Interview with Fernando Abelleyro

Fernando Abelleyro ("FA") interviewed on Monday, 4 May.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

FA : I´m an argentinian-Italian citizen. In 1995 I graduated as an architect at the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism of the University of Buenos Aires, in Argentina.I was a founding partner of architecture studios (ACM, ARARQ.Ireland & Abelleyro + associates), working in Argentina, and Ireland, respectively. I also have worked with ISOFOTON (Spain) alternates works during seventeen years (2001-2017). In my country, I worked for the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, as civil servant; I had held the position of Senior Project Designer and Project Manager at the Planning and Environment Secretariats, from 1998 to 2005. He was Undersecretary of the Architecture and Design Commission of the Central Society of Architects during two years (2015-2017). I had obtained national and international architecture awards in Argentina, Spain, Ireland and Azerbaiyan (1st prizes and others). Currently I ´m Undersecretary of Habitat and Design professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism.

How did you become a designer?

FA : I have always been fascinated by architecture and art . When I was a child I thought how someone could “out of nowhere” transform an idea, a thought, a sensation into a creative fact. At 18 years old, I asked my father if he should study architecture or fine arts, and my father, with his wisdom, told me " You must study architecture because you are going to be able to help and transform people's lives."

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

FA : As architect, "If we do a project, we should try that after our intervention the place is better or not worse" I was always an advocate of main idea, guiding idea, as we call it "el partido" in my country. A project in my opinion is good when it starts from a synthesis idea and all the design aspects come together to enhance it. This idea must undoubtedly have a basis based on the complete analysis of the program, the site where the project will be implemented, its context, climatic and environmental conditions, its users or potential users, the memory, the cultural and constructive tradition of the place. It´s important to make differences between ideas of occurrences: a strong idea, persists and transcends its time and your own horizon, an occurrence no. It is based on previous experiences, sometimes own and sometimes foreign situations, the voice in my conscience of my master proffesor as the necessary self-criticism to refine the idea and design the entire proposal. Figuratively without losing sight of "the forest", then come "the trees", although these are also outlined, I finish adjusting the leaves and branches. All the particular aspects necessarily come together to reinforce the first general idea.Also as Proffesor, I always tell my students that architecture is "space", there are three dimensions that must be lived, unlike a painting or sculpture that are the result of a creative process that cannot be "habited". Undoubtedly I focus on "everything" aspects for the project, in a comprehensive way and what experiences and feelings I am going to awaken in people. For design I prefer technological tools, but first the conceptmust born in my head and take life in my hand , on a white sheet.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

FA : I feel passion, freedom, inspiration. All the process are exciting, from the initial idea to the inauguration. But the most exciting situation is when people take possession of your project, this is the most amazing moment, no doubt.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

FA : Mi expereicne as student and Professor give me a special background. I suposse that everybody always learns from good and bad experiences, in college when I was a student, many teachers told me what not to do, but sometimes that correction generated more doubts than certainties. I learned that it is easy to say that it is wrong, but it is very difficult to give the answer on how to solve what is wrong. I prepared myself seeking to be able to give those answers; so when someone consults us, they should leave with more certains and answers than questions.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

FA : The human being seeks transcendence, transcendence through his children, transcendence through his works. Living implies the challenge of leaving a footprint, a path that someone else can tread and that helps them not to take a wrong step, or better yet to take a big step. That transformation must be positive, teaching your children, teaching your students, does not only mean showing them what you have, but making them see what they can do for themselves. That is why an architectural work is more valuable when users learn, reformulate it and overcome what someone imagined as a designer. My dream now is to be able to return to a project in Europe, a work with a strong social connotation.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

FA : You must live your profession with passion, each design is not just another fact, a photo, it is something that can transform your life and that of others forever. A good designer is creative, a great designer teaches with his creativity. Every trouble had a solution, you just have to find it. Creativity, search, dedication, knowing how to decode what is sought or needed, overcoming work to work.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

FA : I suggest you live your profession with passion, each design is not just another fact, a resume photo, it is something that can transform your life and that of others forever. -Working and striving pays off, -Doing is making mistakes and coming back, -Experience is built on good and bad, -Knowing how to listen is knowing how to learn and how to do.

