Erbar Mattes is a London-based international architecture practice established by Demian Erbar and Holger Mattes.
We are committed to the creation of thoughtful and timeless architecture that is firmly rooted in context. Our work seeks to distil and enhance the essential found qualities and spirit of a place, creating buildings that are unique and belong.
With a strong interest in rethinking the built environment and long-term impact of construction, we strive to find sustainable solutions through adaptability, retrofit, and low-energy design. From early creative sketches through construction detailing and site supervision, spatial relationships, proportions, light, materials, and details are carefully evaluated to deliver architecture that is full of character, practical and lasting.
Our founding partners bring in their extensive UK and international experience leading the design and construction of highly acclaimed and technically challenging buildings within the arts, hospitality, housing, and office sectors, including the purpose-built public art galleries The Hepworth Wakefield and Turner Contemporary in Margate.
Erbar Mattes' work has been recognised through awards and publications. The practice is one of Architectural Record New York's ten Design Vanguard 2022 winners, chosen from emerging talent across the globe.
Demian Erbar
Demian studied architecture at La Sapienza University in Rome and the Technical University in Aachen, graduating in 2006. He gained professional experience in Germany, Argentina, and the UK, qualifying as an architect in 2009. Living in London since 2008, and prior to setting up Erbar Mattes Architects as co-founding director in 2015, Demian worked for five years at David Chipperfield Architects. There he led a number of high profile hospitality, residential, and cultural projects, including the interior design of the celebrated Hepworth Wakefield public art gallery in West Yorkshire and a studio for the artist Antony Gormley in Norfolk. Demian is an ARB registered architect and chartered member of the RIBA. Alongside practice, he has taught architecture as lecturer and design studio tutor, and is regularly engaged as design critic across various schools of architecture in the UK.
Holger Mattes
Holger studied architecture at the Technical Universities in Aachen, Delft, and Berlin, graduating in 2002. He gained professional experience in Germany and The Netherlands, qualifying as an architect in 2005. Holger moved to London in 2007 to join David Chipperfield Architects where he was an Associate from 2009 until 2013. He was in charge of the acclaimed Turner Contemporary public art gallery in Margate and a number of high profile residential and hospitality schemes in the UK, US, and the Middle East. In 2013/14 he collaborated with Mae Architects where he led large-scale London housing developments Agar Grove and Brentford Lock West. In 2015 Holger co-founded Erbar Mattes Architects as a director. He is registered as architect in the UK and The Netherlands and a chartered member of the RIBA. Alongside practice, he has taught architecture at the Technical University Aachen and the University for the Creative Arts in Canterbury, and has been a design critic at the Bartlett, UCL, London Metropolitan University, and the Welsh School of Architecture.
Current and past collaborators
Igor Almeida
Maria Amador
Megan Ellis
Philippine Radat
Elin Soderberg
Alex Tucker
Selected Awards
BDA Brick Awards 2022
Blockmakers Arms is a Finalist in the "Individual House" category
Architectural Record, New York: Design Vanguard 2022
Winner
Architects' Journal Retrofit Awards 2022
Blockmakers Arms is a Finalist in the "House £500k and over" category
Haringey Design Awards 2018
Harvey Road wins the "Best House" Award
BD Architect of the Year Award 2017
Finalist "Small Project Architect of the Year" Award
New London Architecture Don’t Move, Improve! 2017 Awards
Harvey Road wins the "Best Use of Materials" Award
RIBAJ Microarchitecture Award 2015
Writer’s Cabin in Kent is a Finalist
Selected Press
Baunetz Wissen, June 2022
Umbau eines Wohnhauses in London
Architectural Record, New York, 1 June 2022
Design Vanguard 2022: Erbar Mattes
Baumeister, 11 April 2022
Blockmakers Arms: Früher Brauerei, heute Familienwohnen
db deutsche bauzeitung, 03.2022
Wohnhaus in London
Dezeen, 27 February 2022
Erbar Mattes strips back and extends flats in former London pub
Building Design, 20 January 2022
Erbar Mattes completes refurb of former London pub
The Modern House Journal
How to convert a period home – five architecture studios share their advice
TEC21 – Schweizerische Bauzeitung, Zürich, 18 September 2017, No.36
Grenzenloser Mikrokosmos
Dezeen, 16 October 2016
Erbar Mattes adds pale brick extension to Edwardian house in north London
Erbar Mattes is a London-based international architecture practice established by Demian Erbar and Holger Mattes.
