Episode 12 - Coordinating and Leading Teams for Archviz Projects - With Anna Perela

One of the things we tend to forget the most about archviz, is that it is a service industry, and managing people – whether it’s clients or teams, is a pretty important part of what we do. At the core of this, there’s always smooth communication. But how should we manage the expectations of our clients, and how do we build a positive dynamic with internal and external teams?

I’ve asked these questions and much more to Anna Perela, chartered Architect and Head of Planning at Cityscape Digital in London. Her role at Cityscape Digital has many facets, as not only she coordinates internal production teams, mentors people, and maintains standard working practices, but she also liaises with clients, designers, and helps to solve issues that may surface during the cooperation.

In this episode, we go through her background and the self-reflection process that lead her to embrace the managing side of our industry a what is it like to be a Head of Planning. We also discuss architectural competitions as opposed to real estate projects, how smaller teams could implement sustainable practices for growth and management, and much more.

More about Anna:

Anna Perela is a Chartered Architect and Head of Planning at Cityscape Digital in London. She has more than 15 years experience as a Visualisation Artist and Architectural Photographer.

She studied Architecture at the National Technical University of Athens. The need to convey and present her ideas, led her to arch-viz, through abstract illustrations, 2d drawings and renderings. In the meantime she had developed a passion for photography, experimenting with various techniques and formats. After graduating from university, she enrolled in the State of Art Academy, to further advance her skills in Architectural Visualisation. She had been working as a project Architect and Visualiser for more than 5 years in Greece, prior to moving to London to pursue more career opportunities.

She worked at Squint/Opera for 3 years as a Senior 3d Artist. There, surrounded by like-minded people and inspiring artists, she had the chance to get actively involved with every stage of the visualisation process: image planning, 3d modelling, rendering and post-production, and experiment with versatile visual styles.

After years leading high profile projects for Museums, competitions and master plans, she joined Cityscape Digital in 2018 as a Senior Visualiser.

She is currently managing the Planning Department, which consists of more than 20 Artists, Photographers, Technicians and Producers. Anna maintains standards and working practices within the team, aiming to mentor, support and lead by example. She also liaises closely with some of the biggest architectural practices, developers and consultants in the UK, focusing on problem solving, innovation and excellence. Her team has been involved in some of the most high profile and intricate developments in London, covering the full spectrum of images and services that could accompany a planning application in the UK, from early feasibility studies to post submission support.