Anna Dietzsch Q&A

(Image credit: press)

last updated 27 October 2022

Anna Dietzsch is a senior associate at Davis Brody Bond Aedas.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently in the Amazon, looking into the possibility of building a library and community centre to service those living in remote villages along the Amazon river. We just finished a four million m2 masterplan study for a small city north of Sao Paulo and are about to start the design of a linear park in Sao Paulo itself.

Why did you end up working in New York rather than returning to Brazil?

When I completed my Masters at Harvard in 1998 the economy in the US was strong and there were plenty of opportunities. I got involved in interesting projects, mainly with institutional and civic programs, which I would probably not have had the chance to get involved with in Brazil, and continued postponing my trip back. Now I have an American husband and a child.

Do you think there are many opportunities in Brazil if you are an architect?

Yes. Right now the market is hot in Brazil. But architecture is not a valued profession there; competition is huge, fees are small and certain perverse habits are acceptable. For example, it is common for architects to prepare elaborate studies for free.

What things do you miss most about Brazil?

I miss the relaxed environment and the friendliness of Brazilians. Americans are great to work with - extremely objective and efficient - but I am not sure they are that easy to befriend, beyond superficial contact.

What would a perfect night out in Brazil involve? Where would you go and what would you do?

I am from Sao Paulo, where the food is excellent. Paulistas are absolutely convinced they have the best pizza in the world! The perfect night would involve eating at a good restaurant and dancing after that.

Emma O'Kelly is a freelance journalist and author based in London. Her books include Sauna: The Power of Deep Heat and she is currently working on a UK guide to wild saunas, due to be published in 2025.

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