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Which of the office’s buildings inspired you personally and persuaded you to apply
to Berger+Parkkinen in Vienna?
I actually visited the Nordic Embassies with my father on my first visit to Berlin – I must
have been 14 or 15 years old. The building complex comprises six individual buildings
enveloped by a green, copper-clad snaking wall with five buildings the embassies of
Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, arranged geographically. Thanks to its unob-
trusive, inviting architecture, this complex has definitely stayed in my memory forever.
The wooden apartment block in Seestadt Aspern is another project that stood out for me
because of its urban structure and the resulting intimate yet diverse, partly private, partly
semi-public open spaces. The housing complex is articulated into seven building parts
ranging in height from four to seven floors above ground level and an underground garage.
Ultimately, I can say that I was attracted by the wide range of projects. Affordable housing
– one of the most pressing tasks of our time – but also public projects and design tasks on
a smaller scale are realized at Berger+Parkkinen. I found this broad spectrum very exciting.

r Tell us about the office: how is it structured, how many people work there and what Foto: Christian Richters, Münster
is the working- and management culture like?
The team currently consists of 20 employees. Many have moved to Vienna to study. This is
one of the reasons why we are very international and young. This makes for a stimulating Nordische Botschaften, Berlin (1999): begeiasterten Rick schon im Jugendalter • Nordic Embassies, Berlin (1999)
working atmosphere, plenty to talk about during breaks and joint activities in our free
time. From the project managers to the administration, we all work in the same open-plan
office. This makes the dialogue uncomplicated. Everyone is aware of what is happening in
the other projects. Depending on the size of the project, we work in constantly changing
teams. Everyone may and also should actively participate in the design process. Alfred and
Tiina are present at the important meetings, accompany the processes, ask the important
questions and make decisions.

r The Berger+Parkkinen buildings each follow their own parameters. There is no
“Berger+Parkkinen style”, but is there a common DNA?
That’s right, every context is unique and every task seeks individual answers. But the
intentions are always the same. Namely, to create a piece of the puzzle that complements
the existing structure and bring all the specific parameters in line. The topic of sustainabil- Foto: Ana Barros, Wien
ity is of course something that runs through all projects and comes into play in a wide
variety of ways – be it technical solutions, local materials or aspects on an urban planning
and social level. Grabkapelle Kainberg (2022): errichtet aus alten Mauersteinen ... • Kainberg burial chapel (2022): built with old ...

r Which projects are you involved in and what are your tasks? ... eines über 800 Jahre alten Wirtschaftsgebäudes • ... bricks of an over 800-year-old farm building
At the beginning, I was involved in various competitions. This is always quite dynamic due
to the comparatively short processing time. All topics are usually discussed and worked
on together. I particularly remember the competition for the refurbishment of the festival
theatres in Salzburg, which we unfortunately didn’t win. That was a very special and com-
plex design task in the heart of Salzburg’s historic city centre. I have now been working
on a residential project in Salzburg for a year and a half. There is a Wilhelminian-style
building on the site that houses a school. This is to be converted and supplemented with
new buildings. It’s great to be involved in such a complex construction project over such
a long period of time and to help develop everything from the preliminary design to the
implementation planning. I’m involved in all processes, from the urban positioning and
the development of a new access concept to the flat layouts, the façades and the technical
building equipment.

r As a European metropolis, Vienna offers an enormous range of architecture, art,
music and culture. What are your favourite places and events?
There are the many independent cinemas, such as the Schikaneder with its bar and a
broad programme that goes far beyond film, the Vienna Summer of Culture with its count-
less free open-air events for all generations spread across the whole city. The best time of
year in Vienna is definitely summer. Then the Danube Island is a very special place where
there’s something going on around the clock. I also like to sit on the Danube Canal with
friends after work and enjoy the sun going down. It’s allowed to paint on the walls there,
there’s music and dancing here and there and it’s always a great atmosphere. Last but not
least, there are the many small cafés and corner pubs with their readings and concerts and
the many small studios and exhibition spaces all over the city. Of course, there are also Foto: Ana Barros, Wien
the big museums, but I’m usually more interested in what’s happening away from the big,
established institutions.