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Paul N. Poloz
Founder & Chairman
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PHILOSOPHY
Our century offers both unprecedented creative courage as well as unprecedented weakness. The old ideal of Classical Architecture has ultimately become tarnished and it seems there is no return to its epitome. Contemporary Architecture seeks to go beyond its limits separating the architecture from those of what yet already is not architecture, of what is higher or lower than it.
Until our recent age, there has never been an acutely put problem with the relationship of architecture and life, and the creativeness and existence; there has never been such a thirst to move away from traditional thinking and move to the creative life itself, to the discovery of the new spiritual existence. It opens a new creativeness: the architecture of air and light, the architecture of the new nature and spirit.
There is an awareness of the helplessness of the creative act of man in the material world, mismatch between creative order and creative implementation. However, a beautiful paradox then occurs, where the creative man desires to create something that has never existed and has ever been seen before, and in his creative ecstasy, he oversteps all the boundaries and limits of objective thinking. Thus is born new masterpieces and a new epoch of human existence.
ppoloz@arcprospect.org
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Gonzalo Mardones
Councilor (CHILE)
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PHILOSOPHY
“I aspire to a work of reflection, aesthetics, creative and very emotionally charged, with works which combine constructive reason with compositional reason. Architecture made for man, not for architects. An architecture which awakens the necessaries emotions due to its simplicity, its austerity, it’s contemporary. In short, an experiential and essential architecture of ideas, light and space. Light is used as the most important material in architecture. Our houses are boxes of light. These boxes aim to reflect light, control it, make it bounce off the walls and multiply so as to obtain an architectural luminosity which awakens the senses.
There is something mysterious but which is intrinsic to each material. The task of the architect is to reveal this mystery. It is important that that materiality appears in every project through the exact construction of its representation. Whatever the materiality of the work (concrete, brick, wood, glass, stone or steel), there is an intention to represent that material as a whole. We want to skirt the limits between architecture and sculpture, while I often redeem the presence of an imposing location which dominates the landscape and appears as a contraposition to an architectural proposal composed of volumes which correspond to foundations related to geometry and proportion. We aspire to abstraction and consider composition one of the keys of architecture. I value the relation between architecture and nature, seeing how architecture tries to acknowledge the qualities of location, soil, water, colour, gradient, sky. How, through this relation, we can create spaces for the senses, for the present and for remembrance.
www.gonzalomardonesv.cl gmf@gonzalomardonesv
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Shoei Yoh, Hamura
Councilor (JAPAN)
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PHILOSOPHY
“Optimum Forms”
My 3 dimensional topological structures look like free form sculpture of recent eye catching architecture in the world. But it is not arbitral. 1991, my discovery of a beautiful３D optimum form of the roof which the heavy weight of snow automatically created became my life long theme、since then.
“Responding the Natural Phenomena”
It is now possible to create any arbitral form of architecture like a sculpture, however it must be distinguished from the optimum forms based on ecological natural phenomena. The optimum form is no doubt ecological and even economical in these days. The recent sculptural forms in the world play a role of visual performance in the cities. The diversity of various forms of architecture is not necessarily a result of ecology but visual aesthetics or an identifying expression as signboard. We must be aware of the dignity of the master Architects and their inventive ideas and aesthetics as well as romanticism. I have been admiring Dr. Paul MacCready who created both Gossamer Condor and Solar Challenger 30 years ago. Our technology in our hands would make us possible to develop and realize our dream, a fascinating beautiful world, unlike Dubai or Las Vegas, a kind of the nightmare in desert.
“Birds Sanctuary”
The property of my Aerial City with 400% density in Yokohama in 1992 is to be a bird sanctuary without any surface transportation except boat or yacht. Walking and cycling would be the only human activity. Would it be ecological, wouldn’t it be?
shoeiyoh.plus.architects@galaxy.dti.ne.jp www.shoeiyoharchitects.com
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Francine M.J. Houben
Councilor (NETHERLANDS)
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PHILOSOPHY
Our work shows a balance between pragmatic considerations and a strong landmark quality. The three words in the title of my book: composition, contrast and complexity, sum up the basis of Mecanoo’s architecture but say little about its nature, which in all respects is the complete opposite of cool, abstract and minimalist. Maximalist might be an appropriate neologism for this architecture that is warm and tangible and always offers a rich sensory experience. For me architecture should stir all the senses and is never a purely intellectual, conceptual or visual game. Architecture is about bringing all of the separate elements together in a single concept. With Mecanoo the sensory aspect is not only determined by form and space, but by the lavish use of materials. We excel in subtle combinations of the most diverse materials, including wood, concrete, copper, bamboo, brick, pebbles, zinc, stone, vegetation, glass and planes of saturated colour.
