Attitudes
Added value for people.
econcept is different from many other project developers and property developers.
The company’s guiding principle is simple in its wording, yet profound in its meaning: placing value on values. And that, as the managing directors Rainer Bahr, Phil Marbé, and Emily Eick explain, is only part of the story.
Anyone professionally involved in real estate will inevitably encounter the term return on investment. A concept that, in your case, is neither prominently written nor spoken about …
Bahr: “In my early years, I learned a great deal from an old mentor whom I valued highly. One of the most important lessons for him - and for me as well - was understanding that trust is a currency. He always used to say: don’t focus on the money; focus on doing your work excellently, and the money will follow naturally.
Of course, in everyday practice, construction requires capital. Money that is invested generally needs to return to the investor with a profit - without question. What sets us apart is that we do not measure added value in monetary terms alone, but by whether our actions make living, working, and everyday life in a neighborhood more valuable. If they do, then everyone benefits - including the investor.
For me, an important foundation is the understanding that money is like stored energy. This financial energy enables materials to be moved and people to work. Without this form of energy, many things remain static.”
This way of doing things has not impaired your success, has it?
Marbé: “On the contrary - we are growing very organically and today realize projects with volumes well into the three-digit millions. We build spaces for living and working that appeal to very different people. What matters to us can be seen right here at our headquarters by the Park am Wasserturm: in this block alone, we have built or modernized 270 apartments, which were then rented or sold - and the people living here know that. Their friendly interaction with us is a living sign that we have done our job well.”
What role does architecture play for Econcept?
Bahr: “We create the stage set for the theater of everyday life in the street. That is why it is important to build beautiful buildings. I am surprised how rarely this topic is discussed publicly. People enjoy strolling through historic neighborhoods with their beautiful façades - it is restorative and good for the soul. The experience is very different when walking through a large prefabricated housing estate. The built environment affects people. A beautiful environment supports a good life.
That said, we always follow the well-known principle that form follows function. Function takes priority, because buildings must work so well that people can use them for decades. Only then do we develop the appropriate ‘outer layer’, so that the buildings also serve the wider public passing by.”
Eick: “And not only the public in the street. This approach also creates added value for residents, commercial tenants, craftspeople, planners, architects, and investors - and contributes to a healthy urban society.”
But you don’t design or plan the buildings yourselves?
Eick: “No. We are generalists who bring people and organizations together. We know that good results only emerge where complexity is translated into clear structures and where different levels are not played off against one another. Listening is a particularly important part of our everyday work. Our project at Postbahnhof is a very good example: around 200 different parties worked together there to create an office building that objectively ranks among Berlin’s best.”
Bahr: “And although we are generalists, we love detail. Attention to detail turns a building into something more valuable. I don’t necessarily mean the often-cited gold-plated faucets, but perhaps the house number sign - whether it is carefully restored or newly designed. This is also a good reflection of our work overall: we often have to work in a very granular, precise, and labor-intensive way so that, in the end, something large, functional, and beautiful can emerge.”
The Speaking of “quality”- what defines the term from your perspective?
Eick: “On the one hand, quality obviously means transforming high-quality materials into high-quality architecture. But that can only work if the processes between all involved parties and the organizational framework are also defined by quality - whether in contract management, project communication, or acceptance procedures.”
Marbé: “This path, which sets us apart from many others, may seem somewhat old-fashioned to some. But our success has proven our value-based approach right. We have gained partners and friends - no enemies.”
