Studio
Wilk-Salinas Architekten was founded in Berlin in 2004 and is jointly led by German architect Gilbert Wilk and Spanish architect Ana Salinas, guided by a motto that underpins all their work: “Bringing magic into being.”
Our Story
Gilbert Wilk and Ana Salinas first crossed paths in Tenerife while working at the AMP arquitectos studio, assuming different responsibilities: Wilk as office manager and Salinas as construction manager for the Magma Centro de Arte y Congresos. Influenced by their close friend and mentor, Spanish architect Fernando Menis, they forged a shared vision: to create sustainable, cost-effective, and adaptable architecture capable of maintaining a natural dialogue with the urban landscape.
Driven by their early joint successes in various competitions, they decided to forge their own path. The turning point came in 2004 with the completion of the acclaimed Badeschiff, a floating open-air swimming pool on the River Spree in Berlin, conceived by Wilk and his team at AMP in collaboration with artist Susanne Lorenz. When commissioned to develop a winter concept for this facility, Wilk convinced Salinas to relocate to the German capital. This synergy gave life to the Winterbadeschiff (2005)—a project that not only garnered prestigious accolades such as the BDA Architecture Prize, the Architekturpreis Berlin (2006), the IULA Honorable Mention, and the IOC/IAKS Silver Medal for sports facilities (2007), but also marked the official founding milestone of the studio.
Specialization
While the studio’s practice encompasses all dimensions of architecture, Wilk-Salinas Architekten has consolidated a profound specialization in three main areas: the design of cultural spaces, the adaptive reuse of listed buildings, and the development of floating structures.
Their approach prioritizes highly efficient and sustainable construction—both environmentally and economically—excelling particularly in the transformation of pre-existing architecture to endow the urban fabric with new meaning. Projects that best exemplify this capacity for reinvention include: Battersea (London), conversion of a harbor pier into a hovering recreational area, Sea Flower (Dubai), design of an innovative floating wellness club in the city’s marina, Liesenbrücke (Berlin), conversion of a heritage-listed railway bridge into a hotel with cultural uses.
As proof of their constant capacity for innovation in these fields, the studio recently won two major competitions in Berlin: the Blum Pavilion and the Grenzhafen Museum. The latter represents an ambitious and landmark urban project integrating a floating museum on the River Spree, a private marina, and an Inland Navigation Museum.
[ Unsere Philosophie ]
Wir glauben, dass Architektur das verborgene Potenzial des Bestehenden zum Vorschein bringen kann. Geleitet von dem Gedanken, „Magie zum Leben zu erwecken“, verwandeln wir Gebäude und städtische Kontexte in Räume, die sich präzise, nachhaltig und lebendig anfühlen.
Team
From their headquarters in Berlin’s vibrant Kreuzberg district, Wilk-Salinas Architekten operates with a permanent team of seven internationally experienced architects, backed by a solid global network of planners, interior designers, and artists.
This collaborative framework allows the studio to hold a privileged position within the Spanish-German architectural scene, acting as a vital and creative bridge between both professional cultures.
Paul erb
Sebastian Mantese
Stella loewer
Johannes Novak
Zaubere etwas.
