19/001

NEW

Architectural Practice
Dortmund

«We are very interested in physical models. If not absolutely necessary, we don’t do renderings. We prefer taking photos of physical models instead.»

Please introduce yourself and your office.

Hello this is Fritz and Micha from NEW Architects. Our office was founded in 2015 together with Ansgar and Benedikt Schulz (Schulz und Schulz Architekten, Leipzig). We’re based in Dortmund, Germany.

Please introduce yourself and your office.

Hello this is Fritz and Micha from NEW Architects. Our office was founded in 2015 together with Ansgar and Benedikt Schulz (Schulz und Schulz Architekten, Leipzig). We’re based in Dortmund, Germany.

Please introduce yourself and your office.

Hello this is Fritz and Micha from NEW Architects. Our office was founded in 2015 together with Ansgar and Benedikt Schulz (Schulz und Schulz Architekten, Leipzig). We’re based in Dortmund, Germany.

NEW – Portrait

How did you find your way into the field of Architecture?

Very common, like in most cases: Architecture school, gaining experience in different office structures, starting to work on open competitions by ourselves to “enter the market”. All four of us then met teaching at TU Dortmund University. Due to the termination of our teaching employments in Dortmund, the office will move to Cologne in 2019, which is much closer to where we live and where our everyday live is well established.

What comes to your mind, when you think about your diploma projects?

…that our Diploma Projects are really different from each other! Fritz designed a Stockhausen Centre for Space Music (Prof. Sabine Brück and Prof. Mirko Baum), Micha created an exhibition and art show in some abandoned train-viaducts (Prof. Karl-Heinz Petzinka and Prof. Hubert Kiecol).

How did you find your way into the field of Architecture?

Very common, like in most cases: Architecture school, gaining experience in different office structures, starting to work on open competitions by ourselves to “enter the market”. All four of us then met teaching at TU Dortmund University. Due to the termination of our teaching employments in Dortmund, the office will move to Cologne in 2019, which is much closer to where we live and where our everyday live is well established.

What comes to your mind, when you think about your diploma projects?

…that our Diploma Projects are really different from each other! Fritz designed a Stockhausen Centre for Space Music (Prof. Sabine Brück and Prof. Mirko Baum), Micha created an exhibition and art show in some abandoned train-viaducts (Prof. Karl-Heinz Petzinka and Prof. Hubert Kiecol).

NEW – Diploma Projects

What are your experiences founding NEW and working as self-employed architects?

Architecture takes a lot of time. Every day at the office, every project and every thought. Not to mention establishing it. And it doesn't end with leaving the office. There is a lot of struggle for liberation from unwritten rules and habits of construction business. Also a lot of struggle for free time and space to engage with architectural questions besides everyday necessities of running an office.

How would you characterize Dortmund as location for architects? How is the context of this place influencing your work?

The whole Ruhr Region is characterized by its industrial heritage. The project for ZOLLVEREIN coke plant as well as the residential project for a former mining area in Kamp-Lintfort fit very well to that background. Regarding your question, we don’t believe that there is an impact on our work just because of the city our office is located in. What we do believe in, is the unique plot and the history of every project. We all like to travel, get known to the specific character of a region and its cultural heritage. And of course this includes more than just architectural topics, like food for example. Nevertheless, the place to work can (or maybe should) provide a certain atmosphere which allows you to focus and have a good time working. For us that place is our office situated under the roof in a building on former farming plot with a beautiful and calming view on a grassland with horses. Maybe that somehow influences our projects in a subtle manner. A different place could have created different projects; you never know…

What does your working space look like?

NEW – Office

What is the essence of architecture for you personally?

Space, light and shadow?! Maybe materiality, but this is always the second thought, not the first one. Not surprising, of course. But to be honest, everything else just deals with creating yourself an architectural profile. Sometimes more egocentric, sometimes not

Your master of architecture?

Gravity.

How do you communicate / present Architecture?

We are very interested in physical models. If not absolutely necessary, we don’t do renderings. We prefer taking photos of physical models instead. Of course we always worked a lot with models to develop a project, but since about one year we concentrate more and more on their capability for communication and presentation. To us it’s a much more enjoyable and productive way of working. It’s honest, it’s less kitsch, and it’s a bit abstract. Which makes it in total more adorable and creates some kind of tension. It’s like childish curiosity, seeing your building grow day by day. In contrast, what’s more boring than three years of planning and already knowing the result in full detail?

What has to change in the Architecture Industry? How do you imagine the future?

We do not focus on changing the architecture industry but trying to contribute good projects. Maybe these projects can to some individuals initialize a rethinking process on her or his personal environment. In general, we see a lot of great buildings which are published in the architects’ magazines standing out there like icons. But on the other hand 95 percent of housing, commerce and office projects which make everyday architecture are complete rubbish.

What is the essence of architecture for you personally?

Space, light and shadow?! Maybe materiality, but this is always the second thought, not the first one. Not surprising, of course. But to be honest, everything else just deals with creating yourself an architectural profile. Sometimes more egocentric, sometimes not

Your master of architecture?

Gravity.

How do you communicate / present Architecture?

We are very interested in physical models. If not absolutely necessary, we don’t do renderings. We prefer taking photos of physical models instead. Of course we always worked a lot with models to develop a project, but since about one year we concentrate more and more on their capability for communication and presentation. To us it’s a much more enjoyable and productive way of working. It’s honest, it’s less kitsch, and it’s a bit abstract. Which makes it in total more adorable and creates some kind of tension. It’s like childish curiosity, seeing your building grow day by day. In contrast, what’s more boring than three years of planning and already knowing the result in full detail?

What has to change in the Architecture Industry? How do you imagine the future?

We do not focus on changing the architecture industry but trying to contribute good projects. Maybe these projects can to some individuals initialize a rethinking process on her or his personal environment. In general, we see a lot of great buildings which are published in the architects’ magazines standing out there like icons. But on the other hand 95 percent of housing, commerce and office projects which make everyday architecture are complete rubbish.

What is the essence of architecture for you personally?

Space, light and shadow?! Maybe materiality, but this is always the second thought, not the first one. Not surprising, of course. But to be honest, everything else just deals with creating yourself an architectural profile. Sometimes more egocentric, sometimes not

Your master of architecture?

Gravity.

How do you communicate / present Architecture?

We are very interested in physical models. If not absolutely necessary, we don’t do renderings. We prefer taking photos of physical models instead. Of course we always worked a lot with models to develop a project, but since about one year we concentrate more and more on their capability for communication and presentation. To us it’s a much more enjoyable and productive way of working. It’s honest, it’s less kitsch, and it’s a bit abstract. Which makes it in total more adorable and creates some kind of tension. It’s like childish curiosity, seeing your building grow day by day. In contrast, what’s more boring than three years of planning and already knowing the result in full detail?

What has to change in the Architecture Industry? How do you imagine the future?

We do not focus on changing the architecture industry but trying to contribute good projects. Maybe these projects can to some individuals initialize a rethinking process on her or his personal environment. In general, we see a lot of great buildings which are published in the architects’ magazines standing out there like icons. But on the other hand 95 percent of housing, commerce and office projects which make everyday architecture are complete rubbish.