This event provides a neutral platform for the highly topical and pressing issue of the construction and refurbishment of cultural buildings! Preserving this infrastructure is of fundamental importance to our unique cultural landscape. Networking forms the basis for the exchange of knowledge at all levels – and I am convinced that we can make it a success!
Participants come from a variety of projects and cities: Cologne, Munich, Karlsruhe, Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Kassel, Nuremberg and Stuttgart. Architects, planners, construction companies, project managers, users, artists and building owners will be in attendance. The symposium’s aim is to discuss the best possible implementation strategies for cultural buildings in order to meet costs, deadlines and quality standards. A key focus of the symposium will be on different contractual models, using the examples mentioned above
Andrea Jürges
Andrea Jürges
Andrea Jürges studied architecture at the Technical University of Darmstadt. After graduating, she worked at various architectural practices. From 2001 to 2003, she worked as a freelance editor for the digital architecture portal BauNetz. Andrea Jürges then spent almost 12 years at the European Central Bank (ECB), where she was responsible for all communications relating to the ECB’s new building, from the design competition through to its inauguration. Since February 2017, she has been Deputy Director of the German Architecture Museum (DAM) in Frankfurt am Main. Together with Yorck Förster, Andrea Jürges curated the exhibition ‘Grand Opera – Lots of Theatre?’, which opened at the DAM in 2018 and has since toured several major cities (since 2024 as ‘Very Grand Opera – Much More Theatre?’). She is also a member of the ‘Future of the Städtische Bühnen’ task force, also based in Frankfurt am Main.
Marc-Oliver Hendriks
Marc-Oliver Hendriks
Born in Duisburg in 1970, Marc-Oliver Hendriks passed his Abitur in 1990 at the Städtisches Stiftsgymnasium in Xanten and studied history, political science and English at the University of Duisburg. From 1991 to 1995, Hendriks studied law at the University of Konstanz; he completed his legal traineeship in Berlin from 1997 to 1999, working, amongst other roles, as an assistant to the Executive Director of the Deutsche Oper. After passing his second state examination, he became Administrative Director and Deputy Artistic Director of the ‘Theater Nordhausen/Loh-Orchester Sondershausen’ in 1999.
From August 2003, he served as Managing Director of the Bavarian Theatre Academy August Everding at the Prinzregenten-Theater in Munich. Since 1 September 2009, Marc-Oliver Hendriks has been Managing Artistic Director of the Württemberg State Theatres in Stuttgart.
Florian Gruner
Florian Gruner
Florian Gruner, born in Nürtingen in 1977, began his architecture degree in 1998 at the University of Hanover and continued his studies in Stuttgart from 2000 to 2004. From 2002 to 2003, he undertook a study abroad programme at Delft University of Technology.
After completing his degree, Florian Gruner worked at the architectural practice Cheret & Bozic in Stuttgart from 2005 to 2008. As a research assistant, he supported Prof. Dr Thomas Jocher’s team at the University of Stuttgart’s Institute for Housing and Design (IWE) from 2009 to 2015. At a+r Architekten, Florian Gruner has held project management roles since 2010 and was appointed lead architect in 2017. Florian Gruner has been a partner at a+r Architekten since 2021. In the same year, he was elected to the Association of German Architects.
Jürgen Volm
Jürgen Volm
Prof. Jürgen M. Volm is the founder and managing director of VELLOWS AG, which has offices in Zurich, Basel, Zug, Berlin and Cologne.
The company specialises in improving organisational, project and building performance through services such as risk management, crisis management, Integrated Project Management (IPA) and Lean Construction Management. For over 25 years, Prof. Volm has been a recognised expert in the construction and property sectors. He has delivered numerous large-scale projects and successfully developed organisations.
Since 2012, he has been teaching as Professor of International Project Management at the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences (HFT), specialising in project organisation, quality management and lean construction management.
Since July 2024, Prof. Jürgen M. Volm has been responsible, as overall project manager, for the completion of the refurbishment of the City of Cologne’s theatres.
Alexander Leupold
Alexander Leupold
After studying architecture at the Technical University of Munich from 1997 to 2004, he studied heritage conservation at the University of Bamberg from 2004 to 2006. At the same time/subsequently, he worked in the private sector from 2004 to 2010.
From 2010 to 2012, he completed his trainee civil servant programme at the Supreme Building Authority within the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior in the city of Nuremberg, and worked at the Building Authority of the City of Nuremberg from 2012 to 2018. His responsibilities included heading the department and acting as deputy head of the office, as well as performing staff functions. From 2015 to 2017, Alexander Leupold studied Facility Management at Wismar University of Applied Sciences; since 2018, he has been Head of the Project Construction Office for Major Cultural Construction Projects for the City of Nuremberg, initially in the Planning and Building Department, and, from May 2026, within the Housing, Planning and Urban Development Division of the Third Mayor’s Office. Since 2020, he has also been co-project manager for major cultural construction projects for the City of Nuremberg.