What is your day to day look like?

FA : My day is divided into my activity and my family. It starts at 6.30 AM,and 8.00 AM I work as Undersecretary in the Faculty of Architecture, until noon, there I start my private activity until 16.00 PM , After I will teach (twice a week) or I will stay working in my studio until 12.00 PM

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

FA : I have always looked for a personal imprint, to get away from trends, I think that good design can be part of a fashion, but excellent design transcends its time, and always repositions itself. That's the difference between a good design and a great design. A good designer is creative, a great designer teaches with his creativity. Although inspiration knocks on the door whenever it wants, I always try to go out and find it!

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

FA : I think a good design is creative, a great design teaches with his creativity. Superior design just thrills

How do you decide if your design is ready?

FA : I think the design is ready when it has to be delivered! Projects never" freeze" for me, Always I come back and retouches or reformulates it, even after it is built, I still think about how I could improve it.

What is your biggest design work?

FA : It was certainly the work experience in Ireland, when I won with Arch. Mauro Romero the 1st prize in the international Father Collins Park competition in Dublin, Ireland, a project to design a public park on the outskirts of the city, organized by the city council, and where 44 teams from all over the world participated. The process was extensive, from the moment we won the contest (in December 2003) until it was inaugurated (May 2009), with work marked by teleconferences, travel and the foundation of a company established in Ireland, ararq. Beautiful and complex process. That project gave us many satisfactions, we obtained numerous international awards. One of the superlative points was the differents activities in the park , for all families around it and over this place. We also included environmental proposal, since we incorporated a lake and weetlands where the procreation of wild species was weighted, and we proposed wind turbines whose energy generation served to power the lights and motors of the park, and its beauty form cut out the irsh sky. It was one of the first public parks around the world that incorporates this kind of suitanable energys, an incorporated it as part of the project.

Who is your favourite designer?

FA : I have a lot, but I admire the Masters of Architecture, Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ralph Erskine, Antony Gaudí and my master teacher, the architect Mario Linder. They are the ones that most influenced my career. I would love to take a coffee with Le Corbusier and ask him how he did to get ahead with his work, so much in his time

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

FA : My lifestyle is that of a professional who loves his family and his profession, between those two passions my life moves. My city is Buenos Aires, but I am fascinated by Italian cities and culture.I also love music and it is part of my creative process. In relation to my country, in many cases, Argentina was moving away from my understanding of the architectural paradigms of the world. With brilliant architects, however, the national production did not always reflect that creative genius that many of my colleagues have. I suppose that this difficulty is revealed by the recurring economic fluctuations to which our profession is subjected. Environmental issues are also being incorporated, gradually. Architecture transformed my experienced life, thanks to it he learned, traveled, had achievements that made my life full, I love architecture alive and breathe, always.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

FA : My work culture is to work making the most of the hours of the day. If I have to prioritize something, it is work, there are no holidays and there are no breaks. My philosophy is to work honestly. Creative honesty, project honesty and business honesty. I work in a public office, as Under Secretary and I am a university professor. In my study I work alone and I associate as projects arise that require a working relationship, and with colleagues with whom we have an affinity for project thinking. I am currently associated with Arch. Ariel Pradelli. The main challenges are self-improvement, training and creating, always in constant evolution. A good designer is whose work transcends the horizon he imagined, transforming people's lives beyond their expectations.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

FA : I have always worked for the community, I have studied in public institutions, and 25 years ago I develop public activity as an architect and as a teacher apart from my private professional activity. I feel that I will never be able to give back to the community the sacrifice It made, by paying their taxes so that I could study. Public work, whose profitability in many cases is poor, is the space where I try to return to the academic and non-academic community so many years of sacrificial silence for me.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

FA : When I told my colleagues to win this relevant and momentous award, they warmly congratulated me. For me it was and is a unique and wonderful experience. The scale of this award is superlative for me. I have won other architecture competitions, but this one has met all my expectations, due to its seriousness, commitment, support, internationality, the emotion I have has overwhelmed me. It is undoubtedly a platform for professional growth that fills me with pride, and opens new horizons to my professional career.

Fernando Abelleyro Profile