Nora Walter Images

Whom would you call your mentor?

I have my difficulties with the term mentorship - it tends to have that bitter taste of ambivalent relationships. If I think of genuine figures in my life that shaped my current view towards architecture I would say:

Lisa Yamaguchi, partner at Meili Peter Architects / dreisterneplus (Munich)
And of course Adam Caruso and Peter St John

Name your favorite …

Person: Raoul Duke

Movie: 
• Fear and Loathing Las Vegas (most amazing hotel room scene)
• The High-rise (I like the critical dystopian idea of it)
• Orlando (great Tilda Swinton)

Book: Drawing Architecture by Helen Thomas – this book is exploring a great collection of how humanity is visualizing architecture through centuries

What needs to change in the field of architecture according to you? How do you imagine the future?

What comes to mind immediately are two things: 

What DEFINITELY needs change are the outdated ideas of society led by an old (and mostly male dominated) generation thinking in patriarchic structures.

Supporting and implementing equality of race/nativity/religion/gender (etc.) is an incredibly important subject in any branch. How can it still be reality to face inequalities even in countries like Switzerland and Germany? Architecture is such an open field, touching so many professions. Being open minded and tolerant should be an unconditional requirement for the execution of this Job.

Secondly, focussing more on the practical profession of architecture: I would wish for the field of competition to become more accessible and affordable again. Whenever there is an open competition, very likely more than 100 teams take part.

If each team consisted of 2 architects working for 2 months on a weekly basis of 60 hours, this would mean 96.000 hours of work being put in that one competition, just for that glimpse of hope to eventually succeed. This form of systematic exploitation has to be refused.

What are your thoughts on architecture and society?

Architecture has to face change, even though its a very dilatory profession. Sustainable, social and anthropological values are key concepts to architecture. Ignoring them might provide with profitable but also bad and unsustainable projects, that pollute our environment just as much as the ignorant people behind them.

Creating Images to visualize the ideas of architects and designers seems to be a delicate thing. How important is the relationship and communication between you and your clients?

It's a communication based on trust, so it is really important.

Creating images often means visualizing ideas and attached hopes that architects/clients develop over the whole process of their design. It is important to get a hold on all those ideas without loosing sight of the necessary degree of abstraction that makes an image powerful.

That is why I don’t believe in predetermined rounds of feedback and a fix number of revisions. Images are a constant process, like the design, so they also mean constant flexibility and communication.

How do you communicate/present Architecture? What does it take to create a good architectural image?

Since I understand any software as a tool, I don’t rely on one specific method to do images. They vary between simple photoshop mappings, collages, photoshopped model photographs and renderings from different softwares.

I have often argued about my belief of  these varying technics in image making - many believe one should have a signature style, that clients can access and acquire. I disagree.

Each practice, architect, even project has its unique dynamic so I seek to match their preceding idea and imagination with a unique tailor made image.

Making „a good image“ is closely linked to the recipient. So: catching the most enchanting concept or idea of an architects project and bringing it to life in a manner that (s)he imagined it, that is what makes it „good“. 

For you personally, what is the essence of architecture?

Diversity in any sense.

Which material fascinates you (at the moment)?

The stuff that dreams are made of ;) Kidding.

But actually, really the non materialistic layers of perception meaning virtuality. It starts with the imagination when reading a book and creating fantastic worlds and characters around it and it ends with exploring VR and AR.

Although I am quite nostalgic about my non scientific, amateur technics, I think the richness of this field is just evolving now and it surely wakes my curiosity.

Whom would you call your mentor?

I have my difficulties with the term mentorship - it tends to have that bitter taste of ambivalent relationships. If I think of genuine figures in my life that shaped my current view towards architecture I would say:

Lisa Yamaguchi, partner at Meili Peter Architects / dreisterneplus (Munich)
And of course Adam Caruso and Peter St John

Name your favorite …

Person: Raoul Duke

Movie: 
• Fear and Loathing Las Vegas 
• The High-rise
• Orlando (great Tilda Swinton)

Book: Drawing Architecture by Helen Thomas – this book is exploring a great collection of how humanity is visualizing architecture through centuries

What needs to change in the field of architecture according to you? How do you imagine the future?

What comes to mind immediately are two things: 

What DEFINITELY needs change are the outdated ideas of society led by an old (and mostly male dominated) generation thinking in patriarchic structures.

Supporting and implementing equality of race/nativity/religion/gender (etc.) is an incredibly important subject in any branch. How can it still be reality to face inequalities even in countries like Switzerland and Germany? Architecture is such an open field, touching so many professions. Being open minded and tolerant should be an unconditional requirement for the execution of this Job.

Secondly, focussing more on the practical profession of architecture: I would wish for the field of competition to become more accessible and affordable again. Whenever there is an open competition, very likely more than 100 teams take part.

If each team consisted of 2 architects working for 2 months on a weekly basis of 60 hours, this would mean 96.000 hours of work being put in that one competition, just for that glimpse of hope to eventually succeed. This form of systematic exploitation has to be refused.

What are your thoughts on architecture and society?

Architecture has to face change, even though its a very dilatory profession. Sustainable, social and anthropological values are key concepts to architecture. Ignoring them might provide with profitable but also bad and unsustainable projects, that pollute our environment just as much as the ignorant people behind them.

I hope I don’t come off as a hypocrite though: It's easy for me to judge not (yet) having built myself.

Creating Images to visualize the ideas of architects and designers seems to be a delicate thing. How important is the relationship and communication between you and your clients?

It's a communication based on trust, so it is really important.

Creating images often means visualizing ideas and attached hopes that architects/clients develop over the whole process of their design. It is important to get a hold on all those ideas without loosing sight of the necessary degree of abstraction that makes an image powerful.

That is why I don’t believe in predetermined rounds of feedback and a fix number of revisions. Images are a constant process, like the design, so they also mean constant flexibility and communication.

How do you communicate/present Architecture? What does it take to create a good architectural image?

Since I understand any software as a tool, I don’t rely on one specific method to do images. They vary between simple photoshop mappings, collages, photoshopped model photographs and renderings from different softwares.

I have often argued about my belief of  these varying technics in image making - many believe one should have a signature style, that clients can access and acquire. I disagree.

Each practice, architect, even project has its unique dynamic so I seek to match these preceding idea and imagination with a unique tailor made image.

Making „a good image“ is closely linked to the recipient. So: catching the most enchanting concept or idea of an architects project and bringing it to life in a manner that (s)he imagined it, that is what makes it „good“.