Around 400 guests from architecture, planning, construction, art and public administration celebrated with us on 21 August 2026 at Haus am Fluss. The occasion was a triple anniversary: 50 years of BGP Architekten, 55 years of Galerie Bob Gysin GBG and five years of the Bob and Kathrin Gysin Foundation.
Almost like a club, a queue formed outside the door at times, so warm were the reunions at the entrance. Canapés throughout the evening, a reasonably short speech and, until midnight, conversation, food and toasts. The bar served two drinks created specially for the occasion, the BGP Spritz and the BGPaloma, a photo booth stood in front of the lush planting, and a strip of tape reading «50 Jahre BGP» guided guests through the building. The youngest guests immersed themselves in our self-published colouring book and made an early start in construction, with Lego for now. Above all, though, it was a reunion of the people who have accompanied the office across all its generations. A bit like a school reunion, and one you actually look forward to.
In his welcoming address, Sebastian El Khouli traced the path of the office from its founding by Bob Gysin in 1976 to today's collective team. Around 375 people have worked for BGP over these five decades; today there are just under 50. One attitude has remained constant throughout: reduction to what is essential. «What counts is the collective and our shared DNA», say the four partners Marco Giuliani, Sebastian El Khouli, Kaspar Horber and Marco Barberini.
The evening also marked the first presentation of the monograph «BGP Architekten», published in the De Aedibus series by Quart Verlag. More information about the book will follow shortly.
Our thanks go to everyone who celebrated with us, and equally to those who could not be there but who over these years have worked with us, debated with us, planned and built with us and had our backs. We look forward to the next 50 years.