AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.09.2003, Side 42

Jórunn Ragnarsdóttir, Architect
Our office was founded in 1979
and now employs more than 20
people (15 architects and five
architectural students gaining
work experience). People work in
small groups to gain close con-
tact with the projects of the
office. Each group keeps contact
while the job is being carried out
and works in close contact with
other groups. This working-
method can appear rather
ineffective and inflexible at a quick
glance. All the same, in our
experience, this way of doing
work makes people happy in their
work - and what can one rather
wish for than collaborators who
take interest in their work?
In our office, we put emphasis on
tackling new and exciting proj-
ects. For years, we have obtained
such work for the most part by
taking part in competitions, which
play an important part in our
activities. While participating in
competitions is a method to
obtain new work, it also gives
us the opportunity to tackle the
challenges of the present. The
office also tries to promote itself
to those who organise closed
competitions, by presenting simi-
lar projects, and participatíng in
exhibitions and various publica-
tions.
Basic sketches that indicate a
comprehensive design idea are
also important in this connection.
For example, the office in 2003
succeeded in winning an award
in a competition for an extension
to the centre of the Catholic
Church in Rottenburg (Tubingen),
the Work Education Academy in
Lörrach, a church building in
Fleilbronn and a dormitory and
teachers' accommodation in
Schwábisch Gmund. Other
important work that our office has
undertaken include the building of
the electrical company EVS
(EnBW) in Stuttgart (1997), Salem
International College in Uberlingen
(2000), and a school and gymna-
sium in Ostfildern (2002), originat-
ed in competitions. It is the goal
of our office to present a clear
policy in architecture which can
de described in these words: „We
look back on 4000 years of build-
ing history where man has creat-
ed space which fits his bodily and
spiritual needs. These spaces
contain meaning, which makes
them emissaries of cultural tradi-
tion - they define places and are
successful because of their tactile
and sensual qualities. Why should
we then want to create transpar-
ent spaces which tell us when we
enter: You are again outside!"
This is our manifesto. This atti-
tude also explains the presence
of the block wall. Where others
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Ljósmyndir / photos: Roland Halbe