menu surprise is a young architectural collective based in Berlin and Bavaria, established during a period marked by multiple crises. The firm was co-founded by Jonas Hamberger, Jens Roll, and Jonas Schergun, with a current team also including Michael Gerter, Marlene Koßmann, and Kyra Mootz. The group operates from two locations: Rotspitzweg 4 in Immenstadt, Bavaria, and Weichselplatz 3 in Berlin.
Since its founding, menu surprise has focused on reinterpreting existing structures and developing interactive spatial concepts. The firm’s approach is characterized by a willingness to question established routines and to use crisis as an impetus for critical design reflection, rather than avoiding challenging circumstances.
A turning point came just two years after its creation when menu surprise, together with partners wurzelsieben and OTTL.LA, won the open competition for the “Freimundo – Klima Gerecht Leben” project in Munich. Their design, selected from over 100 entries, employed an imaginative narrative inspired by the “Narnia wardrobe,” resulting in a flexible housing concept. This victory secured the team increased recognition within Germany’s competitive architectural landscape.
menu surprise works on commissions that span different scales and often favors collaborative methods. Their practice is shaped by the aim to surprise and invite reflection, without resorting to spectacle for its own sake. Public lectures, such as their appearance at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and involvement in juries and publications, are part of their activities, further shaping their profile within the emerging generation of German architects.