ABOUT US
Nau2 is a multidisciplinary design practice based in Zurich and Los Angeles. We are architects, designers and scenographers who create spaces that tell stories. As a homonym of ‘now’ and ‘neu’, our brand name stands for innovative thinking and contemporary design. Our architecture is resolutely contemporary, combining new technologies with a penchant for radical spaces, while our sensitive approach, especially in existing situations such as heritage context, leads us to unexpected, sustainable responses.
Our projects span a wide array of design fields, from architecture and interior design to exhibitions and digital environments. Over the last 10 years, we have gained significant experience in transforming ideas into built environments, physical as well as virtual. Innovation, sustainability and precision in the details are key attributes of our practice. The work of Nau2 has been honored with numerous awards, such as the Architektur + Marketing Award 2012, the Iconic Award 2014 & 2016 and the IOC/IAKS Silver Award 2015.
ARCHITECTURE, EXHIBITIONS
& DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS
Nau2 promotes a collaborative approach combining academic research and professional practice. Trained as architects, we have extended our skills in the last 10 years to cover other disciplines such as scenography and digital design. Today’s practice is engaged across various fields, the spectrum of its works spanning from architecture to digital environments, while including interior, exhibition and event design. A focus on the quality of experience, the narrative and innovation acts as a common denominator throughout all our projects. Ultimately, we believe in the cross-pollination of the design fields, encouraging interdisciplinarity and exploration in the practice.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Nau2 was founded in January 2016, as the result of the merger between NAU and Drexler Guinand Jauslin Architects Zurich. Founded as an interdisciplinary platform between architecture and film, NAU has been active in Zurich and Berlin since 2008, focusing on creative design processes and collaborative thinking.
The practice of Drexler Guinand Jauslin Architects was founded in 1999, collecting significant experience over the years in planning methodology and sustainable issues. The merger strengthens our headquarters in Zurich while combining skill sets and extending the range of proposed services.
RECENT AWARDS
2022 Iconic Awards, Innovative Architecture, Winner
2018 Thüringer Award, Architecture and Urbanism
2018 Architizer A+ Awards, Special Mention
2018 Iconic Awards, Innovative Architecture
2018 Iconic Awards, Innovative Interior, Selection
2016 Iconic Awards, Winner
2015 IOC/IAKS Silver Award
2015 Build Award, Best Full Service Architecture Firm
2015 German Design Awards, Winner
2015 Architizer A+ Awards, ‘Honorable Mention’
2014 Swiss-Architects ‘Bau der Woche’
(Building of the Week)
2014 Iconic Awards, Winner
2014 Rigips Trophy, Bronze in the main category
COMPETITION SUCCESS
2022 Raiffeisenbank Wasserschloss, 2nd Prize
2021 Raiffeisenbank Schöftland, 2nd Prize
2020 Brücke über den Graben St. Gallen, 1st Prize
2019 Mixed Use Development RB Wettingen, 1st Prize
2019 Raiffeisenbank Neunkirch, 1st Prize
2019 Raiffeisenbank Therwil, 1st Prize
2018 Raiffeisenbank Zug, 2nd Prize
2018 Raiffeisenbank Leuggern, 3rd Prize
2018 Areal Uberbauung RB Münchwilen, 2nd Prize
2018 Raiffeisenbank Fislisbach, 2nd Prize
2017 Elementary School Susten, 1st Prize
2017 Raiffeisenbank Birmensdorf, 2nd Prize
2017 Raiffeisenbank Uster, 2nd Prize
2017 Day School Rüterwis, Zollikon, 1st Prize ex-aequo
2015 Logistic Center TNT Swiss Post Deutschschweiz, 1st Prize
2015 Raiffeisenbank Davos, 2nd Prize
2014 Mixed-use Development Winterthur, Two-stage Competition, 2nd Prize
2013 City Library Heidenheim, International Competition, 2nd Prize
2012 Interior Design Raiffeisenbank Schaffhausen, 1st Prize
2012 VZ Finanzportal lounge, VZ Desk Zurich, 1st Prize
2010 Bains de Géronde, Sierre (VS), 1st Prize
2009 Interior Design Raiffeisenbank Kreuzplatz Zurich, 1st Prize
PARTNERS
Jean-Lucien Gay
Partner/Founder I 1972 I Nau2 Zurich
Jean-Lucien Gay is a senior architect and designer with an international background. After studying at the ETH Zurich and the TU Delft, he took a central role at Studio Daniel Libeskind in Berlin and New York, planning high-profile projects in Europe, Asia and the US. Together with Marc Guinand, he founded Nau2’s office in Zurich. His strength lies in designing fluidly across the fields of architecture, design and scenography, combining a sense for space, a cinematographer’s eye and a penchant for new technologies. Academically, Jean-Lucien Gay regularly holds lectures and teaches since 2010 at the Accademia di Architettura in Mendrisio, researching at the crossroads between spatial design and computational architecture.
