Originally published at: https://rbblogstages3.wpenginepowered.com/soa-academyday5-interview-mir/
I first interviewed Trond Greve Andersen & Mats Andersen, co-founders of Norway based architectural visualization studio MIR, back in March 2011 and had the pleasure to chat with them both following their presentation at SOA’s #AcademyDay5 in Venice last week.
We started with expanding on the title and content of their first presentation “MIR is a Restaurant”, continued about how they view the technical aspects of the visualization work and finishing with a question about how does a usual day look like for a founder of MIR, considering they need to manage a 10-14 people studio. For all of you thinking about applying to work at MIR, I asked Troned what is it they look for in an artist. Enjoy!
I thank Mats & Trond for this interview and the SOA team for making this happen. Read my post event summary to get a feel for what Academy Day is about – SOA Academy Day #5 The Gathering.
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Excerpt from the 2011 MIR Interview
MIR is owned and run by two partners
Trond Greve Andersen (1979) Graduate of the Norway National Academy of Art and design at Visual communications.
Mats Andersen (1978) Graduate of the Norway National Academy of Art and design at Interior and furniture design.
Back then they were smaller with 5 other team members, which is now double at 10.
How did MIR came to be?
Me (Trond) and Mats met at the National Academy of Arts 12 years ago (1999). He studied Furniture and Spatial Design and I was trying to become a graphic designer/illustrator. At that time he was already using Lightwave for his furniture projects. I couldnt believe the stuff he produced with it. The radiosity and caustics were amazing at that time.
Any special meaning to the name MIR?
MIR means peace and world in Russian. The MIR satellite was a high-tech installation in outer space controlled with analogue tools. The name is a gesture to how love, inventiveness, curiosity and knowledge is more important than modern digital technology.
MIR has a very unique and recognizable visualization style, that I like very much. It is dramatic and gray, most of time winter like. Can you define how that came to be? Does the geographical location play a big part in this?
We Norwegians like to think of ourselves as part of nature. In MIR we aim for an organic and naturalistic style that resonates with our understanding of the world. Rain, wind, snow and clouds are more normal to us than blue sky and sun. We use ambience as a tool to tell stories about the architecture.