Nussbaumer: Our business goals are the same as for any enterprise. As to architecture, one thing applies to us in particular: We do not build to "find ourselves" or to erect an architectural monument on our behalf. We design for the builders and subsequent users, for their very differ-ent needs.

Humm: You plan not only for European clients, whose culture is familiar to you. Currently you are implementing and pursuing projects in China and Canada. Is this the reason for the interna-tional composition of your team?

Nussbaumer: No, that went the other way around. Thanks to our international successes our office became attractive to young architects from all over the world. This generation of architects is ambitious and is prepared to make a real commitment. These architects leave their country of origin and often even their continent in order to take on a professional challenge. To our great satisfaction a great number of speculative applications from such young architects arrive at our office each week, many of them from architect's offices with quite an international reputation. Ideally they supplement our team of Swiss employees, who obtained outstanding training as architects at ETH Zurich. This cooperation is enriching not only for us, but for the projects as well.