Lene Moen Grannes is a well-known name in both the architecture and interior design communities in Norway, but for many she is best known for having an impressive laundry room and her own slide in the living room! Her journey from architect to influencer is as unique as it is exciting, but one thing that runs through both is her knowledge and understanding of digital tools and platforms. She now combines the best of both worlds and lives the life of an architect from Villa Grannes, the house that set almost everything in motion.
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Her own teacher
Her path into working life started as an interior designer, and through her encounter with Archicad she discovered a completely new world.
"When I was studying, I spent a lot of time working with the program on my own. I had a teacher who in many ways I felt did not have the knowledge and the ability to teach that I needed. So I learned by doing," Lene explains. This led to an independent learning process where she began to understand the value of Archicad and how it could revolutionise her design work.
After further studies in Australia and work as both an Archicad teacher and examiner, she built up a solid background that has largely shaped her career. She first worked as an architect at Rambøll, before moving on to work as BIM manager at Helen & Hard. There she was given overall responsibility for updates and the implementation of new versions, a role she later continued in at LINK Arkitektur in Stavanger.
But it was when she took the step out on her own and started her own business that everything really took off.
Lene Moen Grannes.
A dream house on Instagram
Lene Moen Grannes has not only built an impressive career, she has also used her skills to build her own home, Villa Grannes.
"Throughout the process of building our house, I shared everything from the design process to practical advice on Instagram." Suddenly she had thousands of followers who inspired her to share more about everything from everyday solutions to more extensive processes.
Slide in Villa Grannes © StudioMo, Lene Moen Grannes
Sharing practical solutions for the laundry room, or the slide she has placed inside the house, is now a big part of Lene's everyday life, and in many ways this part of the job has contributed strongly to the fact that she is no longer part of a larger office today, but runs her own business from her office in Villa Grannes.
"It is one thing to be good with digital tools, but mastering the other part of the digital universe is something I find very valuable for me as an architect."
Lene started her Instagram journey four years ago and today has well over 200,000 followers. Through her presence on Instagram, Lene has received several architecture commissions, and had 15 architecture commissions in her first year as a self-employed practitioner. "I get commissions from all over the country, and I find that my presence online gives me an enormous market that I would never have come close to reaching if I had marketed myself locally in my own area."
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Villa Grannes. © StudioMo, Lene Moen Grannes
Never done learning
Lene stresses the importance of continually learning new features in Archicad, even for experienced users. She points out that it is easy to become comfortable with your own working methods, but that there are always new ways to work more efficiently, especially when you keep up to date with the latest versions and tools. "Even for me, who has worked with Archicad for 18 years, it is still incredibly interesting to learn more about the program," says Lene.
"You create your own shortcuts and think you are at the top, but then there are many good options you never discover. That is exactly why I work continuously to stay up to date. Perhaps it is extra important for me, being just one person, because I have no one else to lean on."
She recommends that everyone keep taking courses and exploring the new versions of Archicad, as the software is constantly developed with new features and tools that can make the work process even more efficient. This applies not only to those at the start of their career, but also to experienced professionals who want to maintain a competitive advantage.
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© StudioMo, Lene Moen Grannes
As an experienced architect and interior designer, Lene believes that digital development within architecture and construction is an enormous advantage, but that you cannot fully rely on automated solutions. "We cannot just let the digital do the job for us, we still have to do it ourselves," says Lene.
She also points out that although technology such as artificial intelligence can provide useful tools and inspiration, it is still human expertise that is needed to create truly unique and functional design.
Lene is a strong advocate of developing good technical skills to meet the future needs of architecture. "I believe all young architects and interior designers absolutely have to learn the necessary digital tools from the start of their career, and to keep updating their skills through courses and practical experience."
"Digital development gives us many opportunities, but to make the most of them, we still have to be curious and learn to use the tools correctly," Lene concludes.
Lene Moen Grannes is a brilliant example of how knowledge and understanding of both design and digital technology can create new opportunities in an increasingly digitalised world. She has not only built an impressive career, she has also inspired hundreds of thousands of followers to think differently about architecture and design in a digital age.
