We would like to inform the AA community of the sad loss of Cordula Stach in January 2021.
Cordula shared her deep passion for architecture, design and the arts throughout her life.
Before her undergraduate studies, she spent the summer of 1998 studying a course in Fashion Design at Yale University - where she familiarised herself with the disciplines of design broadly and often referred to G. Bunshaft’s Library there as an inspiring inner space. She ultimately decided to study architecture and attended North London University for her undergraduate studies, to then join the AA in 2001—02 for Diploma, where she graduated from Diploma 4 under M. Hensel and L. Grootman in 2004. Cordula was the recipient of the Howard Colls Studentship in 2003. During her time at the AA, Cordula formed deep links of friendship with teaching staff and colleagues, with whom she remained in close contact throughout the rest of her life.
During her studies, Cordula trained under Peter Eisenman in New York City, where she participated in landmark projects such as the City of Culture in Santiago de Compostela and the stadium for the Arizona Cardinals in Phoenix, USA. Cordula also trained under Christian de Potzemparc in Paris working on the LVMH tower, New York City.
After graduating, she worked at David Chipperfield’s studio in Agar Grove on a number of competitions in Germany and the City of Justice in Barcelona. Her interviews with Sir David were published by CLEAN Edizioni in a book she edited, published in 2005. Cordula then became a chartered architect whilst working for Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, where she collaborated on a number of schemes under Alex Lifschutz and Paul Sandilands – in particular the Island Studios conversion which became the practice’s offices until this day.
Cordula decided to add to her architectural skills with an MBA at INSEAD, graduating in 2008 and pursuing a career in business consulting. Despite not working as an architect per se, Cordula remained close to architecture and design by consulting for Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and the London based practice Emergent Design Studios, with her husband of 20-years, the architect and AA DRL graduate, Marco Ortiz.
Rest in peace, Cordula. You will never be forgotten.
— Marco Ortiz, 12 February 2022.