Olaf Grawert plans, writes, and talks about architecture. His work focuses on the Poetics and Politics of Space: the political and economic conditions, as well as the imaginaries and narratives that shape the built environment. Collaborating with a network of individuals and institutions across Europe, he develops projects that bridge theory and practice, including building design, campaigns, exhibitions, films, publications, and teaching.

He is a founding partner of the collaborative design practice b+ (bplus.xyz), focusing on the adaptive reuse of existing buildings as strategic tools of urban transformation. He is also the co-initiator and managing director of HouseEurope! (houseeurope.eu), a non-profit organisation and policy lab advocating for a fundamental value shift in the construction and building sector – socially, ecologically, and economically.

Professional Experience


Alongside his ongoing professional engagements, he co-initiated and co-curated 2038 – The New Serenity, the German Pavilion at the 17th Venice Architecture Biennale (2019–2021), together with Arno Brandlhuber, Nikolaus Hirsch, and Christopher Roth. 2038 envisions a future where everything has turned out well, presented as a retrospective from that imagined time. Through a series of films blending fact and fiction, it explores the events and actions that led to this era of New Serenity.


He co-founded s+ (station.plus), the Chair for Architecture and Storytelling at the Department of Architecture, ETH Zurich (2017). In addition to research and teaching (2017-2024), he guest-edited several issues of ARCH+, including The Property Issue (2017, 2019), Posthumane Architecture (2019), and Business Architecture (2023, 2024). As part of their research program, he was responsible for producing exhibitions such as Legislating Architecture (traveling since 2018) and films like The Demolition Drama (2023). 

He worked as a freelance author and designer with Brandlhuber+ (2015-2022) on various projects, publications, and exhibitions, including San Gimignano Lichtenberg, El Croquis, New York Times, and the Chicago and Venice Biennials. Together with the artist and director Christopher Roth, they produced the films The Property Drama (2017) and Architecting after Politics (2018).

He is co-editor of What is Architecture (since 2014) and served as a junior researcher and student assistant at the Chair for Architectural Theory at LFU Innsbruck with Bart Lootsma (2011-2015). He studied architecture at TU Berlin and LFU Innsbruck, where he graduated in architectural design and architectural theory. Before architecture, he worked in fashion and retail management (2006-2010). Prior to that, he attended the Higher Vocational School for Arts and Crafts, Linz, where he graduated in Design and Business Administration.


Teaching Experience


He was a visiting lecturer for architectural design at ETH Zurich (2024), an adjunct professor for architecture and design at Politecnico di Milano (MInDS, 2024), a visiting professor for architectural theory at the University of Innsbruck (2023), and an associate researcher and teacher for architecture and design at ETH Zurich (2017-2023).

He lectured at Aarhus School of Architecture (DK), Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (AT), Accademia di Architettura Mendrisio (CH), AHO Oslo School of Architecture and Design (NO), Bard College (US), Columbia GSAPP (US), Domus Academy Milan (IT), ETH Zurich (CH), Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (DK), UC Berkeley (US), UIC Chicago (US), University of Cambridge (UK), and many more. He was a guest critic at EPFL (CH), ETH Zurich (CH), Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (DK), TU Berlin (DE), TU Vienna (AT), and many more.

HouseEurope!
Non-Profit Organisation and European Citizens’ Initiative




Power to Renovation
Documentary Film by s+ (station.plus, D-ARCH, ETHZ) for HouseEurope!



To Build Law
Exhibition on b+ (bplus.xyz) and HouseEurope! by CCA - Canadian Centre for Architecture




To Build Law
Opening Lecture with Alina Kolar at CCA – Canadian Centre for Architecture


What Paris Hilton Got Right About Housing?
TEDx Talk on HouseEurope!




To Build Law
Documentary on HouseEurope! by CCA - Canadian Centre for Architecture



b+ Protoyping Workshop San Gimignano Lichtenberg
Adaptive Reuse Concept by bplus.xyz




Eine Zerstörung von planetarischem Ausmass
Interview with Charlotte Matlerre-Barthes by Antje Stahl for Republik



Power
Exhibition at CIVA featuring HouseEurope!




 
The Business of Architecture
ARCH+ co-edited by station.plus



TAS
Renovation Concept by bplus.xyz




Looking for Problems
Interview in Apartamento Magazine with blpus.xyz



2038 - The New Serenity
German Pavilion at the 17th Venice Architecture Biennale by 2038




Arts of the Working Class N°120: 2038 The New Serenity

HouseEurope! wins the OBEL Award 2025 ➔ “A Question of Values” – New Essay in Domus 1105 ➔ Fellowship in Brussels ➔ Ongoing ECI: Power to Renovation ➔