Multi-award winning high-end magazine A&W Architektur & Wohnen presents spectacular architecture, luxury environments as well as alternative living solutions, impressive gardens and parks, plus portraits of designers and architects. The highly visual stories and reports are produced by international photographers and writers exclusively for A&W Architektur & Wohnen.
Editor in Chief Barbara Friedrich is the mastermind behind the magazine. She has been heading A&W since 1999 and simultaneously developed COUNTRY, a premium rural lifestyle magazine, reintegrated by A&W in 2013. After graduating in Communication and Philosophy her journalism career landed her on the editorial boards of BUNTE, AMBIENTE, VOGUE, Männer VOGUE and ELLE DECORATION, where she was appointed Editor in Chief in 1991. From 1993 – 1999 Barbara was Editor in Chief of Zuhause Wohnen.
We are delighted you will be supporting us on the GoSee Awards Panel. Interiors are becoming increasingly important, also for GoSee. Several photographer agents have specialised in this area. What are signs of good design or good architecture? An interior should suit its inhabitant, mirror his or her personality, taste and style – and it has to be special for us to publish it. Good architecture in an urban space can be bold, as it often serves as a landmark. However, due to the long-term time frame of such structures there is also a vital responsibility to address sustainability. Even if it is bad or mediocre.
A&W Architektur & Wohnen has been presenting the A&W Designer of the Year international award since 1997 and the accompanying A&W Mentor Award for newcomer talent. This must demand a vast amount of broad research, a bit like a curator, discovering new artists? Our A&W designers are usually already renowned, but sure: we, the editorial board, determine who wins the prize (we don’t have an external jury). So A&W works like a curator, we scan the design scene and its ‘heroes’ very closely.
The A&W Designer’s exhibition takes place in January in Cologne during the furniture fair. Do you have a favourite spot in Cologne, and if yes, why? On several occasions Der Kunstverein has provided the ideal location for the exhibition. However we like to let the winning A&W Designers select the space that they feel works best for their own exhibition concept. Locations have included a gallery, museum and old warehouse. I personally find the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum never fails to inspire.
Fashion has trends and no go’s – what is hot right now in interior design and what is not? Interiors with strong characters are a long-term trend. When it comes to home interiors, it isn’t so much about trends, as your own personal taste and the way you choose to combine things that look good to you. Magazines such as A&W help you learn about different tastes and styles. We present a great variety of home interior styles, conformity and readymade interiors are boring – which also answers the second part of your question.
As an expert: what does your home look like? Modern, lots of design, not too much decoration, but I do have a collection of rhinos.
And what do you have up on the walls – paintings or photos – or nothing? Both.
Do you have a favourite artist? Olafur Eliasson has been my favourite for a few years now, though I can only afford one of his books…
A lot of portfolios will be on show at the UPDATE Salon. What do you look for when selecting photographers for your magazine? When we try out new photographers, we take a look at their portfolio to see if we can discover that special something, a unique eye, new perspective etc. We also pay particular attention to the quality of portrait photography, it is a good way of seeing a photographer’s art and handwork.
A&W reports on the most impressive iconic buildings in the world’s biggest cities. Kai-Uwe Gundlach frequently shoots the ‘Kultbau’ (iconic building) feature. Can other photographers also contribute to this? Yes, occasionally, however Kai-Uwe Gundlach’s unique eye has become a distinguishing feature of the series.
And what Kultbau was your highlight? The most recent is always my highlight: so in the coming A&W 5/14 it is the ‘Anzeiger Hochhaus’ in Hannover, a grand piece of brick design by Hamburg architect Fritz Höger from the late 1920s, where media history was made: it is home to both ‘Spiegel’ and ‘Stern’, which were founded in the building after WWII.
Speaking of Kultbau, for the first time our UPDATE Salon and the GoSee Awards exhibition will take place at Berliner Kaufhaus Jandorf. In 1904 Adolf Jandorf opened the department store on Brunnenstraße in Berlin-Mitte. It closed in 1945, afterwards in the GDR it served as an institute for fashion design. Today luxury brands such as Moet & Chandon, Bulgari and Hugo Boss book the former department store for events. Your thoughts on our location? Great event location! Unfortunately, however, it does not qualify for our Kultbau as its original interiors have been removed.
You can find out more from the Editor in Chief in person at the UPDATE Berlin. And please enter your best interior, photography, landscape, photography and series for the GoSee Awards. Taking part in the GoSee AWARDS is free. Simply register on GoSee, log in and upload. After all Barbara Friedrich from A&W and all the other judges from creation, fashion, publishing and art want to view your inspiring artwork.
