When I first spoke with Itay my day become better, as I so will you discover through this short interview the points of view of an architect divided between Berlin and Tel Aviv an architect driven by the wish to contribute. An architect who his job is but second nature to him, a vocation. An architect that is always and constantly looking to learn. Today we talk with ITAY FRIEDMAN.
Thanks for agreeing to answer my questions, to learn more about the view points of young creative people like you. The first question is: who are you?
Well actually the office is compiled of seven people, almost all of us come form the architectural field and creative field but one of our team members is actually comes form a mechanical engineer background. I open the office 4 years ago under a clear vision that architecture today more then ever is a multidisciplinary field. I had a clear idea and I knew I wanted to dedicate my time both professionally and personally to the pursuit of the true essence of architecture. When I started the office it was just me and one intern that use to come after his studies to help me out in the office. So as the offie grew the natural progression was that the name of the office will stay my name but become architects to house all the younger architects that have joined my team.
In todays world, we are on the verge of a “revolution” in architecture. What is your view about the role of architecture?
I think that this is a challenging question to answer even for the most senior of architects. We could speak of the essence of what architecture is all about and then we can speak about what architecture has become versus the reality of the profession. To none of these answers would we find a common ground beside the architect himself, as he or she tries to accommodate all of these. But for me personally and I believe so for my team members as that is how I choose them. Architecture is one of these rare occasions where your talents meets reality and with your true eagerness to contribute beyond who you are you get the chance to contributes to peoples lives beyond their comprehension.
“Beauty will save the world”. This sentence always excites me, so naturally I think architecture should create beauty. What is beauty for you?
I was actually once quoted saying “the beauty of trying inspires me”. So for me true beauty and aesthetics is not so much in the result or in their physical form, but in the process and the constant wish to excel beyond what we know ourselves to be.
I think that architecture should not be understood only as the construction of an object. According to me, architecture is a lifestyle. Making architecture means give man a share to every gesture of his life, when we design etc. Our architecture must be able to tell the world something. If it were not so we would end up doing architecture “apathetically”. I think we have the same concept. You write “Architecture is second nature, a vocation” How do you live your life as an architect, what message do you want to give to people with your conception, design, realization of your work.
Well I think this is by far one of the most complex question I have been asked, and in a way it is trying to embody in words a lifelong pursuit. I could probably only truly answer that after the next 40 years of my career, as I become wiser from experience. But if I would have to guess and probably one day I’ll have to look back on to this answer and I hope I’m going to get it right, I would say. As we are temporary our actions, words and creations are not, and therefore it’s our responsibility to be sure that we only contribute with the upmost respect to the overall story of mankind, as we are but a second in time.
The project that really struck me is your “JFK 46”. (http://www.itayfriedman.com/index.php/jfa-46.html) A contemporary building located inside a listed 1920 building block. A big challenge I would say. I would like to hear from you the story of this project, from concept to project, from design to realization.
Will the story is quite simple we knew we had a very small plot of land. the developer pretty much told us what he wanted to achieve (e.g maximum amount of livable space) and the municipality gave us a clear guideline by showing us which lines we can cross and which we cannot. After we had the general numbers configured ,properly lines understood, I wanted to be able to design something that will be like a feather intervention.To insert a building into a context that has to be respected. We played around with sketches and models and eventually it just dawned on me that like a deck of cards can fall onto the floor. We could just drop the floors into the space that exists in between two buildings. From there the waved ground theme naturally progressed as the layered floors and core of the building impact the ground creating a parametric design that will allow us later to incorporate an entrance to an underground parking as well as a pretty inviting thorough fare.
You have a studio in Berlin and in Tel Aviv. Two completely opposite worlds or two worlds so similar? How do you relate? Is there a difference between these two countries about the way one works? I would like to hear from you, two distinct differences by comparing your project.
Well I think for me the difference in cultures is really not a problem as growing up I pretty much grew up around the world. As such I never felt that I belong in one place and I always found a place to belong to in everywhere I was. I see my self a a multi local and as an architects I have been educated not just with the tools but with a way of thinking that, it is my responsibility to understand the environments in which I’m designing. To do so means that one must allow himself to lose his own definition and adapt to the ways of the place that he is responsible to design for. So I don’t think it would be correct to compare projects I just think it would be correct to assess each project in its own context. And I will leave that process to time.
At this moment what are you working on? what are you latest projects?
We just finished designing a project in Tel Aviv and we are working on a proposal for the Venice architectural biennale of 2016. Parallel to this we are working on a residential projects in Berlin as well as doing CGI work for other companies. And I hoping we will be take part in an upcoming competition in Berlin.
My blog’s is Visionary, a collection of ideas, where visionary people talk about themself. What is your vision for the future, the future of your activities, your hopes, your dreams. As a creative what do you expect for the future?
Simple, I hope to reach the top within the field of architecture, until then I would just really love to have great clients as I’ve been blessed with up to now. I would love to do great architecture and design diving into details and exploring new innovating ideas and materials. And for me most importantly, I want to be respectful with what I do during this journey. Hoping that once I get to the top I could actually make a difference to the way we live and celebrate life.
Vito Jr Nitti
CONTACT ITAY FRIEDMAN
Web site: http://www.itayfriedman.com
Facebook page: /IFArchitects
Behance: https://www.behance.net/itayfriedmanarchitec
Linkedln : https://de.linkedin.com/in/itayfriedmanarchitects
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