Zara Pfeifer

Info

Info
Zara Pfeifer (b. 1984) is an artist based in Vienna and Berlin whose work is concerned with the social phenomena of large-scale infrastructure. Her documentation of the modernist housing project Alterlaa („Du, meine konkrete Utopie“, 2013–17) and her series on truck drivers („Good Street!“, 2018–2022) involves extended periods of immersion in the day-to-day life of her subjects. She has worked with institutions, including the MAK Center for Art and Architecture in Los Angeles and the Austrian Cultural Forum in Berlin. Her publications include Monocle, ZEITmagazin, ARCH+ and Monopol, and she has received a studio grant at ISCP New York from the Austrian Federal Government. Currently she is a resident of the research group c/o bardi in Florence. Zara Pfeifer received the MAK Schindler Scholarship in Los Angeles for 2025/2026. Her book ICC Berlin was published in 2022 by Jovis Verlag. Pfeifer studied architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and photography at the Friedl Kubelka School for Artistic Photography in Vienna. Since 2019 she holds a lecturing position about architecture photography at the Technical University Vienna.

Teaching 
Since 2019 lecturing position "On Site" about architecture photography at the Technical University Vienna, Research Unit of Housing and Design, Prof. Obrist.
Between 2021–2022 photo research seminars "Living Worlds" and "Everyday Matters" at the Technical University Berlin, Institute of Architecture, Prof. Hehl.

Other teaching assignments at Syracuse University Florence, Technical University Graz, Bauhaus University Weimar, University of Heidelberg, Technical University Munich.

Lectures, Workshops
Workshops, lectures and guest critics at various architecture and art schools, institutions and festivals throughout Europe and the US: RWTH Aachen, MAK Center for Art and Architecture, University of Arts Linz, The Royal Danish Academy, Leibniz University Hannover, HCU Hamburg, Roundabout Berlin, Technical University Berlin, Bremen School of Architecture, Technical University Munich, Technical University Vienna, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, University of applied Arts Vienna, Technical University Stuttgart, Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart, FvF–Friends Space Berlin, CAMP Prague, Forum 4 am Brno, CAFx Copenhagen Architecture Festival and One Architecture Week in Bulgaria.

Exhibitions
MAK Center for Art and Architecture, Jahr der Fotografie Kärnten, Akademie der Künste Berlin, ISCP New York, Never at Home Foto Wien, Projektraum Ludwig Engel, Austrian Cultural Forum Prague, Künstlerhaus Vienna, Galerie Kernweine Stuttgart, Austrian Cultural Forum Berlin, ENTKUNSTUNG Berlin, Galerie Georg Kargl Wien, Krinzinger Projekte Wien, Fotogalerie Wien, Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Fotohof Salzburg, BDA Hamburg, HCU Hamburg, Bremen School of Architecture, Crush Curatorial New York, ARCH+ Schaufenster Berlin, AzW Architekturzentrum Wien, CAFx Copenhagen Architecture Festival, One Architecture Week in Bulgaria, Mediterranea 18 Young Artists Biennale in Albania, CP Projects Gallery in New York.

Commissions
Zara Pfeifer has worked with several architects and designers, such as Artek, Something Fantastic, Atelier Fanelsa, FREITAG, Max Dudler, c/o now, das BAU, Cainelliklaska, Thorben Gröbel, Büro für Konstruktivismus, Santini Santoni, Alfredo Thiermann, Anna Paul, ISLAA, Oficina, HENN, DMtk, Silvia Guerrini & Chadia Haddad, Bauhaus Earth, Antonia Dika, Overhead Architecture, BINGO HAVEL, Gramazio Kohler Research.

Representation for commercial work Present Perfect
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