Björn Most
Björn Most
Bjørn Most is an engineer, entrepreneur, project developer and project director based in Kassel. Following an apprenticeship as a landscape gardener, Bjørn Most studied landscape planning and landscape architecture at the University of Kassel in an interdisciplinary environment with links to urban planning and architecture. He further broadened his profile by studying business administration.
As early as the Expo 2000, Bjørn Most was involved in process management and interdisciplinary project organisation in Hanover. From 2002 to the end of 2003, as part of the ‘Netzwerk Entwicklung’ programme for the University of Kassel, he engaged in professional exchanges across 17 countries, at various universities and office locations — predominantly in the field of architecture.
From 2004 to 2006, Bjørn Most was managing director of Kittlaus & Most.
Today, Bjørn Most is a partner and managing director of WELL concept GmbH, as well as the founder, partner and managing director of WELL project holding GmbH.
Wolfgang Müller
Wolfgang Müller
Wolfgang Müller is the Managing Director of Georg Reisch GmbH & Co. KG, based in Bad Saulgau. In this role, he has been responsible for the strategic and operational management of the company since 2019. With over 35 years’ experience, he oversees challenging construction projects throughout all project phases, particularly in the context of public-private partnerships (PPPs). His focus is on the successful implementation of complex construction projects and on the sustainable development of the company.
Sina Joachim
Sina Joachim
Sina Joachim, an architect with a degree in engineering (FH), is a project manager at Wenzel + Wenzel.
She completed her degree in architecture at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences. From 2004 to 2015, she worked at Beckenhaub + Hohm Architekten BDA, followed by a role as project manager at bauverein AG in Darmstadt in 2015, then as project manager at Rittmannsperger Architekten GmbH from 2015 to 2017, as well as from 2017 to 2018 at Beckenhaub + Hohm Architekten BDA and from 2018 to 2024 at planquadrat Elfers Geskes Krämer GmbH.
Since 2024, she has been a project architect at Wenzel + Wenzel in Frankfurt am Main.
Laurence Westen
Laurence Westen
After Dr Laurence Westen completed his law degree at Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Freiburg im Breisgau including his legal traineeship in 2009, he worked as a research assistant at Bird & Bird LLP from 2009 to 2010. This was followed by his legal traineeship in Düsseldorf, Washington, DC and Nairobi, Kenya (admitted to the bar in 2013). Since 2013, Dr Laurence Westen has been a solicitor and, since 2020, a partner at the law firm Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek, in the Public Sector and Procurement practice group.
In addition to his work as a solicitor and partner, he is a lecturer at the University of Münster and the Technical University of Berlin.
Dominik Daß
Dominik Daß
Dominik Daß, a graduate engineer (FH) and architect, is a partner at Wenzel + Wenzel.
He completed his degree in architecture at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences.
From 2000 to 2001, Dominik Daß was involved in project work at Wenzel + Wenzel in Karlsruhe; he then worked as a project architect at Wenzel + Wenzel from 2001 to 2006.
Dominik Daß has been a partner since 2007.
Kay Zetzsche
Kay Zetzsche
Kay Zetzsche’s professional career combines technical, organisational and business expertise: after completing his apprenticeship as a master technician in event technology, the Düsseldorf-born professional studied business administration part-time at the Fernuniversität Hagen, graduating with a degree in business administration. Before joining the WOLFF GROUP, he ran his own consultancy firm, Zetzsche Consult KG, which specialised in the construction and operation of event venues.
Kay Zetzsche has more than 25 years’ professional experience in the project management of complex construction and infrastructure projects. He has been with WOLFF GRUPPE GmbH since 2009, initially as an authorised signatory at W+P Gesellschaft für Projektrealisierung mbH, and as managing director from 2016 onwards.
Katharina Müller
Katharina Müller
Katharina Müller, an architect (Dipl.-Ing.(FH)) for over 30 years, and also a mediator specialising in planning, construction and environmental matters since 2022.
Since 2020, she has been working on various construction projects at the Nuremberg State Theatre.
After graduating in 1994, she set up her own practice as an architect and energy consultant (preparing expert reports), whilst also managing a planning consultancy.
Following periods working abroad (in France and India), Katharina Müller worked in the industrial sector (quality management, standardisation, troubleshooting, training, etc.) and, from 2014 to 2019, at the State Building Authority (university construction project in Erlangen).
