ZRS ARCHITEKTEN GESELLSCHAFT VONARCHITEKTEN MBH

Their core work

Roswag Architekten is a Berlin-based architecture practice that specialises in sustainable building design, energy-efficient renovation, and the integration of low-carbon construction methods into real built projects. Their H2020 work sits at the intersection of architecture and construction engineering: turning research on recycled construction materials and prefabricated building systems into deployable renovation solutions. In practice this means they contribute design expertise, building physics knowledge, and architectural integration skills to multi-disciplinary consortia — bridging the gap between materials science laboratories and construction sites. Their focus on nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB) and off-site prefabrication positions them as practitioner partners who can validate research outputs against real regulatory and market conditions in Germany and the EU.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their first H2020 project (RE4, 2016–2020) the firm contributed to circular construction — specifically the structural and architectural challenge of incorporating recycled CDW materials into new prefabricated envelope elements. No digital or smart-building keywords are associated with that period, suggesting a materials-and-assembly focus. By the second project (PLURAL, 2020–2024) the profile had expanded significantly into digital tools: 3D printing, digital manufacturing, IT-based predictive monitoring, and decision-support tools appear alongside NZEB and low-CO2 materials. The clear direction is toward digitally designed and fabricated renovation systems that are also smart and monitored — a convergence of sustainable construction with Industry 4.0 methods.

They are moving from material-recycling expertise toward digitally manufactured, performance-monitored building renovation — making them a relevant partner for any consortium combining construction decarbonisation with digital fabrication or smart-building technology.

How they like to work

Roswag Architekten has participated exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator, across both projects — a pattern consistent with a specialised practitioner that contributes specific architectural and design competence within larger research consortia led by universities or engineering firms. Their network of 34 unique partners across 11 countries from just 2 projects indicates involvement in broad, well-connected consortia rather than tight bilateral collaborations. Working with them likely means engaging a design-practice perspective that grounds research prototypes in real building regulations, user requirements, and construction workflows.

Despite only two projects, Roswag Architekten has built a surprisingly wide network of 34 unique partners spanning 11 countries, suggesting participation in large pan-European consortia typical of RIA and IA projects in the construction sector. Their partnerships are likely anchored around German and Central European construction research institutions, though the 11-country spread indicates genuine European breadth.

What sets them apart

Roswag Architekten occupies a rare niche: they are a practising architecture office that engages with EU research rather than a university or research institute. This means they bring something most academic partners cannot — direct experience of how design decisions play out on real construction sites, with real clients, under real building codes. For a consortium developing prefabricated renovation systems or low-carbon construction methods, having a practitioner architect in the team dramatically increases the chance that outputs will be buildable and commercially viable rather than laboratory prototypes. Their Berlin base also gives access to one of Europe's most active markets for building renovation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RE4
  The largest of their two projects (€501,125 EC funding) and the earlier one, focused on the architecturally challenging problem of turning demolition waste into certified, energy-efficient prefabricated building components — a topic with strong regulatory and market relevance across the EU.
• PLURAL
  Represents a clear upgrade in technical ambition, combining lightweight plug-and-use renovation systems with digital manufacturing, 3D printing, and IT-based building performance monitoring — a multidisciplinary scope that positions Roswag at the frontier of industrialised renovation.