My point of view:
on Architecture

Interview Date: 14-12-2011

VIEW the entire interview on VIDEO!

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:: You own the architectural office “Miralles-Tagliabue-EMBT studio”, which works with several projects, trying to conserve the spirit of the Spanish and Italian artisan architectural studio tradition which espouses collaboration rather than specialization. 

As an architect, what is the object that you have, what do you want to succeed most?

We are involved in many different types of projects. We don’t like to say that we have a specialization, that we do public spaces for example. We do what is the Spanish tradition of architects; we are involved in whatever is needed.

We can do parks, open spaces, buildings, high rises, small budget buildings, schools, theaters... We have been doing a lot of different things. In a way, the architects are this: trying to make a place better. This is our label. Not so much “specialized in this or that”.

Spain is a country with great history. Designing a modern building within this context is a complex procedure. Is critical regionalism an approach to your architecture?

I don’t know because defining it is kind of more difficult. Spain has a very different moment for respect on how to consider historical wealth.  It is very different from Italy. Here, because we were (especially some years ago) in a moment of great dynamism there was a kind of “Ok, we can work with it, we can change it, we can transform it”.

Now, it’s becoming a little more afraid. It is taking a little more distance from the historical architecture. This is a pity, because it is very nice to think that everything that is remaining which is historical is useful only if it is able to be alive. If it’s not able to be alive, it‘s never unique.

How would you characterize modern Spanish architecture?

It’s a good place. Before, I told you that this Spanish way of making architecture is about trying to make a good place anyway. You can be an architect involved in urbanism, in public space, in small housing projects, everything, furniture also. This is a fantastic way of being.

Spain has a good tradition in this. It has good, small studios that are very conscious of the capacity of their colleagues or the colleagues of the past. It’s a little like Finland which is not a big place, but it’s a place where the architectural capacity is a tradition.

Is the world financial crisis an opportunity for everyone to reconsider the ways that we design and construct the buildings and the urban environment?

Of course, if you want to be positive you always say “It’s a co-opportunity. In fact, it is a disaster. What can we do? We always have to reinvent ourselves and see what is really needed. If we are not needed anymore, we just have to understand it and try to enter into reality. But an architect, as a person who is trying to make a place better, is always needed. It’s like a general doctor. In a world of specialization, a general doctor is very needed. We are very needed.

In recent years attention turns to green urban regeneration. Do you think that it is imperative for the city or it’s just a new fashion with economic outcomes and covertly interests?

Urban green regeneration is fantastic. It implies many different things. It’s about understanding what a city needs to really function in the best way. It’s a main theme and it was always, in a way, because good architecture, good urbanism was always about making things function better. But, now, everybody is very conscious and there is this theme of energy, this new possibility of having alternative energies, this consciousness about how important public space is, how the city should be, which density is the best to make it work, to make the public transportation work. This is a very fundamental theme that we always have to keep in mind.

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