We are committed to the creation of thoughtful and timeless architecture that is firmly rooted in context. Our work seeks to distil and enhance the essential found qualities and spirit of a place, creating buildings that are unique and belong.
With a strong interest in rethinking the built environment and long-term impact of construction, we strive to find sustainable solutions through adaptability, retrofit, and low-energy design. From early creative sketches through construction detailing and site supervision, spatial relationships, proportions, light, materials, and details are carefully evaluated to deliver architecture that is full of character, practical and lasting.
Our founding partners bring in their extensive UK and international experience leading the design and construction of highly acclaimed and technically challenging buildings within the arts, hospitality, housing, and office sectors, including the purpose-built public art galleries The Hepworth Wakefield and Turner Contemporary in Margate.
Erbar Mattes' work has been recognised through awards and publications. The practice is one of Architectural Record New York's ten Design Vanguard 2022 winners, chosen from emerging talent across the globe.
Demian Erbar
Demian studied architecture at La Sapienza University in Rome and the Technical University in Aachen, graduating in 2006. He gained professional experience in Germany, Argentina, and the UK, qualifying as an architect in 2009. Living in London since 2008, and prior to setting up Erbar Mattes Architects as co-founding director in 2015, Demian worked for five years at David Chipperfield Architects. There he led a number of high profile hospitality, residential, and cultural projects, including the interior design of the celebrated Hepworth Wakefield public art gallery in West Yorkshire and a studio for the artist Antony Gormley in Norfolk. Demian is an ARB registered architect and chartered member of the RIBA. Alongside practice, he has taught architecture as lecturer and design studio tutor, and is regularly engaged as design critic across various schools of architecture in the UK.
Holger Mattes
Holger studied architecture at the Technical Universities in Aachen, Delft, and Berlin, graduating in 2002. He gained professional experience in Germany and The Netherlands, qualifying as an architect in 2005. Holger moved to London in 2007 to join David Chipperfield Architects where he was an Associate from 2009 until 2013. He was in charge of the acclaimed Turner Contemporary public art gallery in Margate and a number of high profile residential and hospitality schemes in the UK, US, and the Middle East. In 2013/14 he collaborated with Mae Architects where he led large-scale London housing developments Agar Grove and Brentford Lock West. In 2015 Holger co-founded Erbar Mattes Architects as a director. He is registered as architect in the UK and The Netherlands and a chartered member of the RIBA. Alongside practice, he taught architecture at the Technical University Aachen and the University for the Creative Arts in Canterbury, and has been a design critic at the Bartlett, UCL, London Metropolitan University, and the Welsh School of Architecture.
Current and past collaborators
Igor Almeida
Maria Amador
Megan Ellis
Philippine Radat
Elin Soderberg
Alex Tucker
Selected Awards
BDA Brick Awards 2022
Blockmakers Arms is a Finalist in the "Individual House" category
Architectural Record, New York: Design Vanguard 2022
Winner
Architects' Journal Retrofit Awards 2022
Blockmakers Arms is a Finalist in the "House £500k and over" category
Haringey Design Awards 2018
Harvey Road wins the "Best House" Award
BD Architect of the Year Award 2017
Finalist "Small Project Architect of the Year" Award
New London Architecture Don’t Move, Improve! 2017 Awards
Harvey Road wins the "Best Use of Materials" Award
RIBAJ Microarchitecture Award 2015
Writer’s Cabin in Kent is a Finalist
Selected Press
Baunetz Wissen, June 2022
Umbau eines Wohnhauses in London
Architectural Record, New York, 1 June 2022
Design Vanguard 2022: Erbar Mattes
Baumeister, 11 April 2022
Blockmakers Arms: Früher Brauerei, heute Familienwohnen
db deutsche bauzeitung, 03.2022
Wohnhaus in London
Dezeen, 27 February 2022
Erbar Mattes strips back and extends flats in former London pub
Building Design, 20 January 2022
Erbar Mattes completes refurb of former London pub
The Modern House Journal
How to convert a period home – five architecture studios share their advice
TEC21 – Schweizerische Bauzeitung, Zürich, 18 September 2017, No.36
Grenzenloser Mikrokosmos
Dezeen, 16 October 2016
Erbar Mattes adds pale brick extension to Edwardian house in north London