Stepping into Ester Bruzkus’ Colorful World
We had the incredible opportunity to dive into the creative world of Ester Bruzkus, an icon in interior design, who welcomed us into her gorgeously vibrant studio in Prenzlauer Berg. The atmosphere of the evening was buzzing as Ester shared her journey with us, whilst guests enjoyed freshly prepared sushi, custom mezcal cocktails, and delicious wine, all setting the stage.
“Timelessness is about good planning.”
Ester Bruzkus, repeatedly named one of Architectural Digest’s “Top 100 Creatives in the Design World,” leads a Berlin-based architecture and interiors practice known for stylish, award-winning projects. After studying architecture in Berlin and Paris, she gained experience with Massimiliano Fuksas in Paris and Zvi Hecker in Tel Aviv before founding her own office in 2002.
Since 2016, she has been working alongside partner and husband, Peter Greenberg and together they’ve built a portfolio of award-winning projects, from furniture design to restaurants, hotels, private residences, and exhibitions, their work spans a variety of scales and industries, sharing the city with their exceptional interiors that blend logic with creativity.
“You can only do amazing projects with amazing clients.”
Ester’s story is one of persistence, creativity, and boldness. Growing up in Berlin’s multicultural environment, she developed a passion for architecture early on, driven by a fascination with hotels. From a young age, she knew she wanted to work in architecture and never let stereotypical gender roles stand in her way. Confident that she could do everything her male counterparts could – whether walking through mud on-site or sharing world-class expertise – Ester has built a celebrated career, bringing a refreshing perspective on capturing both opulence and minimalism.
“Opulent minimalism is what our office stands for…Starting with the planning all the way to the design.”
Speaking about what has become her brand identity – a term she coined, “opulent minimalism” – Ester explained, "It is the most important aspect of our practice: to clean up the space and organize the entire project. From there, we can begin to design." It’s here that she seamlessly blends luxury with functionality, creating spaces that embody both serenity and simplicity. This design philosophy also connects to her passion for restoration over demolition, with Ester focusing on transformation and repurposing, demonstrating how historical elements can bring new life to contemporary settings.
“My feeling is that there are enough buildings. Rather than demolishing, you should update them. I would love to take an ugly 90s office building and transform it into housing.”
Esther continued to inspire the audience when she revealed that her true inspiration comes from the city around her. Everything from design to functionality to color fascinates her, and with her admiration coming from the diverse and innovative architecture Berlin has to offer, she spoke about how Berlin, a city known for its vibrant energy, inspired her to incorporate bold colors into her designs. Something we're sure everyone in the audience will notice as they walk around the city from now on!
A huge thank you to Nadine and Katja from Favourized for helping to organize this event, as well as to Bobbi Brown and Lucas Gallery for the treats in the goodie bags. We also extend our many thanks to Amanda Aranda Novoa and Shadi Payandeh for crafting the signature mezcal cocktail for the event.
