studio

Martin Zünkeler is the principal of bau10, a design practice at the forefront of contemporary architecture, offering design and consulting services across residential, institutional, and commercial sectors. With a focus on thoughtful, site-responsive work, Martin leads the firm in shaping projects that balance conceptual clarity with built precision.

Martin began his architectural career in Europe, working in 1997 with renowned Swiss architect Peter Zumthor on the Columba Museum competition in Cologne. He went on to join Professor Hans Kollhoff in Berlin during a pivotal era of reconstruction following German reunification. There, he contributed to significant urban projects, including the Leibnizkolonnaden, a mixed-use development near Berlin’s Kurfürstendamm.

In 2002, Martin relocated to Los Angeles and established bau10. His work in the United States spans land-use planning and architectural design, including master plans in the Santa Monica Mountains and Malibu, as well as custom residential and commercial buildings in Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, and Silver Lake. His design sensibility merges European rigor with a distinctly Californian embrace of light, landscape, and indoor-outdoor living.

Martin holds a Master of Architecture degree from the Technische Universität Braunschweig—Germany’s oldest institute of technology—and is a licensed architect in both Germany and California. He is a member of the Chamber of Architects in Germany, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).