inner presence. “We knew he’d be facing a situation in which he’d come under intense scrutiny from both the media and competitors. It was essential that he remained centred and focussed, so that he could masterfully answer all the questions in the press conference with ease and confidence.There was no room for unnecessary emotions.”Employing basic techniques that she has developed for herself on the stage and for her clients, Laura Baxter helped this client ace the press conference. physical presence. Communication is never solely about the spoken message, it’s about the emotions you want to evoke in the other person – and this stems from your presence.”

The four pillars of presence While the word ‘presence’ is frequently bandied around these days, Baxter has an uncanny knack for distilling this buzzword.

Much more than just a physical presence, she defines it as the electromagnetic field that we emit, and cites the four pillars as the inner presence, the outer presence, clarity and the knowledge of human nature.

Conversely, the outer presence is about owning the room; “having the courage to take the stage and the knowledge and skills necessary to expand the energy you emit.”

While the inner presence and the outer presence apply to presentation skills in general, it’s the sum of all four pillars which creates a commanding presence in leadership. Clarity is vital. For that Baxter recommends posing questions, such as ‘is my message consistent? Are the processes clear? Is a clear outcome communicated?’

The final pillar, the knowledge of human nature, is about communicating and connecting with employees and customers.

Testament to her expertise on the subject of leadership and presence, Baxter won the Newcomer Casting Award in 2011 from the German Speakers’ Association for her keynote speech entitled‘The Power of Presence!’ As meticulous as preparing a piece of music, Baxter pays close attention to her clients, preparing bespoke sessions and adding extra elements that she believes are vital for enhancing their presence. www.voice4leadership.de

Laura Baxter Location: Erlangen Profession: Opera singer and professional vocal coach Field of work: leadership development, holding keynote speeches, and tailor-made coaching sessions and workshops on the topics of motivation, leadership and presentation skills.

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The‘early birds’of innovative online-coaching An ingenious merger between five certified online coaches seeks to extensively expand the possibilities of the traditional working routines of coaches. Using the innovative CAI® coaching software in the CAI® Coaching World, the advantages of clients and coaches are plentiful.

multimedia developments, we are now able to offer clients and companies answers to contemporary and future needs which also correspond to the realities of the working world,”Ulmer notes.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF | PHOTOS: RAINER KRUEGER I CAI GMBH I FOTOLIA

“We are the ‘early birds’ of a growing network of CAI® certified online coaches in German-speaking countries – almost like a syndicate. We want to tackle prejudices and concerns towards online coaching with expertise and professionalism,”Anke Ulmer, coach, explains.The five certified coaches all have enjoyed profound education in systemic, solution-oriented coaching and agree on one principle: that regular supervision and quality assurance combined with continuous, personal and professional development are integral parts of their professional practice.“Thus, we have searched for a way to meet the changes in our global working world. With the help of IT and

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Portrait: Anke Ulmer M.A., working languages German and English.

Portrait: Hans-Ulrich Dehnicke

www.ulmer-beratung.de a.ulmer@ulmer-beratung.de

www.cybercoaching-karlsruhe.de info@cybercoaching-karlsruhe.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Coaching & Consulting

Opposite: Whether at home or at the airport; online coaching is possible everywhere. Photo: Rainer Krüger

become evident that online-coaching gets to the point quicker than common coaching. For example, disturbances or distractions have less impact and don’t get noticed too much. Additionally, the synchronic, written working helps many clients to focus,” Dr. Benson says. She adds:“Depending on a client’s wish, all forms of communication (video, audio, chat, pictures or character function) can be used or a selection can be agreed upon. Thus, online coaching can be individually adapted to each type of learner and is therefore especially long-lasting.”

All five coaches: Anke Ulmer, Dr. Marion Benson, Hans-Ulrich Dehnicke, Rainer Krueger and Juergen Bitzenauer,“are taking on comprehensive quality assurance- and evaluation tests and comply with the CAI® ethical guidelines,”Hans-Ulrich Dehnicke says. The team works with the innovative CAI® online-coaching software.“Whether you’re in Munich, London or Tokyo or whether you work in the office, are at home on the sofa or currently waiting for a flight, online coaching is possible anywhere at any time,” Dr. Marion Benson explains.

