Where cities can breathe again
Interview with Arch.DI Thomas Pucher, Founder/CEO of Atelier Thomas Pucher ZT GmbH
In an era when urban density, rising costs and climate pressures challenge European cities, Atelier Thomas Pucher ZT GmbH has embraced an approach that treats architecture as both social infrastructure and long‑term environmental stewardship. Its work suggests that the future of the built world lies in places where people and nature genuinely coexist and good architecture can still elevate everyday life.
Founded two decades ago with just two employees, Atelier Thomas Pucher has grown into a 70‑person studio operating from Graz and Vienna. Its trajectory has been shaped by ambitious international competitions, from early work in Saudi Arabia to projects across Central and Eastern Europe. ‘Our goal has always been simple: if we intervene, the end result must be better than before,’ Thomas Pucher says.
A Warsaw landmark
Nothing embodies this ethos more than the long‑awaited Warsaw Sinfonia Concert Hall, a cultural beacon over a decade in development. Winning the competition placed the firm ‘from one day to the next in the international league,’ Thomas Pucher recalls. Despite funding pauses and political complexity, the first phase is nearly complete, and the main hall is now out to tender. For Thomas Pucher the human dimension remains central: ‘Working with world‑class musicians teaches you what world‑class architecture must deliver.’
Greening the urban tower
The Green Tower in Graz showcases the studio’s environmental thinking at residential scale. Balconies with trees create private ‘pocket parks’ high above the city, offering views and micro‑climates rather than monolithic glass façades. ‘Green is the new glass,’ Thomas Pucher says. While budgets have tightened, the principle stands: nature must be woven into daily life.
The city as habitat
At Reininghaus, one of Austria’s major urban renewal districts, the practice extends its philosophy to the neighbourhood level. Here, buildings are arranged to maximize open space, preserve existing trees where possible, and allow future plantings to mature into meaningful landscapes. ‘Old trees are old beings,’ Thomas Pucher says. ‘We must build in ways that respect what is already alive.’
The firm’s culture mirrors this thoughtful approach. Thomas Pucher leads the creative direction, while co‑managing director Magnus Griesbeck oversees project management and operations. A continuous improvement programme guides internal evolution. The studio has fully transitioned to BIM and is experimenting with early AI‑assisted processes. Yet technology serves a deeper purpose: clarity. Public clients, private developers and communities all require transparent communication. ‘Delivering a good building is not enough,’ Thomas Pucher says. ‘You must also guide people through the journey.’