We regard every assignment as a new challenge for seeking innovative solutions. Every design assignment consists of looking for a solution that perfectly matches the specific situation and the wishes of the user. Our designs respond to their broad environmental context. Each design is considered in terms of its cultural setting, place and time. As such we treat each project as a unique design statement.
www.mecanoo.nl info@mecanoo.nl
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Julien De Smedt
Councilor (BELGIUM)
Councilor
(DENMARK)
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PHILOSOPHY
JDS is a multidisciplinary office that focuses on architecture and design, from large scale planning to furniture. Rich with multiple expertises, our office is fuelled by talented designers and experienced architects that jointly develop projects from early sketches to on-site supervision. All of which, regardless of scale, outlines an approach that is affirmatively social in its outcome, enthusiastic in its ambition and professional in its process. At the core of our architecture is the ability to take a fresh look at design problems through experienced eyes. Our approach aims at turning intense research and analysis of practical and theoretical issues into the driving forces of our design. By continuously developing rigorous methods of analysis and execution, JDS is able to combine innovative thinking and efficient production.
www.JDSA.us office@jdsarchitects.com
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David Suzuki
Councilor (CANADA)
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PHILOSOPHY
"But we might return to some of our oldest questions and find their answers staring us in the face. What is the meaning of life? Answer: life. Why are we here? Answer: to be here, to be-long, to be."
Every worldview describes a universe in which everything is connected with everything else. Stars, clouds, forests, oceans and human beings are interconnected components of a single system in which nothing can exist in isolation.
In such an interdependent universe human beings hold enormous responsibility; each individual is accountable, and every action has repercussions that reverberate far beyond the momen.
www.davidsuzuki.org
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Yasuhiro Yamashita
Councilor (JAPAN)
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PHILOSOPHY
"We enjoy working with different people, materials, and environments by blending old and new technologies and exchanging cultures between Japan and other countries, we hope to sow the seeds of new technologies and cultures."
www.tekuto.com info@tekuto.com
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Antonino Cardillo
Councilor (ITALY)
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PHILOSOPHY
I believe that without memory it is impossible to build a credible present. A serious risk for our contemporary time is to repeat the recent past in a loop of banality. The history of man has developed through continuous interactions between different people; therefore, I think that architecture today should try to create something that unites people rather than divides them. I believe that “love” can become the real positive connection that can move the world forward. This is especially true of architecture. When diverse positions not only meet, but they love each other, then new languages are born. Following this path, I could say that the most fertile architecture of the past has always been a violent and sexually emotional act between different cultures. I design houses for clients who love to live their life inside contemplative spaces, which express my personal point of view about history and our world. But my architecture needs a different way of inhabiting the house, maybe a more evolved way of living contemporary life: more aesthetical, frugal and poetic, too. Therefore, in my house, the interactions with environmental events such as sun, rain, wind and sounds are more important than objects or furniture. From my point of view, a contemporary house shouldn't be a collection of several objects.
www.antoninocardillo.com info@antoninocardillo.com
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Arthur Casas
Councilor (BRAZIL)
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PHILOSOPHY
I am increasingly devoted to sustainable architecture and eco design. My inspiration comes from the Brazilian natural environment to produce a timeless architecture- the main characteristic of my work - where freedom, optimism, comfort, affection, diversity and elegance coexist in the most harmonious fashion, and my attempt is to combine these qualities with urban and modern concepts, what usually emerges from such a combination for certified and natural materials, as well as for new techniques and technologies that embrace my own concept of a beautiful and good living.
www.arthurcasas.com sp@arthurcasas.com ny@arthurcasas.com |
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Peter A. Gabor
Councilor (CANADA)
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PHILOSOPHY
I have wanted to be an architect since I was ten years old. I realized early that architecture could influence the quality of life, and enrich people’s lives in many ways. It also afforded me a profession that could leave a real legacy (a proof that any individual can have a major impact no matter where they live) – not just pushing papers around or making a profit by moving some product from one place to another. Both singly, and in partnership, I have promoted good urban design, the framework for quality architecture. I have surrounded myself always with talented individuals who could assist in producing more than what was expected from our firm, and give everyone their due recognition. Our many awards verify this approach.
Lately (too lately perhaps) we have embraced the “green” movement (although we have been espousing sustainable development throughout our career). My Charter membership of the Congress for New Urbanism has allowed me to codify my natural European influence on important urban design and public realm design issues. This has allowed me to bring a disciplined approach to many foreign projects, and lectures abroad.
Over 30 years of practical experience has demonstrated to me that everyone recognizes good design that contributes to life quality: from the best educated and richest in our society to the lowliest paid worker at MacDonald’s; from the design professional to the stay at home mom. Everyone can appreciate good design equally, and can recognize it’s advantages over bad design.
That said, the qualities of good design cannot be promoted enough in Canada!
www.pgaborassociates.com peter@pgaborassociates.com
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Luis Longhi
Councilor (PERU)
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PHILOSOPHY
… Teaching architecture as I see it is an act of “transmitting” not that of showing how to do things. Students go to the university with the aim of becoming architects; of finding out if they have got what it takes. What is the first thing we should teach them?
First of all, we must explain that the person standing in front of them is only someone with more experience in the field, someone that will appreciate questions for which he or she have or not have an answer, someone who will transmit his/her inner self with not limitations.
