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Jewish Museum, in Berlin Next to Original Baroque Building / Guenter Schneider
Tsipi: Could you guarantee it?
Daniel: Well what I said to her when she said … how can I join you since I’ve never been to an architect’s office … I said to her the same thing applies to me, because I’ve also never been in an architects office. You know I tried it but it wasn’t my idea of what I wanted to do in that way.
Nina: So to make a long story short, for the first few months it was very tough. It was tough to know when I was crossing the line; it was tough to know when should I open my mouth; it was tough to know is it appropriate to say something inappropriate; …to just say something.
But I think, overall, Daniel was extremely open minded and he would allow me to join every meeting, not just business meetings, every meeting … conceptual meetings, design meetings, presentations, how to do this, how to do that.
Tsipi: Why? Were you just being inclusive, or you needed her there?
Daniel: You know I didn’t know what a treasure I had. You know…you take it for granted, but then I discovered that Nina is way better than any architect I ever met.
Nina: That you should not include in this interview.
Daniel: Because, I’ll tell you why; architects they talk to themselves, or to other architects. But Nina came with a completely new perception having nothing to do with the profession. She brought to the field a completely fantastic horizon because it did not have to do with professional issues, it has to do with the public perception of what architecture is. And because of that she is a key to…
Tsipi: Honesty?
Daniel: Honesty, truth, it’s that’s… that’s it exactly.
Tsipi: It is a key quality.
Daniel: Yes, it is absolutely the key.
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Jewish Museum in Berlin / Guenter Schneider
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Tsipi: Ok, so she is not afraid to speak her mind?
Daniel: She doesn’t fear to speak her mind; not only that everybody wants her to speak her mind.…I’m not the only one.
Tsipi: Always?
Daniel: Always. Always.
Tsipi: Still?
Daniel: Look, she’s much tougher than the New York Times critics, or the others…she knows more than they do.
Tsipi: Ok, so what was it in the architecture profession, and we’ll sum this up, that really caught your attention or drew you in after being a musician…
Daniel: You know the reason I didn’t go into practice earlier on, was because I didn’t like architecture. I thought it was very limited, it was very technical, it was very self serving, it was very solipsistic.
But my idea of architecture, and that’s how we started working together, is that architecture is part of the liberal arts. It’s part of, you know, science but it’s also part of astronomy, its part of poetry, literature, philosophy, history
Tsipi: Social awareness too?
Daniel: The social world; and so I attempted to shift the focus of architecture away from the abstract, from self-referential buildings towards something possessing dialogue.
Tsipi: Ok, before we go into that, I would like to know in terms of partnership on a daily basis, how does it happen?
Nina: Well that’s interesting; most of the time I kind of prepare the day, in a way, for Daniel. I’m the filter…
Tsipi: You welcomed me into the office…
Nina: Right but that’s where my place is.
Tsipi: Where usually assistants, and secretaries seat ?
Nina: Right, but I live with my secretary and assistants because I find it much easier. I dictate a lot of emails, I also work with Daniel’s assistant to do the schedule.
Daniel: You also greet everyone at the door.
Jewish Museum in Berlin
Pictures From Top Down :
JMB Void (c) Torsten Seidel
JMB Hol Tower (c) BitterBredt
Undergroung Roads (c) BitterBredt
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