The Essence

Founded in Berlin in 1995 by Robert Klanten, Markus Hollmann-Loges and Andreas Peyerl, gestalten began with a shared fascination for the visual culture emerging from Berlin’s electronic music and design scene. The trio initially worked as graphic designers, creating flyers, posters and record covers for clubs and music labels. Their first publishing project, Localizer 1.0, explored the visual world of techno and became the catalyst for establishing the publishing house.

From those beginnings, gestalten grew into an internationally recognised independent publisher of beautifully designed illustrated books. Its early focus on graphic design, typography and illustration soon expanded into architecture, art, fashion, food, travel and contemporary culture, with each book created to document and celebrate the creative movements shaping the world around us.

At the heart of gestalten is a belief in the power of images, ideas and printed books to inspire curiosity and offer new perspectives. Rather than simply documenting creative culture, the publisher seeks out the people, places and ideas at its forefront, working with artists, designers, architects, photographers and other creative voices from around the world.

Today, gestalten remains based in Berlin and publishes across a broad range of creative disciplines, from sustainable architecture and interiors to independent hospitality, craft, nature and culinary culture. Alongside the gestalten imprint, the publishing group now includes Little Gestalten and teNeues, bringing together an international collection of beautifully produced books united by a shared commitment to visual storytelling and thoughtful design.