Dehnicke adds:“With CAI® even synchronous and asynchronous working can be combined. The client can simply enter the recorded coaching process and independently work on it for example.”The onlinecoaching platform is browser-based and can be accessed from any mobile terminal without the need to download a special program. Exceeding the possibilities of common coaching, CAI® impresses coaches and clients alike.“Crucial for the success of cybercoaching is the trust in the coach and the trust in, as well as the professionalism of the used system. CAI® Coaching World offers multimedia solutions and services for systemic, solution-oriented coaching from describing the issue and the situation to resource activation, identification of goals to finding solutions, planning measures

and evaluating the process,” Dehnicke explains.

Portrait: Jürgen Bitzenauer, working languages German and English

Portrait: Dr. Marion Benson

Portrait: Rainer Krüger

www.bitzenauer.de info@bitzenauer.de

www.online-coaching-4business.de benson@online-coaching-4business.de

www.online-coaching-4business.de krueger@online-coaching-4business.de

The software offers many innovative functions for coaches, such as client administration, a billing feature, knowledge sharing and intuitive handling of different coaching tools which are constantly adapted to the respective individual coaching process.

With the highest degree of data security and a strictly secured access, the software documents all processes, offers a variety of interactive tools and various coaching formats, such as business coaching, transfer coaching, group coaching conferences, competency diagnosis or self-directed training programmes. Clients can even combine teaching sessions with a coach with individual self-teaching sessions.

“Communication with the client is accomplished via integrated chat, audio and video functions; even alternative face to face coaching sessions are integrable without a problem,”notes Juergen Bitzenauer. Besides temporal and spatial flexibility, advantages for clients also include the possibility of “neutral feedback through sparring partners, the possibility of reflection and the possibility of ‘ad hoc’ sessions at short notice whenever required,” Bitzenauer adds.

“The program is also highly effective. It has

The factor of saving resources is an important one too. With CAI®, clients don’t have any travel time or costs, which normally are far higher than the user fees for the platform. “Energy isn’t lost in traffic and time, as well as nerves are spared,” Ulmer notes. She concludes:“Last but not least we want to let people experience how much fun it can be to transparently transform a problem into practical solutions in a structured way with the help of various visually appealing coaching tools.”

If you are interested or would like to know more, you could contact one of the partners directly or visit the CAI® World website. www.cai-world.com

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Portrait: Falk S. Al-Omary, Owner of Al-Omary Medien-Management & Consulting Group

Self-promotion for executives and expert professionals Are you a confident, well-rounded, and articulate expert in your field? Do you advance in your career field or corporate structures? Falk S. Al-Omary, the well respected and award-winning German PR consultant, media expert, speaker and business journalist, can coach you on how to get there.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Coaching for executives and experts Falk S. Al-Omary makes people and ideas stand out from the rest. He offers exclusive and individual consulting services that help corporate managers and executives – as well as first-time business owners and entrepreneurs – to become more effective leaders and communicators.

strength and assets. Whether people want to achieve the next big sales goal – or advance in their corporate careers – they often wonder:“How do I attract attention? How do I or my ideas become visible to my customers, my boss, or to society?” The answer is self-promotion, states the German success coach.

“In order to ensure maximum and longterm results, I always work with very few selected clients at a time,”explains the PR coach. His philosophy is to help expert professionals and executives to reach inwardly – and look outwardly to their peers and employers – to develop, grow and achieve.

His pragmatic, results-oriented and exclusive approach to self-promotion is manifested in a number of services: business development, brand consulting, authoring of expert articles or longer publications, liaising with political and economic stakeholders, exposure in national media, charity engagement, PR coaching and others.

Al-Omary provides all of these exclusive services personally and independently. He is free of all pressures and can fully concentrate on a small number of clients at a time.

