Srdjan Jovanovic Weiss

Weiss is a Serbian-born architect and theorist and the principal of Normal Architecture Office (NAO). He holds a PhD from Centre for Research Architecture at Goldsmiths University of London and a Masters of Architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design. Weiss' recent book Socialist Architecture: The Vanishing Act with photographer Armin Linke interprets remnants from ideological architecture from former Yugoslavia as innovative and futuristic ruins. His architectural design projects include Villa 62, part of the new city of Ordos, China planned by artist Ai Weiwei; Z-blocks, which are lightweight furniture created for social interaction in museums, galleries and street protests; and Hilltopia, a speculative project about how earth hills in North Philadelphia can reshape vacant lots in the city into a common landscape. Weiss' many projects at Slought include Evasions of Power, a book and conference about the relationship between architecture and the politics. Weiss has been on the Advisory Committee of Slought since 2009.