caspar. is an architecture studio with a team of around 100 professionals across our Cologne and Hamburg offices. Originally founded as meyerschmitzmorkamer in 2004, Caspar Schmitz-Morkramer reimagined the office under the name caspar. in 2019. We manage all aspects of construction, guiding clients through every phase of service. At caspar., we specialize in the big picture. Our core expertise in office construction and renovations serves as a springboard for a wide range of projects, including district development, working with and within existing structures, or urban revitalization.

Our office operates under the guiding principle of “Scale:Human” (“Maßstab Mensch”). While architecture has always been supposed to serve people, today’s world demands a deeper commitment to “global sustainability and a safe and just climate future” (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research). People remain at the center of architecture, but they should no longer be the measure of all things, as has often been the case in “global North” architecture. Today, the true measure (of all things) for architects must be to build sustainably. We strive to design spaces that meet human needs while protecting the natural resources essential for life. This effort must also consider the socioeconomic needs and contexts of people and architecture. This is our vision of sustainability. “Scale:Human” guides us through the complex space between the center and the measure of all things in architecture, balancing being human-centered and sustainable. It helps us integrate ecological, social, and economic considerations to find the best design solutions, positioning people optimally at the center of architecture.

caspar. handles all construction tasks in all phases. The way we do this, however, sometimes differs from common practice. In addition, we also offer services that go beyond the classic spectrum - from urban planning to research and programming.

caspar.esearch is our interdisciplinary, in-house think tank. It integrates the theoretical, scientific, and discursive elements of caspar.'s work. Informed by our hybrid, dialogue-driven thinking as well as our practical projects, this think tank serves as our most important tool for continuously recalibrating our commitment to “Maßstab Mensch” (Scale:Human), a cornerstone of our human-centered design philosophy.

Our architectural philosophy places people at the center of architecture without making them the measure of all things. We strive to develop ideas and design spaces that meet human needs while protecting the natural resources essential for life. This effort also considers the social and economic needs and contexts of people and architecture. In other words, we seek sustainability that is inherently humane. In this view, the needs of people and the environment are one. This unity is not a contradiction but the foundation for any discussion about architectural sustainability. The ultimate goal is sustainability as the measure of all things. Our current understanding of sustainability is the key reason why our perspective on how architecture and urban planning can best serve people has fundamentally changed in recent decades.