Self-promotion as a success strategy Through active and conscious self-promotion, Al-Omary supports his clients along the way to identify and use their personal

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Unique know-how, contacts and network For more than 20 years, Al-Omary has helped businesses, political stakeholders, and executives to strategically and effectively leverage media to reach their unique goals. Equipped with compelling charm, know-how, strong media contacts (print, broadcast, online) and 25 years of journalistic experience, he is one of Germany’s top PR coaches and consultants. He is also a frequent speaker and coach at high-level seminars, and author of several publications and coaching books. www.al-omary.com

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Coaching & Consulting

Portrait: Viola Böhme

The human factor of corporate culture Viola Böhme Company Culture supports executives on how to create a motivating and healthy work environment to win and keep the best staff for achieving the “special” competitive advantage.

TEXT: DORINA REICHHOLD | PHOTOS: HOFFOTOGRAFEN

A business will only flourish when its employees can make use of their full potential.

Based on the demographic changes this is today of extraordinary relevance and excellent leadership is becoming of the upmost importance within a company. Berlinbased Viola Böhme Company Culture has set its focus on the role of leaders and provides guidance on how to manage today’s challenges and changes effectively and efficiently by paying attention to the employees' needs.

The idea behind is in its name: A company’s culture is shaped by the managers who are responsible for others by being role models. They have the biggest influence to a trustful and reliable culture that will allow for everyone to identify themselves with the company goals, to see their contribution to the overall result, to feel

their work is being appreciated and therefore engage highly motivated employees for the company. For that reason it is essential managers are provided with coaching and training to acquire the right skills.

“My goal is to enable businesses and employees to benefit from one another. I am driven by the achievement to see how open and authentic communication and individual development processes bring positive change to more than one person within an organisation and save the future of a business,“ explains Viola Böhme.

Having worked in various leadership positions herself before founding Company Culture in 2012, she has a deep-rooted understanding on how important it is to create a work environment in which employees feel loyal to the company they work for. Company Culture also stands for a

unique culture of cooperation with the customer, which is based on the understanding of a companion, on trust and empathy which will help to perceive the changes necessary. Viola Böhme moreover places special emphasis on coaching young executives who often find themselves in a difficult position due to their lack of professional experience. Many times they are not provided with any internal guidance within their company on how to effectively fulfil their new position. Company Culture coaches these young professionals to help them to define their role and to find the right concept to build up and lead a successful and loyal team. For the sustained benefit of company and workforce. And for achieving the“special”competitive advantage. www.viola-boehme.de

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Portrait: Katrin Frohberg

standing of the individual needs. It’s just not enough to theoretically analyse the processes. The art of my profession is to find strategies and techniques which can be used on a daily basis – even years after the coaching,” Frohberg explains. She adds: “Communication is my lifeblood. Through successful and valuable communication, we can be productive, enter good connections and find sense.”

Always putting people first Sales trainer, advisor, coach – Katrin Frohberg might be many things but one factor remains constant: she is sure to offer a holistic development process in which people are paramount. While using INtem’s® exceptional interval system which is based on the latest insights of brain research, Katrin Frohberg also impresses with her unprecedented ability to understand people.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: KATRIN FROHBERG

“Training and coaching are my profession and my passion,” Katrin Frohberg smiles.

For over 20 years, she has gained extensive professional experience in qualifying people. Having worked as a manager in sales or as a leadership coach, she has completed an academy course in health economics and has worked in regional and national management positions. She notes: “My journey through life was full of human and sales-related experiences. I draw from this and pass it onto people.”Offering her services for entire companies, individual man-

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agers or private people, her special focus lies on the health system.

Starting with an analysis of one’s potential, Frohberg then develops a custom-made change- and training concept which relates to the respective company structure, culture and goals. Through an exceptional understanding of people and a gentle human approach, she holistically learns about their strengths and motivations. “The special thing is that I examine each aspect of a company. Thus, I get a really good under-

Always showing people how they can foster their communicative growth and how to strengthen their confidence, she works with INtem’s® interval system. The pioneering training method ensures that“substantially more than the common ten per cent of new know-how after further education are implemented in the working life,”according to Frohberg. She explains:“Immediately after the first interval, measurable behavioural changes and results show. The change between seminar- and implementation phases in the interval system most effectively guarantees the direct transfer into practice.”

