What it was like at BAU Munich 2025

Held from January 13-17 in Munich, BAU 2025, the world's leading trade fair for architecture, building materials and building systems, confirmed its status as a leader in the field. The event attracted more than 180,000 visitors and 2,230 exhibitors from 58 countries, marking a record 52% international exhibitor participation.

We decided to visit two major events, BAU Munich and Maison&Objet Paris, for the start of 2025 to get a clearer picture of the trends for the start of 2025. The most important event dedicated to the construction industry in Germany and an event specifically dedicated to product design, interior design, taking place in Paris, seemed to us the perfect opportunities to do so. Here I will only refer to BAU, and we will come back with another article on Maison&Objet Paris.

BAU Munich particularly surprised us with the participation of both exhibitors and visitors. Very many and very involved in all the pavilions of this event. We focused on B5, the wood pavilion, but that doesn't mean that the others were uninteresting or uninteresting to visitors. Far from it. BAU Munich looked like an event you can't afford to miss. No matter how the year is going to be for you and your business, you need to start the year there and present yourself impeccably.

In today's challenging context for the construction industry, BAU 2025 focused on key themes such as sustainable and environmentally friendly construction, resource efficiency, modular and cost-effective construction, and the transformation of urban and rural spaces. "Sustainability is no longer just a goal, it has become a guide for our actions"emphasizes Andrea Gebhard, President of the Federal Chamber of Architects. From innovative materials to digital planning processes, the solutions show the industry's commitment to building a sustainable future.

These key themes were present in the exhibition area as well as in specialized forums and special exhibitions. In addition, renowned architects such as Carlo Ratti, Satoshi Ohashi, Verena von Beckerath and Elisabeth Endres gave presentations at the Future of Construction Forum. Competitions such as the "Built on IT - Construction Professions with a Future", the Balthasar Neumann Prize and the BAKA Prize awarded their winners in Munich.

Founders Fight Night, a competition for startups, made its debut at BAU. What was special was that the companies presented their products in a boxing ring, with the winner determined by audience applause. This scene, this ring, this way of promoting new entrants to the market particularly caught our attention. We see it as an idea that can be replicated at as many events as possible.

The success of the fair is confirmed by the positive feedback. According to the organizers, 95% of exhibitors and 97% of visitors rated the event as excellent. The companies present showed great interest in the innovative and sustainable solutions presented. We have also produced new videos of some of the solutions presented (Bio-XLAM). Follow our social media channels not to miss their appearance.

BAU therefore maintains its position as a key platform for all players in the construction industry, from architects and developers to manufacturers and service providers, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and promoting innovation in the sector.

In times of major challenges and uncertainties in the construction industry, BAU generated hope and positive energy for the industry. Although the trade fair was shortened by one day, more than 180,000 visitors (in the 2023 edition there were 190,000) came to the Messe München Exhibition Center from January 13-17 to explore the innovations and trends presented by 2,230 exhibitors (in 2023 there were 2,260) from 58 countries (in 2023 there were 49 countries). In addition to the number of participating countries, the international share of exhibitors also reached a new record of 52%. According to the organizers, the spaces were fully booked. We were also surprised by the large number of exhibitors from outside Germany, especially from the Baltic area. In pavilion B5, dedicated to wood, their presence was quite substantial.

"At first, expectations for BAU 2025 were tempered by the challenging economic environment. However, the response from exhibitors and visitors has been clearly positive. BAU offers courage and confidence, especially in these times"says Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, CEO Messe Münchenabout BAU 2025.

Dieter Schäfer, President of the BAU Advisory Councilhe is also very satisfied: "BAU 2025 sent a strong signal to the construction industry. Despite challenging conditions, the industry is proving its future viability through innovation, change and determination. The fair provides fresh impetus and strengthens the exchange essential for sustainable growth and progress. Together, we are shaping the construction world of tomorrow."

Felix Pakleppa, Managing Director of the Central Association of the German Construction Industry (ZDB), reaffirms BAU's role as the industry's reference event: "With key themes on transformation, future homes of the future and resource and climate protection, BAU 2025 once again offers innovative ideas for the future of construction. It remains an essential platform for manufacturers, designers and the construction industry to drive progress together."

Andrea Gebhard, President of the Federal Chamber of Architects: "This year's BAU showed that sustainability is no longer just a goal but a directive for our actions. From innovative building materials and digital planning processes to integrative approaches for urban spaces, the diversity and quality of the solutions presented are impressive and should continue to receive strong federal support given their importance in shaping society."

BAU Exhibition Director Matthias Strauss, thanks the team for the outstanding performance: "Despite the difficult situation in the industry, together we managed to achieve a successful outcome for BAU 2025. Congratulations to all colleagues!"

So strong, determined, positive impressions of an event that generated confidence for the start of the year.

For the first time in its more than 60-year history, international companies accounted for more than half of all exhibitors, according to organizers. 521TPTP3T of the 2,230 exhibitors were from outside Germany. Besides Germany, the countries most strongly represented at BAU 2025 were Italy, China, Turkey, Austria, Austria, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands, the Netherlands, Greece, Spain and Switzerland.

In terms of visitors, the 2023 trend continued with a high level of international participation. At the previous event, the share of international visitors reached 40%. This year it was 441TP33T. Alongside Germany, the main countries of origin of visitors included Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Turkey, China, Romania, the Czech Republic, Spain and Croatia.