It is fundamental to listen to the environment and to establish a relationship with it, this relationship will be similar to any other type of relationships that humans have, it can be direct, sophisticated, romantic, respectful, sane or insane…
… In my case it is very direct, meaning intuitive and sensitive with not major analysis and/or rationality. Therefore when I teach, I tend to transmit and establish a relationship with the students similar to the relationship I have already established with the environment, then it is easy to appreciate communication between professors students and nature.
www.longhiarchitect.com llonghi@longhiarchitect.com
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Gareth Cole
Councilor (AUSTRALIA)
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PHILOSOPHY
We are distinguished, among others, for an unequivocal philosophy towards the practice of eco-efficient architecture. Our role brings into light a dynamic and proactive disposition, where architectural design as factored into the environmental context, addresses the emergence of environmental issues, health and wellbeing of those it is to serve.
www.ecologie.com.au gareth@ecologie.com.au
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Stefano Dosi
Councilor (ITALY)
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PHILOSOPHY
www.studiodosi.it info@studiodosi.it
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Graça Correia
Councilor (PORTUGAL)
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PHILOSOPHY
More than rely on operations of conceptual character, we believe our architecture to be based on the conviction that the identity of each project is determined by the incorporation of its origin’s specificities and the conception process.
Ignoring the possible continuity of its aesthetic, this conviction allows the investment on the same themes, without compromising the particular quality of each work.
We also believe plastic possibilities of materials to be fascinating and therefore should be introduced as aesthetic means, without questioning the programmatic aspects of its constructive logic.
The outline of our projects has no origin only on the issues of constructive nature as on the aesthetic considerations related to them. Appearance and vision are determinant for a building’s silhouette. Materials, in our opinion, have its place somewhere but not under personal good taste.
As a result of this thinking we are convinced that an investigation into how a new technological revolution, resulting from the collective consciousness of the scarcity of natural resources and environmental degradation to foster a sustainable awareness, will be reflected in the way of thinking about architecture today and its language disorders.
However, little use of specific investigations and the need for integrated interventions in the functional scheme of territorial planning and urban structure that exists today, will promote, in turn, a conscious discussion that can only be compared with that driven by great wars that took place in the beginning of the twentieth century.
www.correiaragazzi.com correiaragazzi@gmail.com
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 Ignacio Montaldo
Councilor (ARGENTINA)
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PHILOSOPHY
I understand architecture as a cultural practice on the physical world whose purpose is improving the quality of people’s life.
With each of my projects, I seek to give simple responses to complex answers which originated from a thorough reading of tangible and intangible project’s constraints (technique, culture, ways of inhabiting, ethics, aesthetics, site, climate, economy, market) not taking anything for granted and finding the key issues that structure it.
I’m interested in developing architecture without appearances, an architecture that arises from certain materials conjugated with specific rules, getting more with less, looking for an intensive poetry saving resources.
imontaldo@moarqs.com www.moarqs.com
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 Sunil B. Patil
Councilor (INDIA)
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PHILOSOPHY
By instinct , man likes to be with the nature .
His body , his mind responds better to the nature than manmade spaces .
There is nothing better than nature , that relaxes the man .
The Architecture that we create shall be as sensitive to the nature as our skin
I am trying to create spaces with the minimum intervention with the nature The Architecture which is in Harmony with the nature.
info@architectsunilpatil.com www.architectsunilpatil.com
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Pentti Raiski
Councilor
(FINLAND)
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PHILOSOPHY
We believe in structural rationality, innovation and functional clarity. Our aim is durable architecture that exceeds the set goals. We value innovation to challenge the obvious - courage to create new - sensitivity to select well.
By design we organize material and energy.
In our thinking this is divided into three associated groups:
Genome - Immediate
• Term: Impact of the design and building process; building materials, transport, production, energy, demolishing. What is the immediate ecological price?
• Determined by hard design values.
• Immediate numeric evaluation is possible
Life - Sequence
• Term: Use of materials and building-heating-lighting-transport energy during the full lifecycle of the design. How effective is the design both technically and functionally?
• Determined by both hard and soft design values
• Evaluation is numeric but subject to long term periodical changes
Heritage - Spiritual
• Term: lifecycle and beyond, impact on human choices. What activities does the design provoke and enable? What will be the effect of those? Will the design encourage to a positive change, and in what amplitude?
• Mostly determined by soft design values
• Evaluation is a prediction. True evaluation is done over time
These groups together form the environmental effect of the design. The groups together and individually are to be evaluated and systematically developed during the design process.
pentti.raiski@pook.fi www.pook.fi
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Svein Skylstad
Councilor (NORWAY)
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PHILOSOPHY
Arkitekt Svein Skylstad tries to design buildings in “the Scandinavian tradition” based on the understanding of the needs of the users, and the topography and nature of the site (Genius loci, as defined by the Norwegian architect, Christian Norberg-Schulz), combined with the economy of the client. We try to use few building materials, hopefully not more then three. We try to be honest with the “soul” of the material. We believe that the most energy efficient building is the smallest one, therefore, space-efficient buildings are a goal towards energy saving design-solutions. We try to be playful with light, shadow, and volumes. We also want to reuse old buildings in new innovative ways to reduce the lifecycle-energy costs of the buildings. We try to be nice to the only life-filled planet we have. We still drink the same water as the dinosaurs have.
www.sveinskylstad.no |
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