From communication training, seminars, team-coaching or individual coaching to service training, sales development programs, consultancy for hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry, the medical trade, medical supply centre or doctor’s practices– Katrin Frohberg solely offers individual concepts and impresses with her human focus. www.frohberg.intem.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Coaching & Consulting

Shadow coaching: The way to move people forward Shadow coaching is a very direct application of reflective and observational coaching, which is situated in the work environment of the coachee. That provides one way for clients to go below the surface into the core dynamics of personal contacts and meeting situations, illuminating the truth of the moment and making decisions that move people forward.

TEXT: WERNER KNEER | PHOTO: © UWE BAUMANN/SHOTSHOP.COM

Shadow coaching is a real-time learning approach in developing a refined selfawareness and capabilities in the workplace as a result of reflection on practice. It enables people, not only to benefit from the continuous presence of an observing coach over an extended period of time in a typical set of workdays, but also develops their own role as self-observer for the long term. It teaches clients to become reflective practitioners.

This type of coaching is ideally suited to organisational leaders who must make decisions and act adaptively in intense work environments. Shadow coaching involves partnering with clients in their work environments and brings another experienced and fresh perspective that helps to identify problematic dynamics, work habits and assumptions that impede effectiveness.

Shadow coaching is observational, situational, real-time, fast-paced coaching. Two minds working as one increasing awareness and implementing change on the spot.

It involves being able to provoke the leader’s awareness of these problematic features in ways that they can be addressed immediately. It goes beyond support to problem solving.

shadow coaching attends to the individual, social, relational and environmental aspects of the client's‘world’. It creates seismically altering change.

Shadow Coach Werner Kneer accompanies organisational leaders who do not have the opportunities to become a fair feedback, which is critical and at the same time appreciated. www.kneer.ch

Shadow Coach Werner Kneer speeds up to the life of the client while at the same time works with the clients to slow down to the speed of thought. ”I want my clients to detect their own potential,“ says Shadow Coach Werner Kneer.

Those taking a shadow coaching session with Werner Kneer, will improve their already existing practical abilities relevant for an everyday work routine. That means

Portrait: Werner Kneer. Photo: zvg

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Coaching & Consulting

Envisioning the future, designing change Berlin-based consultant and coach Thomas Wehrs guides businesses and individuals through challenges and personal development.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE

Through working in the United States and Germany, Thomas Wehrs has met many managers and has noticed that some lack the necessary leadership skills to thrive in their industries or successfully interact with their employees. He describes a fundamental difference between managers and leaders. Managers focus on security during challenging times and stay within their specific field. Leaders do this as well, but also explore new areas, embed positive change, whilst maintaining proven methods and acting as a transparent guide to their employees.

Wehrs’goal is to strengthen the professional excellence of each individual. He explains further: “Professional excellence

means that the person has a comprehensive understanding of their own job. Part of this professional understanding are personal values and the personal social field of activity. Hence it is beneficial to align a career with one’s personal journey and character.” The personality of his clients plays a major role for the coach. Professional behaviour is based on the self-perception and ability of each person and is hence deeply rooted in their personality and the fundamental philosophy of humanity.

“During my workshops, I build a personal relationship with my clients, creating a trusting and safe environment where participants can open up and discover themselves,” he explains. Aside from continuing

his own education, Wehrs is looking into establishing a training institute for systemic consulting and transactional analysis, a future home port for leaders and organisational developers. www.thwehrs.com

Portrait: Thomas Wehrs. Photo: Marko Priske

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Culture Calendar Save the date as there are plenty of great events scheduled for the weeks to come.

From music festivals and exciting exhibitions to fantastic sport events and social highlights, Discover Germany’s Culture Calendar is your perfect guide to what not to miss in August.

Canaletto - Dresden City Festival (14 – 16 August) Amidst the beautiful historic city centre of Dresden, a whole summer weekend will delight young and old alike with a fascinating mix of music, shows, theatre plays, family activities, sports and culinary delicacies. The free festival around the Elbe annually attracts around 500,000 visitors and is especially appealing due to the enchanting Baroque surroundings. www.dresdner-stadtfest.com Stuttgart Wine Village (26 August – 6 September) More than 500 exquisite wines from Württemberg and Baden can be sampled in 125 tastefully decorated wine arbours.

