Manfred Bauer

Manfred Bauer is an architect, educator, and construction theorist whose work bridges the worlds of design, building science, and material culture. Drawing on more than two decades of professional practice and teaching, he writes about how contemporary architecture is actually built — from the ground up — and how its materials, assemblies, and codes shape the future of our cities.

He is the author of Beyond the Fundamentals: Building for the 21st Century (Volumes I & II) and The 2021 International Residential Code: A Guide to Critical Changes, works that have become reference texts for architects, builders, and advanced students seeking to connect technical mastery with design intent. His writing combines clarity of construction detail with cultural insight, helping readers see the built environment as both a technical system and a human expression.

Through lectures, workshops, and his ongoing series Building the 21st Century, Bauer continues to explore how structure, enclosure, and sustainability can converge into a more intelligent and responsible architectural practice. He lives and works between Europe and North America, teaching and consulting on projects that translate theory into construction reality.