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Design Library /The Conversation with Antonio


		Antonio O. Graduated from Caracas Central University,Venezuela Specialized on Villas Main Project: Cantilever House by the great wall Yuxiang Renjia Restaurant


	A Foreign Architect in China Date: Summer, 2004 Place: Beijing

	Teresa: You are the first few architects who apply Minimalism in your projects in China, Could you please tell us something about your understanding of Minimalism? Antonio: It is a phenomenon that has been reassumed by architects, artists, musicians, writers in a very insistent manner in the last years, and since frequently categorized with the word “minimal” or “minimalism” has been traduced into a fashion, a contemporary artistic ideological movement, a way of thinking. It is the search of the essential, the true value of the objects, materials, forms and space. Every modernist, in his very way of expression, was searching the same thing: the purity, the essence. It is to remark that I have used the verb “to search” not to invent but to look for, to discover what has been there, always but eventually hidden or covered under the influences of other movements.The minimal design moves itself among the most sophisticated technology and the use of the natural materials in their primitive form. Is a sensual and intellectual approximation to the materials, then the construction comes back to be construction. Teresa: Everyone has different view of taste and style, do you have your style? what is your style? Antonio: For me, the life changed so much that I even started seeing the woman beauty from a different perspective. Until that very moment, I thought the female beauty depended on the production, the action of being perfectly decorated, dressed and made up. This is same in the architecture design, in the past, the architecture was evaluated according to its attachment to the canons of the five classical orders and the paraphernalia. Today, for me, the beautiful woman is the one that is austere and natural, able to resist the temptation of fashions and artful devices. The one to be defined by her spirit and interior world, not by artificial decorations. Teresa: As an architect, do you design interior as well? How do you deal with the relationship between building, space and interior in your design? What is your understanding of the interior and exterior of a building? Antonio:Like a fruit,which the exterior and the interior may differ in color,texture and taste, both have different functions, the exterior and interior of the fruit are complementary and coherent, architecture is a complete unity where exterior and interior, space, material, color, textures, volumes and voids, complement each other as well. It is completely wrong the Chinese practice in architecture, where the building is completed by two different teams of professionals, architects and interior designers.> Teresa: After doing so many projects in China what is your opinion about China construction development, especially in residential real estate development field? Antonio:It is difficult to be general on this issue as there is bad and good architecture every where, but considering our projects as a reference, I can assure you that we are in terms of architecture quality, master planning and living standard for our clients, years ahead of many developed countries.Our first SOHO in New Town is a complete new architectural concept in the world in such a commercial scale. Regarding our second SOHO, Jianwai SOHO,it is so difficult to found in any country an architectural master piece in residential typology in this kind of huge development out for the market. The above is not only in terms of design but also in terms of construction quality. Teresa: What is your opinion about China design industry and its development? Antonio:China need to improve a lot its design skill and engineering quality to reach the average international standard architecture without the help of foreign architects and engineers, but we are on the right track, is just a matter of time.It is also necessary to think deeper in the search for a contemporary Chinese architecture that reflect not the decorative or superficial elements but the soul and spirit of the Chinese people and its culture which is unique and different from the rest of the world. Teresa: What do you think of the relationship between the information technology and the architecture design? Antonio:The information technology have change radically the approach, methods and conception of almost every single activity in the world, no only in the architecture field, the key is not to relay only on it and understand its limits. Still the best design came out from our imagination and our heart, technology of any kind is just a tool never a replacement. Teresa: Do you think different society has different influence to the career development of an architect? Antonio:Sure, not only different society, different school in the same society produce different architects, like Chairman Mao once said more or less "It is man's social being that determines his thinking". Teresa: As a foreign architect, you have finished lots of projects, can you tell us some interesting experience or any regret during those projects? Antonio:My architectural experience in China have been extremely rich although I still waiting for better opportunities to improve and developed my architectural thoughts and philosophy, there is no regrets, even the mistakes are all learning experiences. Teresa: Did clients ever change what you have designed? Did you ever feel that your right has not been respected? How did you deal with these clients? Antonio:If they don't change, they are not real clients. Architecture is the final product of a close relationship and a dialogue between architect,clients, constructors, engineers, materials, history and environment, like an orchestra, everyone play an instrument, the architect play the role of The composer and conductor. Teresa: Do you have any specified design field, like villa or office building? Antonio: I love designing houses, the house (you call it villa) as a theme is the most fascinating and complex in the architecture field, however, I dream with the opportunity to design a museum, a tether and a place for pray call it church, temple etc etc., three beautiful themes that I love and the Three of them have many things related to each other.
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