aspect to it of building – but you’re also working with people,
and being part of a team is fundamental to good design.’
Norden studied architecture in London and it was
while she was doing her year out at Conran’s that she
became particularly interested in interior design. This
encouraged Norden to complete her studies, an MA in
Architecture & Interiors, at the Royal College of Art (RCA).
‘Studying in London and at the RCA was the right thing
for me because architectural training in Germany is more
engineering-based whereas UK architectural courses are
much more creative and arts-based, which suited me
better,’ she says.
Norden returned to Conran’s, working closely at the
beginning with its founder, Sir Terence Conran. She has
since been loyal to the practice, steadily working her way
up the ladder. Her body of work has included masterplanning
and residential projects, but she remains passionate about
hospitality, a sector she has specialised in.
‘Ever since my first project, which was a bar in Iceland
that I had a blast working on, hospitality has always drawn
me because I’m passionate about food, travelling and the
people in the industry who love what they do,’ says
Norden. ‘The nice thing about hospitality projects is that
you’re designing spaces for people’s leisure time where
they go to enjoy themselves.’
Norden adds that unlike other interiors, a striking feature
of hospitality, in particular bars and restaurants, is that there
is an intense functionality to it. For example, food and drinks‘The Ruya restaurants
were definitely a
departure for us. Our
projects tend to be
more restrained in
their detailing
and layering’