Marc Guinand
Partner/Founder I 1972 I Nau2 Zurich
Marc Guinand is a senior architect with extensive know-how in the planning and construction of complex projects. He graduated at the ETH Zurich and gained experience at prestigious architectural firms such as OMA (Rotterdam), Max Dudler (Berlin) and Tristan Kobler (Zurich). In 1999, he co-founded Drexler Guinand Jauslin Architects, where he managed dozens of projects of varying scales. Now leading Nau2’s office in Zurich with Jean-Lucien Gay, he proactively guides the design process to achieve the highest quality, combining an eye for detail, a strategic design methodology and a culturally-rooted vision of architecture. Marc Guinand is a member of several professional associations, including the SIA, the FSAI and the ZSL.
Michael J. Brown
Partner/Founder I 1977 I Nau2 LA
Michael J. Brown combines years of experience as a senior architect running international projects with the know-how of creative direction for film, marketing and brand spaces. He worked for Studio Daniel Libeskind in Berlin and New York, where he directed the design and construction of several award-winning cultural buildings and had a lead role in the World Trade Center master plan. In 2015, he moved to Los Angeles to found Nau2’s office there, giving the firm a stronger connection to the film and associated creative industries. From film sets to digital spaces, his knowledge of fabrication and art department workflows is a precious asset in streamlining fast-paced developing projects. In parallel, Michael J. Brown regularly contributes to journals, lectures and workshops.
Nadine Jerchau
Associate I 1977 I Nau2 Zurich
Nadine Jerchau is a multitalented architect, exhibition designer and academic. Following her architectural studies, which traced a line through the TU Berlin and the Art Academy Copenhagen, Nadine cofounded a cross-disciplinary think tank promoting architectural communication and urban culture. As an architect and scenographer, Nadine Jerchau sees design as an experimental process, rather than purely a spatial conclusion. Scenography and architectural representation constitute the core of her parallel academic career, which began at the ETH Zürich and led to her current position as a lecturer at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
TEAM
Past and current collaborators:
May Ackermann, Laila Arendt, Stephanie Adamou, Matteo Barchi, Laura Bartha, Laurent Biot, Amineh Boss, Benjamin Brückmann, Knut Brunier, Johanna Bucher, Eva Büttner, Juan Crevillén, Deniz Demiroglu, Matthew Diack, David Dick, Pio Dolera Antolinos, Yasmin Enger, Claudia Ernst, Fujan Fahmi, Thoms Felix, Andrea Gerber, Ines Henny, Naida Ilazovic, Léonard Kocan, Christoph Kugelart
Murielle Leucker, Katarzyna Lewandowska, Pablo Losa, Roberta Margnetti, Martyna Michalik, Michael Mix, Stefania Möckli, Irene Per Villa, Francisca Perloiro, Maggie Planchat, Francesco Pusterla, Daniel Schuster, Marie Sieber, José Silva, Michelle Studtmann, Sümeyye Subasi, Lauren Tang, Daniel Vega, Tereza Vyhlidalova, Anna Zakieta, Simon Zimmermann