Additionally, Stuttgart’s chefs will serve Swabian specialties, such as ‘Maultaschen’,

‘Kaesespaetzle’, or ‘Schupfnudeln’ with Sauerkraut amongst others. The Stuttgart Wine Village is an exquisite weekend for exploring delicacies and taste sensations. www.stuttgarter-weindorf.de Richard Wagner Festival, Bayreuth (until 28 August) The annual musical festival in the Bavarian town of Bayreuth pays tribute to a famous German composer from the 19th century: Richard Wagner. Considered as the world’s largest Wagner Festival by many, the festival has quickly sold out since 1876 and Wagner fans are advised to get their tickets in advance to enjoy some of the composer’s best operas, such as Tristan and Isolde. www.bayreuther-festspiele.de

Main image: View across the Augustus Bridge and Dresden’s historic city. © Jan Wiedemann Above: Dresden City Festival. © Dresden Marketing GmbH. Photo: Sylvio Dittrich Stuttgart Wine Village. © SMG, Christoph Duepper

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Discover Germany | Culture | Culture Calendar

International Berlin Beer Festival (7 – 9 August)

Old Town Magic Festival, Klagenfurt (28 – 29 August)

Looking for an authentic German experience? It won’t get more authentic than this: A three-day folk festival, also known as the world’s longest beer garden - celebrates Germany’s favourite drink. Along 2.2 kilometres of Karl-Marx-Allee in Friedrichshain district, about 320 breweries from 86 countries from Germany to Vietnam offer around 2,000 sorts of beers. The program is rounded off with several bands performing traditional German music on various stages. www.bierfestival-berlin.de

Klagenfurt’s Old Town Magic Festival impresses with a variety of jugglers, live bands, magicians and stiltwalkers throughout its enchanting streets, alleys and squares for one weekend in August. www.stadtrichter.at/altstadtzauber Alpinale Vorarlberg, Nenzing (11 – 15 August) The short film festival in Nenzing in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg is an annual festival that attracts film enthusiasts from all over the world.

An international jury, as well as the general public select the best entries from a wide variety of entries from humorous and innovative to moving and exciting shorts. www.alpinale.at Long Table of Graz (15 August) The old town of Graz will turn into one giant open air restaurant in the middle of August.

Approximately 700 guests will sit at together at a beautifully decorated, long table where they can enjoy a delicious dinner, accompanied by exquisite wines and musical entertainment throughout the night. www.graztourismus.at/en/eat-anddrink/events/long-table

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Above: International Berlin Beer Festival. © Frank-Peter Bürger Left: Old Town Magic Festival in Klagenfurt. © Archiv Tourismusregion Klagenfurt I Helge Bauer

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Discover Germany | Culture | Culture Calendar

Bregenz Harbourfest (28 – 30 August)

Festival del Film Locarno (5 – 15 August)

The harbour of Bregenz will turn into a place for culinary delights at the end of August. From fresh food to summer beverages, the live bands and big fireworks at the end of the weekend will attract many. The harbour area will be turned into one big celebration for young and old alike. www.bregenz.travel/events/festefestivals/bregenzer-hafengenuss

One of Europe’s most important film festivals, the Festival del Film Locarno, will showcase a high-quality programme with rich, eclectic or surprising films. For 11 days the Swiss-Italian town of Locarno becomes the world capital of auteur film where thousands of film fans and industry professionals meet to share their passion for cinema. In the evenings, 8,000 filmgoers can enjoy some exceptional films on the Piazza Grande. www.pardolive.ch/en

Top: Bregenz Harbourfest. © Curt Huber (left) International Film Festival at Piazza Grande in Locarno. © Ticino Turismo I swiss-image.ch/ Remy Steinegger (right) Below: The Long Table of Graz. © Graz Tourism I Harry Schiffer

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Discover Germany | Culture | Culture Calendar

International Alpine Beard Festival, Chur (23 August)

Schwägalp Schwinget, Toggenburg (16 or 23 August)

