Architecture Masters

Our guest this week has led something of a peripatetic life. Born to an Austrian father and a German mother, Christina Seilern grew up in Switzerland before moving to the United States with the intention of studying biology at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. But she soon dropped biology and switched direction to study architecture at MIT and then at Columbia University in New York. After […]

The post Christina Seilern – Episode 16 first appeared on // Moving On //.

Our guest this week has led something of a peripatetic life. Born to an Austrian father and a German mother, Christina Seilern grew up in Switzerland before moving to the United States with the intention of studying biology at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. But she soon dropped biology and switched   direction to study architecture at MIT and then at Columbia University in New York.

After working for a number of smaller practices, in 1997 she took on a junior job in the model shop at Rafael Vinoly Architects where she rose quickly through the ranks, going on to become a Director – working on major projects including Princeton University.

In 2000 she relocated to London where she was charged with opening Vinoly’s new European Office, steadily growing the office over five years from just her, to a staff of more than 50.

Christina won and oversaw a number of major jobs for the practice including the Curve Theatre in Leicester and 20 Fenchurch Street – better known as the Walkie Talkie – in London.

In 2005 Christina left Rafael Vinoly to setup her own practice as Studio Seilern Architects.  For this week’s episode we join Christina in her practice’s light filled offices in West London.

On the programme this week is the architect Tatiana von Preussen. Tatiana originally studied architecture at Cambridge University in the UK. After a year out working for the architecture firm Stanton Williams, she moved to New York to attend Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture to complete her Masters. After graduating in 2007 she stayed on in New York, landing a job at James Corner […]

The post Tatiana von Preussen – Episode 15 first appeared on // Moving On //.

On the programme this week is the architect Tatiana von Preussen. Tatiana originally studied architecture at Cambridge University in the UK.  After a year out working for the architecture firm Stanton Williams, she moved to New York to attend Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture to complete her Masters.

After graduating in 2007 she stayed on in New York, landing a job at James Corner Field Operations, the landscape architecture firm and project lead for the New York Highline – along with the architecture practice Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

In 2009, amongst the turmoil of the Global Financial Crisis that was decimating the construction industry, Tatiana returned to the UK with Catherine Pease and Jessica Reynolds to setup their own practice vPPR architects.

The practice shot to public attention for one of their first building the multi-awarding winning housing project Ott’s Yard in Tufnell Park, north London – a complex and overlooked infill site where the practice also acted as developer.

Tatiana and her two co-directors have gone on to win numerous awards, including the RIBA London Emerging Architect of the Year Award in 2015 – and were shortlisted the same year for the RIBA House of the Year.

We joined Tatiana in her practice’s studio in Bethnal Green for this week’s episode.

On the programme this week is the architect Annalie Riches – one half of the multi-award winning architecture firm Mikhail Riches. The practice, founded by Annalie and her partner David Mikhail – are known for their considerable track record of beautifully considered housing developments. Annalie originally studied architecture at Sheffield University before moving to Paris where she found work at RFR, the architecture and engineering […]

The post Annalie Richies – Episode 14 first appeared on // Moving On //.

On the programme this week is the architect Annalie Riches – one half of the multi-award winning architecture firm Mikhail Riches.

The practice, founded by Annalie and her partner David Mikhail – are known for their considerable track record of beautifully considered housing developments.

Annalie originally studied architecture at Sheffield University before moving to Paris where she found work at RFR, the architecture and engineering practice founded by Peter Rice, Martin Francis and Ian Richie.

After two years Annalie returned to London to continue her studies at North London University, now The Cass School of Architecture, where she studied under Peter St John of Caruso St John Architects (who won the 2016 Stirling Prize).

In 1998 Annalie and two friends Silvia Ullmayer and Barti Garibaldo bought a plot of land and designed and largely self-built their own housing development at Whatcott’s Yard – the site of former garages in North London.  The scheme went on to win an RIBA Award and the Architects’ Journal First Building Award.

In 2013, Mikhail Riches won the RIBA’s Award for London Building of the Year for Church Walk in London, where the practice had also acted as client and developer.

In this week’s episode, we talk about learning and working in a foreign language.  We find out the challenges and rewards of architects working as developers. And we hear about the practice’s plans for the renovation of the Brutalist Park Hill estate in Sheffield.

Our guest this week is the architect Eric Parry. Eric was born in Kuwait in 1952 where his father was the country’s Chief Medical Officer, helping establish its health service. When Eric was ten, the family returned to the UK and settled in Liverpool. Eric later studied architecture at Newcastle University in the early 1970s before going on to spend a year in Iran studying […]

The post Eric Parry – Episode 13 first appeared on // Moving On //.