Architekt Dipl.-Ing. Dr techn. Markus Swittalek

Markus P. Swittalek is an Austrian architect and CEO of moment-home Real Estate Solutions, founded in 2002. This company is focused on design and construction in historic environments, building preservation, protection of cultural property and consulting on UNSECO-World Heritage Sites. He studied at the Vienna University of Technology, Vienna/Austria and the RWTH Aachen University (Rheinländisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule), Aachen/Germany. Since 2021 he is course director of the postgraduate master studies program Renovation and Revialization at the Department Building and Environment at the Danube University Krems. He is teacher at the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna / Austria and teaches and lectures at universities in Europe, North America and Asia.

As Liaison Officer PCP (Protection of Cultural Property) he is expert at National Defense Academy of the Austrian Armed forces, Vienna/Austria. He is member of the Austrian National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), associated board member of the Austrian National Committee of the Blue Shield as well as member or board member numerous other organizations. Furthermore, he is the chairman of the Interdisciplinary Committee for Historic Buildings at the Austrian Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers.

His intense publishing activities reach from monographies to essays and periodic articles in recognized journals. Lately the handbook Civil Engineer Code was edited, written by Markus Swittalek and a judge at the Vienna Administrative Court of Vienna/Austria – albert Oppel. His book is dedicated to building codes and the preservation rights act in particular.      

The goal of Markus Swittalek’s teaching is to convey a broad understanding of the complexity of renovation and revitalization. It all starts with the analyzes and searching for the so-called melody of a building structure. Instead of old houses he refers to historic buildings and he appreciates them. He emphasizes the sustainability of historic houses and its importance in regard of its low overall energy balance and its soft ecological footprint. He connects the past with the future – putting one specific building type into the spotlight: The Grunderzeithaus.