Alexander Radoske, a German architect of Russian origin, co-founder of the architectural bureau Hollin + Radoske, gave an exclusive interview to BATIMAT RUSSIA. Alexander’s professional fortune is versatile and exciting: he received a higher architectural education both in Russia and in Germany, and his clients include such German giants as Lufthansa and Hugo Boss.
What to do to remain actual and in-demand for a long time in such a volatile area as architectural design? First of all, discussion with the client and the right attitude to architecture, which, according to Alexander, makes you turn to face life and look for creativity in the everyday.
Tell us about yourself: where you were born, where you studied...
I was born and grew up in Leningrad, where I graduated from the Repin Institute of Painting and Architecture, Faculty of Architecture. I continued my education at the Darmstadt Technical University, part of TU 9 – the top nine technical universities in Germany.
Why did you choose the profession of an architect?
Since childhood, I wanted to become an artist, but I didn’t have enough education to enter painting or graphic arts department. As a result, I entered the Faculty of Architecture with a desire to run around with future artists. After two years of study, I realized how fortunate was the choice of fate that brought me into architecture – the role of a ‘free artist’ turned out to be less exciting for me. Unlike painting, architecture makes one turn to face life, look for creativity in the everyday. I was inspired with the process of creating a new reality.
What fundamental principles do you follow in your work, your philosophy?
Regarding relationships with the client, we are primarily interested in an open business discussion, a clear budget framework, trust and respect, as well as relevance of the design on the part of the customer.
вая дискуссия, четкие рамки бюджета, доверительность и уважение, а также – востребованность в дизайне со стороны заказчика.How can you characterize your style?
Our style – emotional minimalism – the maximum effect with a reasonable budget. We do not split the project into external architecture and internal design, but consider it as a whole, consonant with the environment.
The fundamental criterion in assessing effectiveness of the project is not the subject of the assignment, but the quality of communication environment with the customer, where he is willing to make non-standard decisions.
If the customer trusts not only the budget, but also the designer’s professional intuition, the best ideas are born in an atmosphere of respect and creative discussion.
Which methods do you use to create a future interior / exterior?
Reading the technical assignment, communicating with the customer, we try to find out a vivid image of the project – a unique selection of shaping elements at the junction of functionality and design.
What kind of materials do you prefer?
For each project, as well as for each menu, there is a recipe. Therefore, in selection of materials, as well as in the recipe, the crucial role belongs to the proportional play of ingredients among themselves. We start from the goals and objectives of a single project and look for the right ingredients that we combine with each other.
How can you characterize your customer? How did your collaboration with Lufthansa and Hugo Boss fashion brand start?
Our cooperation with Lufthansa and Hugo Boss is already the history of our company, which is still being written. In 2000, we won the competition, organized by Lufthansa, and built the Star Alliance waiting room in Dubai (UAE) for the aviation concern. In 2002, we were charged with development of design of the Hon Circle Lounges brand for premium passengers. We also did a design project of the Lufthansa training center in Seeheim, which includes a hotel complex with 500 rooms, restaurants, bars, a SPA recreation area with a pool, as well as a conference center and a training building.
At the beginning of 2005, again, thanks to the victory in the competition, our client was Hugo Boss – we implemented the project of the largest two-level showroom in Berlin with a total area of 1,200 square meters. Today in our portfolio for Hugo Boss we already have 30 showrooms and over 170 stores of the famous German brand.
What do you think about green technologies in construction? What about their future?
It seems to me that green technologies are the thing of the future, and in some countries the future has already begun. We are talking about the efficient use of resources throughout the entire cycle of implementation and operation of the building, taking into account local economic and climatic conditions. In the future, construction technologies will have to put the whole range of production processes on their balance, starting with design, ending with recycling, from the perspective of the energy balance.
You will participate in BATIMAT RUSSIA 2019 for the first time with a personal stand within the Integrated Solutions section. What results do you expect and what would you like to wish the exhibitors and visitors?
With the installation of our bureau, implemented within the exhibition program, we wanted to combine space and time into one tangible dynamic presentation. At the same time, it was important for us to use existing resources in a new context, based on the creative credo of emotional minimalism.
I look forward to new interesting meetings at BATIMAT RUSSIA and I want to wish all participants and guests interesting discussions and new discoveries.