Thomas Lüdicke
Thomas Lüdicke
Thomas Lüdicke’s professional career is characterised by many years of experience in the fields of general planning, theatre technology, stage lighting and temporary venues. After studying precision engineering and graduating with a Diplom-Ingenieur (FH) degree, he went on to gain further qualifications as a lighting technician and theatre technician.
His career began at the Deutsches Theater, where he spent four years working as a technician and lighting operator. Thomas Lüdicke then spent eight years at Stella Entertainment AG in Stuttgart and Hamburg. This was followed by roles as Head of Lighting Technology and Technical Project Manager, involvement in the planning of new theatre buildings, and the management of technical refurbishments. He then served as Managing Director of Theater des Westens GmbH in Berlin, with responsibility for the theatre, catering and events divisions. Thomas Lüdicke then spent three years working independently as a project planner and project manager at 361grad in Munich. Since April 2020, he has been managing director and owner of theapro GmbH and also has over six years’ experience as a project manager for stage lighting.
Rainer Nübel
Rainer Nübel
Rainer Nübel has been working as a journalist since the mid-1980s. In 1986, he completed a traineeship at the *Nürtinger Zeitung* and then worked there as an editor until 1993. He then moved to the Stuttgarter Nachrichten, where he worked first in the local news desk, then as deputy culture editor and finally as a reporter. He has been working at the Zeitenspiegel agency since April 2000.
Rainer Nübel has been an honorary professor at HfWU since 2019; in the same year, he was appointed Professor of Media and Communication Management at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Heidelberg. Nübel has been Vice-President of Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Heidelberg since 2020.
Mona-Patricia Hartmann
Mona-Patricia Hartmann
Mona-Patricia Hartmann is a Transactions & ESG Manager at a fund and asset management firm specialising in property. Before entering the property sector, she worked as a classical stage dancer with the Stuttgart Ballet, undertaking international touring engagements. She qualified as a classical stage dancer at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart. She also holds a degree in real estate economics (ADI) and has two master’s degrees.
In 2025, she was honoured with the MAT Award as one of the “Top 30 under 30” in the property sector. Her Master’s thesis on the renovation of the Stuttgart Opera House was awarded the MBA Research Prize at HfWU.
Andreas Fuchs
Andreas Fuchs
Andreas Fuchs studied architecture at Regensburg University of Applied Sciences.
After two years of freelance work, he commenced a further degree in architecture at Dresden University of Technology, which he completed in 2000. In 2002, he joined HENN and, after holding various positions within the practice, took over as head of the programming team in 2008.
He has been a partner at the firm since 2018.
Angelika Keller
Angelika Keller
Angelika Keller is a graduate engineer (FH), an architect, a Master of Mediation and a systemic business coach. As a lead consultant at albrings + müller ag in Stuttgart, she advises private and public sector clients on complex construction and change processes. Her areas of expertise include service development and project leadership for large-scale projects, the development and implementation of innovative consultancy and service offerings, and organisational and team development. In addition, she supports construction projects in the areas of conflict management and communication.
Her professional career began at the Bavarian State Building Authority. Her projects include the comprehensive refurbishment of the Kurtheater in Bad Kissingen and project management for the Centre for Operative Medicine at Würzburg University Hospital. She gained further experience as a project manager for healthcare buildings at Drees & Sommer in Stuttgart.
She combines in-depth expertise in architecture, project management and public sector construction with extensive experience in mediation, communication and organisational development. This enables her to support construction and change processes not only from a technical perspective, but also in terms of their organisational and interpersonal dimensions.
Max Haug
Max Haug
As an architect and project manager, Max Haug is familiar with all phases of the design process, both as a planner and as a consultant, having worked in a wide variety of roles and contractual arrangements. He began his career in 2007 at MGF Architekten after completing his degree in architecture. He specialised in hospital construction and international projects at HWP-Planungsgesellschaft and moved to Drees & Sommer in 2013, where he oversaw major construction projects under various delivery models. Since 2021, he has focused on client project management and, from October 2023, worked on the opera house refurbishment for the Württemberg State Theatres in Stuttgart. His role as a client representative requires strong communication skills to act as a bridge between the construction industry and the theatre world. Since 2025, he has been head of the International Project Management degree programme at the Faculty of Architecture and Design.
Directions and parking facilities
Directions and parking facilities
Travelling by train
The nearest underground station is ‘Börsenplatz’ (approx. 4-minute walk); the nearest S-Bahn station is ‘Stadtmitte’ (approx. 5-minute walk).
Walking distance (main station long-distance platforms) approx. 20 mins.
Parking
The “Hofdienergarage” car park is located directly opposite the university; access is via Schellingstraße.