Office
Vision
We believe that good architecture is more than designing buildings. It creates quality of life, connects people and shapes generations.
Our vision is to rethink architecture - with a deep understanding of craft, state-of-the-art digital planning and a clear, timeless design language.
We want to create building projects that are functional, sustainable and economically compelling while retaining lasting value through their architectural quality. As a young and ambitious architecture office, we question established processes and use digital technologies to make planning more efficient, transparent and understandable.
In this way we build trust, make decisions easier and guide our clients in partnership throughout the entire journey - from the first idea to completion.
We want to be an architecture office known for innovation, reliability and the highest quality. An office that connects tradition and progress and creates spaces that inspire people - today and in the future.
Philosophy
Five convictions shape every project - regardless of size, budget or place.
Craft
Sound solutions grounded in an understanding of construction and execution.
Architecture
Timeless design focused on function, aesthetics and sustainability.
Digitalisation
Modern technologies for efficient planning and transparent processes.
Partnership
Personal support, trust and close collaboration on equal terms.
Responsibility
Economically sound, sustainable and enduringly valuable solutions for every client.
Team
A one-person studio, led by Manuel Holenweg, complemented by a steady network of specialist planners and trades he has worked with for years.
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Manuel Holenweg Founder & lead architect Design, form and overall responsibility for every project. 
Manuel Holenweg
Founder & lead architect, BA ZFH in Architecture
He follows a philosophy of humanity: we are all equal. Respect and honesty are the cornerstones. Together we create great things.
Manuel Holenweg, Founder & lead architect, BA ZFH in Architecture Raised in the Toggenburg between the mountains and nature. After an apprenticeship as a carpenter, Manuel studied architecture at the ZHAW in Winterthur. He quickly realised that the combination of carpenter and architect is unique and brings many advantages. As an architect who speaks the language of the building site and meets everyone at eye level, he creates a pleasant climate on site.
We have stayed small on purpose. Not out of modesty, but out of conviction: good architecture grows from closeness. Manuel Holenweg leads every project himself, from the first conversation to the handover of the keys. That way the vision stays in one pair of hands the whole way through.
What drives him is not the next trend but the question of how people really want to live and work. He listens before he draws. And he builds so that a house still feels right in thirty years - with durable materials, honest details and a calm sense of scale.
His roots are in the Toggenburg, his projects stand by the lake, on the hillside and in the village. What connects them is not a style but a conviction: less, but better.
- BA ZFH in Architecture
History
The defining milestones from Manuel Holenweg’s carpentry apprenticeship to founding Holenweg Architekten.
- 2015
Completed carpentry apprenticeship
After a three-year apprenticeship as a carpenter, Manuel Holenweg finally had his diploma in hand. Timber and the joy of building have stayed with him ever since.
- 2021
Completed architecture degree
Manuel Holenweg completes his architecture studies at ZHAW in Winterthur with a Bachelor of Arts ZFH in Architecture.
- 2025
End of role at K+
After formative professional years at K+, the role comes to an end. The experience gained becomes the foundation for the next independent step.
- 2026
Holenweg Architekten GmbH founded
Manuel Holenweg founds Holenweg Architekten GmbH in Wildhaus, St. Gallen, and becomes self-employed.
- 2026
First commission
Be the first and benefit from a founding discount.
