Dietrich | Untertrifaller is an international architecture firm known for its sustainable and contextually sensitive designs. Led by Helmut Dietrich, Much Untertrifaller, Dominik Philipp, and Patrick Stremler, the practice operates from multiple locations in Austria, Switzerland, France, and Germany. The firm collaborates with local offices and partners to deliver projects that enrich the built environment.
Its projects - large-scale buildings, residential homes, and institutional facilities - foster simplicity and creativity. A distinct minimalist spatial character boasting materials like wood, concrete, and aluminum, is evident across its designs.
With its context-rich designs exuding functionalism, the firm has secured eleventh place in Archello's 100 best architecture firms in the world.
Here are five key projects that define the practice:
Dietrich Untertrifaller introduces a new timber structure to the Rudolf Steiner School. Founded in 1964, the Rudolf Steiner School is the oldest Waldorf school in Austria, that needed renovation due to inadequate building fabric and an immediate need for more space. Using natural insulation like straw and hemp, the expansion ensures excellent energy efficiency while minimizing the environmental impact.
The design maximizes flexibility with spaces for learning, playing, and gathering, all adaptable to the school’s evolving needs. An external arcade doubles as sun protection and a communal area, while large ribbon windows in the sports hall provide natural light and visual connections between spaces. The resultant expansion embodies sustainability, preservation, and adaptability, creating a highly transparent learning environment that encourages collaboration and innovation.
In the heart of the Vorarlberg municipality of Klaus, Dietrich Untertrifaller designed a residential and commercial building with the idea of sustainable urban densification. The project features two distinct wooden structures, connected by an underground garage. The three-story, street-facing building accommodates commercial spaces on the ground floor and eight apartments above, while the smaller rear building houses four additional units.
Constructed primarily of solid wood, with only the base and ceilings in reinforced concrete, the facade is adorned with dark-glazed wooden slats. Light wood accents on window frames and loggias present a striking contrast. The green roof atop the underground garage serves as a tranquil courtyard for residents, allowing permeability between the two structures and offering light, sun, privacy, and community.
Situated off-street, this middle school, designed by Dietrich Untertrifaller, on the outskirts of Bretenoux, forms a public square with its wide western front. Inspired by medieval bastides, the single-story building is organized compactly, with a cantilevered canopy of dark carbonized wood providing natural shade and preventing overheating. Inside, light-colored wood dominates the generous, bright spaces, with classrooms benefiting from double-sided natural lighting. Central to the layout is a covered “marketplace” that connects public areas like the library and restaurant. Inner courtyards and skylights ensure ample daylight filters through the building, creating a harmonious connection between the structure and its rural surroundings.
4. Sports Center Gilles Boutantin
The Sports Center Gilles Boutantin, designed by Dietrich Untertrifaller, is a primary hub for community sports in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, a suburb of Paris. Spanning 38 meters, a striking wooden structure with a reinforced concrete core houses key facilities like the boxing hall, dojo, administration and warehouse.
The building’s façade is clad in anodized aluminum with a patina copper tone, in line with the surrounding residential area. The roof, also clad in aluminum, acts as a fifth facade, while the interior wood paneling on the ceilings and walls, provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
5. TUM School of Medicine and Health
The TUM Campus in Munich’s Olympic Park, designed by Dietrich Untertrifaller, houses the Department of Sport and Health Sciences. Inspired by the 1972 Olympics slogan "Light, Freshness, and Generosity," the pavilion-like structure features an expansive timber roof and glass façade, serving as an extension of the park. The 19-meter cantilever canopy is a standout feature, crafted from prefabricated wooden box girders assembled without additional scaffolding. The building’s open layout fosters a functional and inviting space for research, training, and sports, while its sleek design complements the park’s original master plan.
