We are passionate about making beautiful spaces. To live in, to work in, and to enjoy as a visitor or customer. 

Whether it’s a new building, a renovation or an interior design project, we strive for a combination of the surprising and the memorable. Always modern, with minute attention to details and quality, we aim for timeless design, which ages gracefully and continues to delight long after the first impression. 

While best known for our award-winning residential projects, we design commercial and office spaces, museums and cultural institutions, and a wide variety of unique interior design projects. Our work has been widely published, filmed and exhibited internationally.

Jean-Marc Abcarius grew up in Beirut, Lebanon. He completed his architectural studies at the Ecole d'Architecture de Paris-Belleville and worked professionally in renowned offices in Paris, New York and Berlin. 

Christopher Burns, born in Los Angeles, received his Masters Degree from the Yale University School of Art and Architecture. Before co-founding abcarius + burns architecture design in 2001, he worked at respected practices in Los Angeles, New York and Berlin.

Both partners have taught extensively at German universities and as visiting professors at the Lebanese American University in Beirut. Most recently Christopher was the Acting Chair for the Department of Design and Adaptive Reuse at the Brandenburg Technical University in Cottbus.

Our personal and professional experience in Europe, North America, and the Middle East as well as wide-ranging academic travel consistently informs our approach to architecture and design. English, German, French and Arabic are spoken.