As part of the Chur Festival, the 30th International Alpine Beard Festival will take place. Alpine farmers and herdsmen, as well as participants from all over Europe with long and bushy beards take part in the annual contest to win an award for the most attractive natural full beard. The bizarre beauty contest has firmly established itself on the events calendar of international beard clubs. The jury is made up of experts and personalities from public life. www.churerfest.ch

Depending on the weather, a beautiful natural arena at the foot of Mount Säntis amidst Appenzell and Toggenburg holds the annual sporting event ‘Schwägalp Schwinget’ on 16 or 23 August. Those who seek a genuine Swiss event won’t be disappointed as people compete in various disciplines, such as flag throwing. Music and yodelling round off the program. www.schwaegalp-schwinget.ch

St. Moritz Art Masters (21 – 30 August) Taking place for the first time in 2008, the tenday arts and culture festival presents various national and international contemporary artists.

From photography exhibitions to artist talks, workshops and sculptures around the city, regional, national, as well as international artists are sure to impress. The WALK OF ART connects the various exhibitions. The past years have seen works of Ai Weiwei, Jonathan Meese or Oliver Kruse amongst many others. www.stmoritzartmasters.com

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Above: St. Moritz Art Masters is a top-class cultural and music event. © ENGADIN St. Moritz By-line: swiss-image.ch I Oliver Kruse Below: International Alpine Beard Festival in Chur; Rohner, Wallner and Schmidbauer (from left). © Verena Zimmermann, Chur

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Discover Germany | Culture | Barbara Geier

Happy holidays!

We do like the odd survey from time to time, don’t we? Very fitting for the current holiday season, here’s one about Germans and their ‘flirt behaviour’ when away from home. A German dating site asked 1,600 men and women (including people in relationships) about how they go on the holiday pull and whom they ‘target’.

at the end, towels don’t play a role at all in this context. They are, as you know, reserved for another kind of conquest. Happy holidays!

TEXT: BARBARA GEIER

Questions asked revolved around how important a holiday fling is in general as part of the vacation experience, if holiday flings are actively planned in advance (I wonder how that works but okay) and which types of holidays are best for flirting. There were many more detailed questions so that the results prompted a German national paper to make a fairly downbeat comment on the state of the faithfulness of Germans: It’s not looking good, they said.

Here’s why: According to the survey, one third of German men and women living in a relationship are not averse to engage in flirtatious activities by the pool, at the bar or when (over)loading the plates at the buffet.

Not surprising then that 30 per cent also say that they actually went one step further and had a little techtelmechtel (great German word for affair/dalliance). Digging a bit further and separating the sexes, it’s – surprise, surprise – the men for whom the flirting bit is generally more important.

While only 15 per cent of women say that pulling while on holidays is very important, almost double (29 per cent) of men say it is.

Another interesting point might be related to how Germans generally behave when they meet their compatriots abroad. While Italians and Spaniards, for example, seem to be very happy to meet their ‘kind’ when in another country, Germans are very often rather dismissive of each other. There’s a kind of ‘oh god, Germans. Not here, too, when I’m on holidays’ attitude, at least that’s what I’ve sensed on occasion – and I’d be lying if I said I’d always make myself immediately known abroad upon hearing another German voice. In any case, when asked about whom they’d prefer for a fling, for example other German holiday makers, holiday makers from other countries, locals, don’t care or don’t know, 65 per cent of men and 52 per cent of women did not tick the first option but went for one of the other four.

Coming back to the type of holiday most conducive for a fling, both German men and women think it’s while staying at a club with women preferring to strike up a conversation at the bar while men are keener on the beach as their preferred flirting terrain. By the way, just a random note

Barbara Geier is a London-based freelance writer, translator and communications consultant. She is also the face behind ww.germanyiswunderbar.com, a German travel and tourism guide and blog that was set up together with UK travel writer Andrew Eames in 2010.

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Thalasso

is an island.

Surrounded by the ocean with its treasures â&#x20AC;&#x201C; salt, mud and algae.

Favoured by the climate, the sun and the purest air.

In the bade:haus Norderney we utilise the treasures of nature.

For your health. For your well-being.

Photo: iStock

Welcome to Norderney, the island for thalasso-therapy.

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