Heike Biechteler

Heike Biechteler serves as a Lecturer and Head of Teaching Assistant at the Institute of Architecture (IAR), School of Engineering & Architecture, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Based in Horw, Switzerland, she holds a Diplom-Ingenieur in Architecture (Dipl.-Ing. Arch.) and actively advances architectural education through research and leadership.

Her academic foundation includes a Diplom-Ingenieur in Architecture. She further enhanced her expertise with a Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Curating from ZHDK – Zurich University of the Arts.

Dr. Biechteler's research centers on architectural pedagogy, urban planning, sacred landscapes, and architectural representation. She investigates how architecture schools serve society and designs educational environments for future architects, blending theoretical frameworks with practical curation and case studies like the Anatomy Lesson exhibition at Open House Zurich.

Her scholarly output shows consistent focus on architectural education evolution, with recent works including the 2024 Marcel Breuer monastic architecture study and edited glossaries on pedagogical methodologies. Projects like the Platform Sacred Landscape Central Switzerland reveal her commitment to spiritual dimensions of built environments.

As Secretary General of the Swiss Architectural Council since 2016, she shapes national discourse. Her Lucerne Talks symposia series and guest reviews at ETH Zurich/State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart demonstrate active mentorship. She initiated key discussions on architecture education's future, student competencies, and spatial design for learning.

Dr. Biechteler leads the Institute of Architecture's research initiatives, particularly the Platform Sacred Landscape Central Switzerland examining architecture-landscape-spirituality intersections in Central Switzerland through field studies and interdisciplinary collaboration.