Dietmar Feichtinger

After graduating with honors from the Technical University of Graz in 1988, Dietmar Feichtinger relocated to Paris in 1989. By 1994, he had established Dietmar Feichtinger Architectes, a studio renowned for its diverse portfolio of architectural typologies and a methodology that underscores a deep commitment to both environmental and societal considerations.

The company is renowned for its innovative architectural structures and its meticulous approach to bridge design. One of their remarkable accomplishments occurred in 1998 when they won the competition to construct the Simone-de-Beauvoir footbridge over the Seine River, positioned across from the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. This extraordinary 304-meter bridge, boasting an impressive clear span of 190 meters, holds the distinction of being the only bridge among the 37 bridges in Paris named after a woman. It was inaugurated by Bertrand Delanoë on July 13, 2006.

In 2002, the firm won the competition to design the Jetty, which serves as the new access bridge to Mont Saint-Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This remarkable 1841-meter bridge, unveiled in July 2014, enables Mont Saint-Michel to return to its island status during high tides.

Although Feichtinger often states that he isn’t exclusively a “bridge specialist,” he has designed and overseen the construction of more than 20 bridges and footbridges. Some notable examples include the Three Country Bridge spanning the Rhine between France and Germany and the Passerelle de la Paix in Lyon. In 2020, the studio’s project for the Maritime Walkway Aldilonda in Bastia was inaugurated.

Dietmar Feichtinger, in addition to his teaching roles at various European universities, was appointed as a Professor at the Institute of Architecture and Design at the Technical University in Vienna, Austria, in 2023. Furthermore, by 2014, he has been elected as a permanent member of the Academy of Arts in Berlin.