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M rs Menninger, Kubota & Bachmann Architects take part in remarkably many strong self-confidence for one’s projects. While studying in Germany, one is often
obliged to focus on functionality and restraint which probably also makes sense for
international competitions. The objectives are frequently major cultural
projects. Which are the individual strengths which the three partners contribute? those who are still learning. At Kubota & Bachmann, the goal is not necessarily a com-
Considering the cultural backgrounds of a Japanese, a Swiss and a Spaniard who pact, solid and economical solution but the uniqueness of the design. During my
have been living and working in France for many years, four nationalities in fact internship, I often experienced that my ideas for a project were too strict. According
merge at Kubota & Bachmann Architects. The office has an international orientation. to my bosses, I should “distance myself more and design more freely”. Participating
All three partners bring along ample experience with large projects by various in an open competition and seeing one’s concept through without any compromise
offices. Toshihiro, Francesco and Yves met in the Atelier Jean Nouvel. Toshihiro seems very bold to me. This is probably a side effect of the professional experience
Kubota had been working as an office partner on numerous major projects all of all three partners.
over the world. Among them were the Copenhagen Concert Hall, the Philharmonie
de Paris and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Toshihiro has a good feeling for space and r Which were your tasks as an intern and in which projects were you allowed to
the modelling of free forms. Francisco Martinez stands out with plenty of special participate?
knowledge regarding construction. Among other projects, he worked on the Torre We took part in three competitions in Germany during my internship. My main tasks
Agbar in Barcelona from beginning to end. Yves Bachmann, graduate from the as a German architecture student were to familiarize myself with the spatial
Bern University of Applied Sciences, initially also worked with Nouvel in Paris, later programme, to translate and to point to important requirements. In addition,
at Iria Degen Interiors in Zurich. As a project manager, he was there responsible building standards had to be comprehensibly explained in French which was not
for international projects for luxury hotels and residences. No doubt strong self-con- always all that easy. Before submitting them for the competition, the plans finally had
fidence was generated by these tasks. What seems even more important to me, to be translated into German. A further project, in which I participated again and
however, is that the working together of the three partners exponentially increases the again from beginning to end, was the planning of a one-family home in Spain. In an
courage and the readiness to not only participate in “domestic” competitions. Besides earlier design phase, I assisted Francisco Martinez and he took my opinion very seri-
the joint work in the office, all three always also participate independently in projects ously. Most of the time, we worked as a team of four in the office, always two on one
of their own. project. Francisco, Toshihiro, another intern and I. Yves was working in Switzerland.
The geographical distance was no obstacle for jointly working on the project.
r In your opinion, on which shared values, on which architecture approach are The cooperation between me and Toshihiro was very direct. Toshihiro planned a
the designs by Kubota & Bachmann Architects based? And what were you able to project, briefly explained it to me and then had me draw the plans with the auto-CAD.
learn from your bosses? These plans were step-by-step controlled, criticized and finally corrected. Work
It sounds very banal, but I think it is individuality. The opposite would be boredom. models or models generated with the Rhino 3-D programme were also part of
I believe that the time at Nouvel very much influenced their architectural approach. my tasks. In addition, I searched for interesting competitions on platforms in the
In large offices, one much rather learns to take more of a chance and to develop German language.

AUF MASS

nischenbündig
JETZT NEU

DEFINIERT

Diese Duschrinne passt
exakt in jede Planung
TECEdrainprofi le ist das Edelstahl-Duschprofi l der
nächsten Generation – es lässt sich indivi duell
ablängen und fügt sich damit in jedes Maß ein.
Dieses Duschprofi l für wand bündige Ver arbeitung
verbindet die Ästhetik der Dusch rinne mit dem
Reinigungskomfort des Punktablaufs.

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