EM2N

About EM2N

EM2N is a Swiss architecture practice founded by Mathias Müller and Daniel Niggli, operating as EM2N AG from Binzstrasse in Zurich with a second office, EM2N Architekten Berlin GmbH, in Berlin. The practice marked its 25th anniversary in 2023 and also works through Atelier Kanal Architects in Brussels on its major Belgian commission.

The office is a member of the Swiss professional bodies SIA and BSA, and its founders maintain an active teaching and lecturing presence at institutions including ETH Zurich, TU Berlin, the Milan Polytechnic and the Melbourne School of Design.

Working With What Exists

EM2N's defining preoccupation is the transformation of existing buildings. The practice argues that existing structures should be understood not merely as heritage to be preserved but as a resource for sustainable transformation - a position summarised in project titles such as adaptation instead of new build, and never demolish.

This is more than a stylistic preference. Roughly a third of global carbon emissions are associated with construction, and a large share of that is embodied in materials already standing. A practice that specialises in converting rather than replacing is addressing that problem directly, and EM2N has described its ambition as regenerative architecture rather than merely sustainable architecture.

Notable Projects

• Toni-Areal, Zurich - conversion of a former dairy plant into a major arts university campus containing concert halls, a ballet hall, cinema and studios, one of the most significant adaptive reuse projects in Switzerland
• Kanal Centre Pompidou, Brussels - transformation of a former Citroën garage into a contemporary art museum, delivered through Atelier Kanal
• Binzstrasse office and commercial building, Zurich - a stepped, heavily planted building honoured with a Swiss Arc Award
• Heuried Sports Centre, Zurich - ice rink and swimming facility
• Briesestrasse housing, Berlin Neukölln - experimental housing nominated for the DAM Preis
• Museum and archive building, Basel - bringing two collections of knowledge under one roof
• Temporary pavilion for Zurich Opera House - a demountable structure exploring temporary building in the city
• Stadtpark Apartments, Uster and Sagi Areal - residential and mixed-use development

Sectors

The portfolio spans cultural buildings and museums, housing at scale, education and university campuses, sports and leisure facilities, offices and commercial buildings, and urban masterplanning - including new quarters in Basel and Berlin.

Competition Practice

Like most serious European practices, EM2N wins a substantial share of its work through open competition, regularly placing first in contests for schools, sports halls, housing ensembles and civic buildings across Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium. Competition success at this frequency is a reliable indicator of design standing among peers.

Sustainability and Materials

Alongside reuse, the practice explores vertical greening, energy-generating buildings, buildings conceived as material stores for future reuse, and modular construction - themes visible in projects described as energy machines and materials stores.

Market Position

EM2N is among the most respected mid-sized practices in the German-speaking architecture world, competing on conceptual rigour and a distinctive expertise in complex conversions of industrial and institutional buildings.

Why AEC Teams Should Know EM2N

For architects and clients considering adaptive reuse, industrial conversion or low-carbon transformation of existing stock, EM2N is one of the most instructive European practices working in the built environment today.