Philipp von Buch

After completing his Abitur (university entrance qualification), Philipp von Buch trained as a carpenter with an integrated master school. He then studied architecture at FH Aachen from 1998 to 2004. Born in Düsseldorf, he quickly realised that working in a traditional architecture firm in the local area was not his thing. He sought his fortune abroad. He found it in San Sebastian, Spain, where he has lived with his family since 2005 and designs and realises surf parks for the company Wavegarden. He is currently back in Germany more often because he is in charge of the "Surf and Nature Park powered by Wavegarden", which is currently being built in Krefeld. We spoke to him about the pitfalls of starting a career and how you can find happiness by following your instincts and doing what your heart beats for.

How does an architect from North Rhine-Westphalia end up designing artificial enclosures for surfing in Spain?

Well, first of all, I've been a passionate surfer for ages. That was also one of the reasons why I did my practical semester in San Sebastian in Spain during my studies - I studied architecture with areas of specialisation in structural design. (laughs)

But I also learnt a lot there. During the practical semester, I was supervised by Professor Uschi Kahlen from FH Aachen, who was teaching freehand drawing at the time. She was an extraordinary woman who took a lot of time for her students and gave me great support during my time abroad. The practical semester offers great experiences. I recommend that all students take advantage of this opportunity. I met a lot of great people in San Sebastian, including the two founders of the company Wavegarden. Wavegarden didn't even exist back then; at the time, the two of them ran a company that built skateparks all over Spain. We were definitely on the same wavelength.

Did you start working there straight after your studies?

No, I initially went to Lisbon with my girlfriend, now my wife, after graduating. She is also an architect and we had a great plan to work as architects in this marvellous city and learn Portuguese. I think learning languages opens up the world to you. There is no better key.

Unfortunately, the reality was less romantic. Back then, architects in Portugal had to do two years of practical training after their studies in order to be recognised as architects - largely unpaid, of course. I started in a small office, my wife in another office. We both only received a few hundred euros a month. With the support of the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at FH Aachen at the time, Professor Wulff, I was awarded a SOKRATES scholarship for young professionals abroad, which meant an additional 400 euros per month. But it was still very difficult for us. The pressure increased significantly when my wife became pregnant and our daughter was born; we now had to support a family on our intern salaries.

So I worked more and more, taking on all kinds of jobs. I left the house very early in the morning and didn't come back until late in the evening, I no longer had weekends or public holidays. I didn't get to see my daughter and became more and more stressed and unhappy. At some point, I realised that I had fallen into the trap of being a career starter. It couldn't go on like this, we didn't want to live like this. So we pulled the emergency brake and ended our time in Lisbon in 2005, after just under a year and a half.

Did you already have a new destination?

One day, when we were already halfway through our departure, one of the Wavegarden Executive Directors called me. He told me that he wanted to develop an artificial wave and concentrate on this new topic, and he asked me if I wanted to take over the skatepark area. My wife and I didn't have to think twice about it: It was like fate. And it turned out to be our good fortune. San Sebastian is simply marvellous. You have the sea and the mountains, the people are very nice and relaxed, and we already knew a lot of people.

The job was also great. I designed and helped build over 80 skateparks all over Spain, mostly together with the kids in the cities. At the same time, we built the first prototypes for the artificial wave. We did everything ourselves: designing, welding, screwing and building. In the early days, I also took a lot of photos and videos for promo videos and presentations. Right from the start, I had a strong feeling that this was a unique project that could become really big, which is why I documented the company's development in sound and vision.

What a commitment!

It certainly was. But it didn't feel like work to us. We had a shared dream: we wanted to create the perfect wave. It's a dream that a few others had before us. There are hundreds of patents for artificial waves, but in the end they all failed because of something. But we managed it. This is mainly because my boss is a gifted engineer - and also an excellent surfer who has a deep understanding and feel for the waves. He was the Spanish longboarding champion.

More than a decade has gone into developing the technology for wave generation and the first prototypes. There was a lot of idealism involved. My wife also asked me once or twice, half-jokingly, when I was going to start earning money.

How is the company doing today?

When I started there, there were three of us, the two Executive Directors and myself. Another young engineer joined us for the wave project. That was the basic team. Today, we are the global market leader with over 70 employees and realise projects all over the world. There are currently six Wavegarden enclosures in operation, inspired by some of the world's most famous and beautiful surf spots. 46 projects are currently in various stages of development - one of them in Krefeld, which makes me travel back to my old home more often.

What are your tasks?

On the one hand, I'm a project architect for projects in Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, the USA and many other places. On the other hand, I work in project development and develop new details and construction methods for our enclosures. I am also actively involved in product research and material development. The topic of sustainability in particular drives us to develop ourselves and our parks further. We have developed many technologies and measures to minimise water consumption and CO2 emissions, for example. For example, we have significantly reduced the use of concrete by using alternative waterproof systems, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of the enclosures by 90 per cent. Our goal for the coming years is to become climate-neutral.

What do you particularly like about your job?

Firstly, our great team. We all stick together and are more of a clique than colleagues. The job is very varied, not only because of the different projects in the various countries, but also because of the many areas in which I work. I also really enjoy being outside, working with my hands and getting dirty. It doesn't feel like work at all, it's so much fun.

Does what you learnt during your studies still help you in your day-to-day work?

Definitely. During my studies, it was important to work independently right from the start. I liked the fact that I was responsible for my own solutions and results during my studies and it also fits in perfectly with my general working style. And we always did a lot of practical work, not just cramming theory, which I liked. What I also liked and prepared me well was that we learnt to examine complete processes and have an overview, from the design to the practical implementation of a project.

Are you still in contact with former fellow students or FH Aachen?

I am in very close contact with several of my former fellow students. We have grown into a close circle of friends and we see each other as often as we can. I also still have a very good relationship with my former professor Horst Fischer. He even visits me in San Sebastian almost regularly. Who can say that about their professor?