New Feature: Firm Faces

One thing I've noticed about architecture firms' web pages is the increase in photos of the office, of the people involved. Given this trend, I thought I'd showcase some of these photos and see how they are similar or different from each other, and what they say about the firm.

The first of this ongoing feature is the serious lot at REX, the OMA offshoot led by Joshua Prince-Ramus and Erez Ella.


Image by Jason Schmidt

The two leaders are prominently located in the foreground of a New York loft with the 30-odd employees dispersed behind them and some foam models. Perhaps the more senior ones are closest to the camera and the young ones at the back, meaning if the latter leave the firm they don't have to keep reshooting this photo as they're faces are too small to be distinguished. This raises the paradox of these sorts of photos: their role in illustrating the important role individuals play in the production of architecture, a role that can be seen cynically as interchangeable with any qualified person.

Another aspect of these photos is the space the people inhabit. In this case the open studio gets across the idea that the office is somewhat egalitarian, with open communication but also a bit of noise; one cannot escape to a cubicle or other nook for privacy. Even the models look to be constructed in the same space as phone calls are made and CAD is pumped. These models reinforce an egalitarian environment, as everybody is privy to the design process as it unfolds. Lastly, the office doesn't appear to be picked up very much for the photo; if anything, they embrace the mess and wanted it to be captured in the photo.

(Thanks to Eric for the head's up on REX's web site.)