People in the Know: Ricardo Bofill’s Return

-You have said that architecture is rooted in national history. At the same time you and your team have pursued projects in 50 countries across the globe. Do you believe yourself to be an expert in history and culture of those countries?

Architecture is a manner of seeing, reading and understanding life. Design of buildings, streets and squares makes it possible to judge on economic, social and cultural stage of development of a given place, or society. I don’t believe in universal architecture. You just cannot create the same buildings in Moscow, Delhi or Barcelona. Each location leaves its mark on projects developed there. You cannot build identical properties for Muscovites and people of the Mediterranean. Although, there are common elements, of course. This is a big issue – globalization and regionalization. Local characteristics are of great value, and at the same time there are common patterns followed everywhere across the globe. Take for example, Tapias, who grows slowly within his art, or Picasso, whose manner of painting was changing throughout his life. Such manner of creation is of more interest to me. There are some world-renowned architects, they are my friends and they are very good people, on the whole, but their projects are always the same, regardless of location.

-You’ve been working as an architect for over forty years now. How has your style changed over those years?

I went through a number of stages in my creative work. Those were 40 years of working in a very strong team involved in research, construction know-how, etc. At different times my creative work bore traits of regionalism, critical postmodernism, classical modernism, and elements of avant-garde.

-You have built several quarters in Paris…

That was a brief period of my life, 15 years of my 40-year career.

-That’s more that two-thirds. What do you think of the idea to invite independent architects, commercial real estate consultants to take part in the development of urban development plans, such as Moscow’s general development plan?

I have never believed in a finalized general plan. That is an outdated approach. I do not think it is possible to foresee the development, the future. I believe in strategic planning, in general strategy. I do not believe in Soviet-era planning. I believe in large urban projects. You cannot pre-program growth; each project must be able to adjust the plan. It is necessary to maintain open relations between the project and the city, without the project being too dependent, which impedes creative process.

-But is it worth hiring independent architects for development of strategic plans of the city?

I am not talking here only of architectural strategies, there are also such factors as mentality. Such projects have many components; they are developed by different teams. A strategic plan is a result of some common process. At the same time, in order to boost urban development it makes sense to invite individuals, personalities, independent architects who could contribute to that process. For example, Barcelona has seen radical changes lately. Some say that happened because of the Olympic Games, in truth, however, that change was thought over, created and brought about by independent architects who worked in Barcelona, and the mayor of the city backed the initiative. In Paris, those changes were initiated by the government. Each city has its own policy and specifics.

-Who should oversee the development of urban planning strategies, an architect or an official?

I think the one who knows more. That could be an architect or an official. Someone who has more experience, vision. Judging by how you put the questions I feel that in Moscow that process is run by the mayor. I have not met him yet.

-You are the author of successful multi-million dollar projects, such as for example, Barcelona Airport. How do you learn of such projects? You must have good connections in the government and that helps you a lot…

Barcelona was a special case. The new airport project in Barcelona, which I am working on now, measures 1 million square meters. I also worked on reconstruction of the old airport. The competition was announced. At the first stage 3 or 4 contenders were shortlisted on the basis of their track records, with no proposals concerning the airport project being submitted. The winner was to be selected at the second stage. At that moment, AENA, the Spanish Airport Authority, got in touch with me.

Another project is a large residential complex providing 4,000 apartments, currently under construction in southern Spain. Here, too, a personal connection has played its role. The mayor who initiated the development is my friend. These days I am at such a stage of my life where I am absolutely independent and free. That is why when I look at some project I can say if I like it or not. I choose.

Besides, I am familiar with world financial institutions, with major financiers, for I used to work with them before in Japan, Great Britain and Chicago. Those companies financed my projects and thus we came to know each other. Many financiers and developers do not have to look for somebody new, do not have to choose because they know me and trust me.

Ricardo Bofill is a name, it is like trade mark… it offers guarantees. All our projects have proved highly profitable. And this provides guarantees, confidence both for financiers and developers. We create new projects, new things and developers receive good returns on those projects. That is why we receive so many orders.

A couple of weeks ago I visited New York, where I am working on refurbishment of a high-rise on Fifth Avenue. While in the wake of 9/11 there was a moment of depression, these days we witness spiritual, emotional and financial revival of that skyscraper. What is most important is the location of the plot and quality of architecture. Those key characteristics are important for a developer on Fifth Avenue in New York as well as for his colleagues all around the globe. This is no utopian architecture, this is a good architecture, for which there is a demand on the market. Making money by doing a good work is not that bad.

-In every trade there are special jokes and definitions. Russians say that a physicist is a failed mathematician, who spends enormous sums of money to satisfy his curiosity; a journalist is a failed writer, whose consolation is his audience, while an architect is a failed artist who also spends huge funds to nurture his ambitions. How would you comment on that?

A nice joke but it has nothing to do with reality. While a painting is created by one person, a work of architecture is created by a person, who is part of a group, a team. An architect’s profession is similar rather to that of an orchestra conductor, a film director or a football coach. An architect is not so a poet as a film director, a coach. I create houses for the poor in Africa and the world’s most expensive residences in New York. Those are two extremes, within which I work. In New York there are no problems with financing. The only thing they are after is a brand and style. In Africa, in Algeria, all projects had meager financing, local construction materials were used. That is a different system.

-What are you going to build in Russia and how cost-saving that project is? What can you say of developers of the emerging market countries, Russia being one of those? Do they tend to economize or not?

It depends. For example, in New York construction costs amount to 15%, sometimes 16 of 17% of the total cost of the project. As regards Algeria where a housing project costs $10,000 we either do a $10,000 worth project or do not undertake it all. The placement of funds depends on the project, its concept and location. But what’s most important is the knowledge of the financial plan. An architect who is not familiar with the financial plan of the project – that’s nonsense.

-You are pursuing a number of projects in China. Why is this country so interesting for you?

In the near future China is likely to become the second leading nation in the world. The market is booming. Nowadays, architectural projects in China are carried out only by foreigners in cooperation with local design organizations. Each project is special. It has to offer something new, a trade mark, so that it goes down in history and become the best project in Beijing, China, elsewhere. Competition in China is extremely strong. Chinese ‘nomenklatura’ comes from big schools and civil engineering. The country is at the stage of concentration of capital and booming construction. Just as Paris in 19th century. That explains the competition. All prominent architects are present in the country. That is very interesting.

What project did you work at in Moscow under Gorbachev and what has prompted you to return to Moscow again?

One French businessman planned a project in Moscow and we started working. Unfortunately, that businessmen left, abandoned the project and the team, that is why the project was never finalized… But Moscow is a capital, a world center of utmost importance, that is why I would like to do something of significance here. The project I am working on here is a mixed-use development (Smolensky Passazh. – Vedomosti) The general architectural concept will be preserved but if I am allowed to finalize it, that complex will obtain an absolutely different architectural significance.