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© Roman Weyeneth, Stadt-Casino Basel 2020
Roman Weyeneth is an architectural photographer specialising in public buildings, cultural, residential and commercial buildings and urban development. He completed his training as a photo designer at the School of Design, Zurich. Today he lives in Basel and photographs throughout Switzerland and in neighbouring countries. His spectrum ranges from objective photography to staged space and animated architecture. He is also a photographer and editor of the illustrated book on architecture "Neue Schulräume - Architektur für zeitgemässes Lernen" (New classrooms - architecture for contemporary learning), which was published in 2018.
The editors asked him about architectural photography. What do you find attractive about architectural photography? Architecture is our built living space. I am interested in the connection between form, function and aesthetics. I want to bring the building closer to the viewer so that they understand it and get involved. Searching for and finding this image is what I like about architectural photography. You write on your website that for the best results you combine the qualities of traditional photography with the possibilities of digital processing. What does that mean in concrete terms? When I take photographs, I take the time for an in-depth examination of the building. This approach enables me to take precise photographs. Looking, adjusting, releasing are analogue, even with the latest Digiback. In editing I mainly work on the colours, contrasts and lights. For this, digitisation offers excellent tools. You are almost exclusively focused on architectural photography. What are the benefits of this specialisation? Deepening, experience, quality. And joy! You photographed the recently reopened Stadtcasino Basel by Herzog & de Meuron architects. Were there any particular challenges? I had to take pictures for the book and the press even before the renovation was completed and therefore I couldn't photograph the desired setting everywhere from the very beginning. For example, the organ was only equipped when the book was already in the press. This meant that we had to work with provisional layout pictures and take the photographs at very short notice. We also had to proceed in the same way for the exterior shots, but we couldn't avoid minor retouching. Today many photographers specialise in architectural photography. Are you working in a difficult professional environment? There are no longer any architectural photographers, but many photographers today also offer architectural photography. The choice is greater, because with today's technology, even with 35mm, architecture can only be photographed to a limited extent. However, this technique does not come close to the medium format. You have photographed many important buildings in Switzerland. How do you think architecture shapes the country? In Switzerland we have many great architects and also the money to build outstanding architecture. What remains to be hoped is that we find a way to build in a truly sustainable way that protects the landscape.
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