Atelier Kempe Thill architects and planners was founded in 2000 by two German architects, André Kempe (’68) and Oliver Thill (’71), following their Europan 5 winning proposal of three hundred dwellings in Kop van Zuid, Rotterdam. While this project didn’t result in a commission, the office survived the recession of 2002-2004 and has been able to position itself well within the European architectural scene. In the last fifteen years, the practice has grown from a ‘two-man band’ to a stable, medium-sized office with around twenty-five employees.
The office’s range of work has systematically broadened since its foundation. The practice portfolio has developed with collective housing and small public building commissions to include large renovation, infrastructure and urban design projects. Single-sided specialisation and the consequent limitations have been avoided through the wide diversity of commissions; as a result, the practice is also more economically stable. Since its foundation, Atelier Kempe Thill has tried not to limit itself to the Netherlands but to establish itself within the wider European market. The office has acquired commissions in Austria, Belgium, Egypt, France, Germany, Morocco, the Netherlands and Switzerland through its participation in over one hundred and twenty international competitions.
Atelier Kempe Thill is becoming increasingly well-known in architectural circles. In the last fifteen years, the office has appeared in around five hundred publications worldwide, amongst which were two monographs. In addition, the office’s partners have given more than two hundred lectures. This professional recognition enables the office to acquire increasingly complex projects and compete with larger, more commercial practices.
The office’s range of work has systematically broadened since its foundation. The practice portfolio has developed with collective housing and small public building commissions to include large renovation, infrastructure and urban design projects. Single-sided specialisation and the consequent limitations have been avoided through the wide diversity of commissions; as a result, the practice is also more economically stable. Since its foundation, Atelier Kempe Thill has tried not to limit itself to the Netherlands but to establish itself within the wider European market. The office has acquired commissions in Austria, Belgium, Egypt, France, Germany, Morocco, the Netherlands and Switzerland through its participation in over one hundred and twenty international competitions.
Atelier Kempe Thill is becoming increasingly well-known in architectural circles. In the last fifteen years, the office has appeared in around five hundred publications worldwide, amongst which were two monographs. In addition, the office’s partners have given more than two hundred lectures. This professional recognition enables the office to acquire increasingly complex projects and compete with larger, more commercial practices.
André Kempe. Born in Freiberg, East Germany, in 1968 and studied at the TU Dresden. He is a founding partner of the Rotterdam based firm Atelier Kempe Thill, which he directs together with Oliver Thill since 2000. André Kempe has been engaged as studio master at the Delft University of Technology and the Academie van Bouwkunst in both Arnhem and Rotterdam. He was an invited professor at the EPF Lausanne, PSBA Düsseldorf and the TU Berlin. In 2020 he was appointed as full professor at the Leibniz University of Hannover. André Kempe has given more than one hundred public lectures worldwide. He was a board member of Young European Architects and is currently board member of the MONU magazine and Europan NL.
Oliver Thill. Born in Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany, in 1971 and studied at the TU Dresden. He is a founding partner of the Rotterdam based firm Atelier Kempe Thill, which he directs together with André Kempe. Oliver Thill has been engaged as studio master at the Delft University of Technology, the Academie van Bouwkunst in both Arnhem and Rotterdam, and the Berlage Institute Rotterdam and Delft. He was an invited professor at the EPF Lausanne, the PSBA Düsseldorf, Polytechnico di Milano and the TU Berlin. In 2020 he was appointed as full professor at the Leibniz University of Hannover. Oliver Thill has given more than one hundred public lectures worldwide. He was a board member of the Jaap Bakema Foundation Rotterdam and writes on a regular basis for the European architecture magazine “San Rocco”.
