TOPOTEK 1 was founded in Berlin in 1996 by Martin Rein-Cano. It works around the field of landscape architecture and understands itself as a traveller within the fringe areas of typologies and scales, jaunting into architecture, urban design, music and art. The hybridisation of topics and disciplines, the removal, transmission and re-contexualisation of various design features and objects, and the staging and design of scenographic sequences are just some of their key strategies.
The alertness and receptivity to the general contemporary discussion is maintained through this working method. The global movement of society and culture continually redefines the broad spectrum of possibilities in relation to the constitution of public space.
TOPOTEK 1 develops concepts through a critical understatement of the given realities and a deep historical knowledge. This provides solutions and designs which fulfill the modern requirements of variability, communication and sensuality.
TOPOTEK 1 reflects on public spaces as an expression of visions and society as a whole.
Some of TOPOTEK 1’s major projects are: the Railway Cover in Munich, the Sports Facilities Heerenschürli in Zurich, the German Embassy in Warsaw and the Castle Park in Wolfsburg. Recently completed projects include the Research and Recreation Center Paläon in Schöningen, the Bord Gais Networks Center in Dublin and the Big Dig in Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition. Currently, TOPOTEK 1 is working on various projects including the masterplan for Høje Taastrup City in Denmark, the urban design of Porte Jeune in Mulhouse, the World Heritage Cloister in Lorsch, the Siemens Headquarters in Munich and the Hyundai Automobile Complex in Seoul.
TOPOTEK 1’s work has received many awards and prizes over the years: the German Urban Design Prize in 2002, the German Architecture Prize in 2003, the Foundation Award for ’Exuberant City’ in 2005, the National Award for Integrated Urban Development and Building Culture «Building Cities, Living Cities» in 2009, the Hugo Häring Prize in 2011, and an honourable mention within the context of the German Architectural Landscape Prize in 2009, 2011 and 2013, awarded by the Chamber of German Landscape Architects.
Martin Rein-Cano is the founder of TOPOTEK 1 and has been Managing Director since 1996. Lorenz Dexler joined as Managing Partner in 1999. Martin was born in Buenos Aires in 1967, he studied art history at Frankfurt University and landscape architecture at the Technical Universities of Hannover and Karlsruhe. Lorenz was born in Darmstadt in 1968, he studied landscape architecture at Hannover Technical University. Both Martin and Lorenz lecture at internationally renowned universities and cultural institutions, and regularly participate on competition juries.
