In the name of experimentation

As expat colleagues, we met in an international landscape office, here in Berlin. After more than 4 years at TOPOTEK1, we decided to open our own practice, experimenting more on the productive role of the landscape, creating social and ecological spaces. Winning first prize is not always the reason to establish an office, rather it is more the desire of defining a personal research. 

Finding a balance

Honestly, private and professional lives at that moment of our career are the same thing. We are partners and also a couple in life, that is not simple to split the daily routine. We try to be strict and give ourselves some rules, but we are still searching for a balance…The apartment is sometimes full of paper! 

Collaboration as the future of architecture

We are working in a shared space, and that’s the way we see the future of architecture. Collaboration is a key concept that we had the fortune to learn and experiment. It is a mutual approach of pulling together different lens on the discipline. Our office is composed of a small team, including the two of us. However, thanks to a collaborative method, we had the possibility to access big projects.  

Landscape and urban design

From the beginning we decided to focus on landscape and urban design projects. It is not always easy to do all the projects as we want to do. Sometimes we would like to investigate and research deeply, but time runs and the profession imposes certain rhythms. This is a goal for the near future. Are we really sure that a landscape architect can not be an independent researcher? Maybe through the projects themselves? 

Ecological perspective

We believe that the current ecological situation needs a clear change even in the profession. How much CO2 do we produce with our projects? Is it possible to stop thinking in terms of environmental compensation, rather in a mind shift? It is possible to transform itself in a new opportunity for research? In our projects alternatives processes are used to try to respond to these questions, combining the role of being an architect and a social awareness.