studio dreiSt.

studio dreiSt. is an architectural collective founded by Martin Kohlbauer, Sophie Coqui and Luisa Zwetkow. Coming from an architectural background, their interest lays in questioning the current design and building practice by following material agency. Their work is grounded in a process-oriented, hands-on approach that embraces reuse, improvisation, and collaboration across disciplines. Rather than imposing form, they allow materials, context, and collective knowledge to shape the outcome.

The 2024 Vienna Design Week project, Biofabrique Kantine, demonstrates their approach by repurposing urban waste into architectural components. It critiques the linear use of resources and explores scalable strategies for circular construction. Using the experimental recipes from Biofabrique Vienna, the materials were transformed into elements designed for disassembly without destruction. Designed with a form-fitting connection like a lego brick, the Carbo Brick was adapted for short-term use during the festival enabling reuse. Achieving this with a prototype material requires frequent action and reaction during design and testing until a satisfactory result is achieved. Experimenting and working hands-on with the materials allows to follow the materials guidelines and to design hand in hand with the material itself. This bioregional method with focus on ressource availabilty and adaptability makes a statement for a new way of building.