MICROHOME #10 competition participant - Tobias Oliver Keller

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce a participant of the MICROHOME #10 competition – Tobias Oliver Keller from the Germany!

 
Tobias Oliver Keller

Please tell us about your company (when it was founded, where it is based, how many employees, etc) Alternatively, if you do not have a company, please give us some insights on your own professional/academia background.

I hold a Master’s degree in Architecture from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. I currently work in Germany as a design and construction architect. Since my studies I have focused on new design approaches, innovative materials and clear responses to contemporary urban challenges. I believe architecture must keep questioning itself and, when needed, reinvent parts of its practice. Society moves fast; architecture should keep pace without losing depth or care.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance, what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where the company/ individuals have been Involved?

I have worked on public projects of various scales, many of them secured through competitions: schools, hospitals and fire stations. In parallel I have contributed to design-driven work in both private and public housing. Most projects are developed in integrated 3D and BIM workflows to ensure coordination from concept to delivery. Across all scales I aim for buildable ideas and clear technical logic.

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

Architecture is the patient art of turning demands into livable spaces. The role of the architect today is to connect social needs, climate responsibility and construction know-how so that limited budgets, tight sites and existing structures become opportunities. The Covid pandemic sharpened this view: it exposed how fragile everyday space can be and how quickly cities need adaptable, human-centred solutions. I see architects as translators between residents, city authorities and industry, creating places that are beautiful to live in and sensible to build and operate.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Competitions are a way to shape my practice, question assumptions, and stay close to current issues. They let me test ideas quickly, compare them against peers, and then bring the best lessons back into built projects. For me each competition ends with a new impulse and a concrete piece of knowledge that can be implemented in real work.

What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture competitions?

In architecture, budgets and social pressures often take priority and design has to argue for itself. Competitions give you back a space to think freely. Treat the brief like a small lab: explore without limits as you did in school, then shape the idea into something buildable. That mix is not a luxury, it is how creativity grows.