In their recent interview for the Time Space Existence video series, Plane-Site, through the support from the European Cultural Centre, interviewed Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill. The series will be exhibited in the biennial exhibition in Venice, opening May 21-22, 2020.
Bofill was born in 1939 and is known as one of the world’s most renowned and controversial architects. He began his studies at the University of Barcelona and later continued his studies at Université de Beaux-Arts Genève in Switzerland in 1958. After completing his studies he started his own studio referred to as Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, where he explored Catalan Modernism through poetry, history and vernacular Catalan design.
The interview was filmed at one of Bofill’s most significant projects named La Fábrica, which acts as both his home and studio. The project which was refurbished from an old cement factory, has remained Bofill’s studio and home for almost four decades. The project forms the basis to Bofill’s sense of diversity and extensiveness throughout his architecture.
The interview is shaped around three main categories referred to as ‘the practice of scale’, the ‘pleasure of space’ and ‘confronting time’. Bofill states that the important part about architecture is “the capacity for generosity” (Bofill). As you develop as an architect and become stronger with your ability to design “one has more capacity to give to others”. During the interview, Bofill also discusses the importance of understanding scale whether it is small or large. He believes it is important to be able to jump from different project scales without it becoming a reproduction and or duplication. We strive as architects for creativity and Bofill states that “everyone knows creativity runs out” (Bofill) and for him the challenge is to try and always continue creating.
The advice Bofill gives all young architects is “to work at different scales is the architect’s wisdom” (Bofill) and by understanding scale we begin to understand how to design, which ultimately allows us to make these spaces “dominate and make it human” (Bofill). When we begin to understand scale and movement within our designs we start to have a better understanding of space.
Credits
Ricardo Bofill: Interview content and photographs credited to Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura.
PLANE-SITE: Interview series Time Space Existence. plane-site.com/projects/time-space-existence/
European Cultural Centre: This interview series is made possible with the support of the European Cultural Centre. europeanculturalcentre.eu
