Stephen is a second generation architect and was born on June 14, 1966 in the Bronx, New York. Having a strong passion to understand the environment in order to consciously intervene in it, he studied Environmental Design at the University at Buffalo and went on to study Architecture at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.
Upon completing his studies, Stephen began his career at his father's NYC firm. In 1994 Stephen moved on to Helpern Architects where he completed noted projects such as the Soho Grand Hotel and the environmentally conscious, Congo Gorilla Forest and Education Center at the Bronx Zoo.
Rainer was born on April 16, 1970 in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Southern Germany. After finishing High School in 1989 he headed for Vienna, Austria to attend University. In 1990 he set off on a full year journey around the world, providing him with insight into a multitude of cultures and new impressions. Three years later he traveled northern Africa and crossed the Sahara desert twice.
