"I have found my calling"

Her calendar is absolutely full: in September she was at the European Council of Interior Architects (ECIA) in Florence, in October she celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Association of German Interior Designers (bdia) in Detmold, followed by regular meetings of the executive board and the federal council in Berlin as well as her own construction projects in Frankfurt. Pia A. Döll not only runs her own interior design practice, she is also President of the Association of German Interior Designers and also an expert on fees for architectural services. Together with representatives of the federal government, the German states, leading municipal associations, chambers of commerce and private building owners, she is currently working in a specialist working group of the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Construction on the amendment of the Fee Structure for Architects and Engineers (HOAI). There is little time to take a breather – even though many of these tasks are purely voluntary.

Correcting crooked images

Her commitment has a long tradition. She has been involved in the bdia since her university days. Association work, professional discourse within the college, contacts to business executives and networking were already important to her during her studies. “You can only achieve something as a team,” Pia A. Döll is convinced. For many years, the Frankfurt native was first honorary state chairwoman in the bdia chapter of Hesse, later vice president in the national chapter in Berlin and since 2019 its president. “The profession of interior designers is underestimated,” she regrets – skewed images of her work she wants to correct. “We are specialists in building in existing structures,” she stresses. Many people have the idea that interior designers merely spruce up apartments, she says. “That’s not true. I plan modernizations, repairs or even take on complete remodeling of houses.”

In her first semesters, she said, she did planning projects in structural engineering, and later in her studies she completed internships in trade fair exhibit construction and architectural offices. “That was a kick, where you could gain your first experience,” she recalls. She also says the Social and Cultural Sciences (SuK) companion course she was required to take as an undergraduate prompted her to think outside the box. Skills such as team building were also encouraged by the lecturers, she says. “We had the opportunity to further develop our personalities.” Overall, therefore, Döll feels that her studies at h_da have provided her with a good education. “I am proud that I studied here.” Her work as bdia president takes her to many universities nationwide and also to Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences every now and then. So she can gauge “how well teaching is done at the h_da,” she says.

Much seen of the world

Pia A. Döll's path was by no means along the straight and narrow. After school, she first did a commercial apprenticeship with a tour operator in Frankfurt and worked in the industry for a total of four years. “Back then, we could fly anywhere for free if there were seats available on the plane, so I got around the world a lot.” New York, Maldives, Majorca or Mexico - at some point that wasn't enough for her. “I’m a very inquisitive person; I wanted to study.” Architecture, design, interior design, these subjects appealed to her. At the time, an acquaintance raved about her communication design studies at the h_da and so Pia A. Döll decided on Darmstadt. Because a slot to study interior design was available, she enrolled. “It was more by chance, but also my luck. My profession fulfills me, and I enjoy it very much. I have found my calling,” she says.

She realized early on that family and career can be combined well in interior design. She gave birth to two children while still studying. “I was able to work from home with a lot of flexibility. Today, thankfully, there are also childcare facilities at the h_da,” she praises. After graduating, she worked for four years as a budding interior designer in an architectural office, an interior design firm and at a retail space design company before becoming a member of the Chamber of Architects and setting up her own office in Eschborn. She points out that graduates cannot use the title of interior designer without being entered in the list of interior designers of the architectural associations. Her first projects as a freelancer included a childcare area at Lufthansa and the conversion of a hotel in Frankfurt. Deliberate listening and grasping the needs of the clients is how she describes the basis of her planning. Together with the clients, she develops a concept, whereby today much of her work revolves around building in existing structures and sustainability aspects.

What is Feng Shui all about?

As an advocate of lifelong learning, Döll consistently continues her education. In the millennium years, this also included Feng Shui training. “I wanted to get to the bottom of it and find out what's true about Chinese harmony theory and what can be transferred from it.” The h_da alumna is convinced that interior designers use basic principles such as the incidence of light and sunlight, cardinal directions and the language of form intuitively anyway.

Until 2014, she threw herself into her work as a freelancer and state chairwoman of Hesse for bdia, and also underwent training and certification as an expert for architectural services fees at the Academy of the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Architects. She was constantly on full throttle until she had the feeling “that I needed an absolute change of location overnight,” she recalls. She wanted to get away – as far away as possible. “Just see what else is possible.” She shut down her office, gave up her apartment and her previous life, and headed to Singapore. “I wanted to live in a city where no one knew me.” She travelled across Asia – always with an eye on how people there live and work, how they solve issues of energy supply or greening of living spaces. A kind of sabbatical and teaching trip at the same time. “It was exciting to exist on my own alone in a different culture and society with many people.” After half a year in Singapore, the German market lured the interior designer back. One of her projects was selected on the nationwide Day of Architecture of the Chamber of Architects and City Planners of Hesse, many inquiries from clients were received and the first grandchild was on the way.

Office in Frankfurt, in demand in Berlin

Back in Germany, Pia A. Döll resumed her self-employment with an office this time in Frankfurt instead of Eschborn. She renewed her involvement in the Chamber of Architects and City Planners in Hesse and in the Association of German Interior Designers, this time as vice president, and later as president of the bdia in Berlin. One of her goals: She wants to promote her profession and make it more visible, as well as increase the proportion of women and interior designers in teaching at universities. For the association work she travels a lot, currently also concentrates on her work as an expert and the amendment of the “HOAI.202x” via her collaboration in the expert group. “I certainly won't be bored in the future. My clients have exciting projects in the pipeline for me.”

The former competitive swimmer wants to spend more time with her family, her grandchildren and her hobby: rowing on the Main river. “That's my balance, I can just check out so fully.” Of course, she rows in the team boat. Pia A. Döll is a team player.