Schotten & Hansen brings to top3 by design a deeply specialised knowledge of timber, colour, surface and longevity. Their work sits at the intersection of nature, craft and architectural precision. In an age when wood is often stained, sealed, lacquered or disguised, Schotten & Hansen takes a more radical position that bypasses any of these surface-only techniques.

Schotten & Hansen’s colour process also challenges the conventional hierarchy of finishes. In much of the market, colour is treated as a surface choice made near the end. With Schotten & Hansen, colour belongs to the thinking of the material itself. It is part of how the wood is understood, protected, aged and placed within architecture. This makes it especially relevant to Janua and Freifrau, but also to the broader "German Masters Collective" philosophy. It is precise, but not sterile. Natural, but not rustic. Technically advanced, but emotionally warm.