We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative BORD Architectural Studio ("BAS").
BORD Architectural Studio is a young and successful Hungarian architectural studio whose works are listed among the determining creations of contemporary architecture in Hungary. The studio works on projects with different scales and usages. They offer complete solutions from the conceptual to the completion phase in three cities of Europe: Budapest, Debrecen and Zurich. In order to guarantee human-centred and sustainable design for their projects, the studio has a separate department with its own landscape architects and mechanical engineers. The unique atmosphere of their projects is designed by Peter Bordas, who is the founder and lead architect of the office.
BORD Architectural Studio Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by BORD Architectural Studio.
BORD Architectural Studio Design - Gearing International School of Debrecen
Designer Interview of BORD Architectural Studio:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
BAS : I graduated from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in 2003 but I had made up my mind about being an architect at the age of ten. Ever since then I have been amazed by manmade spaces, shelters and monumental buildings, basically everything man shapes his environment with
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
BAS : BORD Architectural Studio was established in 2006. Since then we opened two other offices: one in Debrecen and another in Zurich. Apart from our architectural studio we also set up a building engineering office called BORD HVAC Engineering and we have our own landscape architecture department as well
DI: What is "design" for you?
BAS : When completing a concept, we always focus on creating a strong connection between the building and its natural environment. Throughout our work we are inspired by nature.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
BAS : Public buildings. We thrive to find a way in designing a given function that serves the widest possible social audience.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
BAS : Although BORD Architectural Studio does not follow any particular style, I have to admit that I really like high-tech, especially Lloyd’s building in London.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
BAS : Moonvalley/Holdvölgy Winery in Mád was completed in 2012. This building won bronze medal at A’ Design Award. https://bordstudio.hu/en/projects/moonvalley-vinery/ It has been such a great cooperation with our customer that we had multiple projects together and we keep a close friendship ever since.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
BAS : We choose materials and technology based on the given design of a building. One of our frequently used materials is membrane structure.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
BAS : During the day I’m busy running the company. My most creative time of day is probably early in the morning when I’m baking bread for my family. ☺
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
BAS : Throughout a design process I try to choose the simplest possible solutions. I like it if spaces are multifunctional.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
BAS : In the office it is generally appreciated if the most simple design jobs are represented as graphic symbols. We like to admire simple symbols.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
BAS : I like to assess and experience a building together with its users. This is always a complex and extraordinary experience.
DI: What makes a design successful?
BAS : Connection of building and its environment is of utmost importance. We consider it a success if people start using the building and they like it.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
BAS : Well, I first consider function, for a building should not be self-serving.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
BAS : We ought to create such buildings that are capable of fulfilling the needs of future generations functionally, energetically and esthetically too.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
BAS : Environment, energy and technology are more and more important when planning. Design too will evolve being closely connected to these.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
BAS : Every autumn in the past two years we have organized the so called DECODE exhibition. Our aim with this is to draw attention to the importance of thought driven art and creating value. https://bordstudio.hu/en/2019/11/29/decode-award-ceremony-2019/
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
BAS : I find nature extremely inspiring. I also read a lot and search for the simplest forms, graphic symbols.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
BAS : Using the already existing assets of the location we provide our buildings a strong and unique character. We build each project item around a story. This story inspires the architectural concept and guides our working process while adding a “personality” to our buildings.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
BAS : Most of the time I live and work in Budapest but I was born and raised in the countryside. The traditional architecture style of the Hungarian great plain is simple and straightforward. This mentality is genuinely present in my work.
DI: How do you work with companies?
BAS : We are the general contractors of our projects. It is important for us to support our clients straight from the first steps of planning.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
BAS : A project can only be successful if the communication between the designer and the client is flawless straight from the beginning.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
BAS : We prefer real mock-ups and visual designs. We create mock-ups of whole volumes of buildings and every architecturally important detail too. We present our concept to our clients this way.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
BAS : Geometric paintings and sculptures.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
BAS : Every morning starts with taking care of the family. Every other day I bake a bread. These mornings are extremely active regarding architecture for during baking in the early hours of the day an awful lot of sketches are made in the kitchen. During the day I run the company. I do my best to support my design teams and provide them with sufficient information. I travel a lot between our workshops. Throughout these rides I try to insert such programs that broaden my perspectives.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
BAS : The foundation of a good design is knowing our clients’ needs, aims and mentality in every detail. It is especially crucial to know their long-term goals. We always handle our clients’ projects as if they were our own.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
BAS : Creation from planning to manifesting is part of our lives, this is a great sensation. However, creative processes do not enable breaks, one cannot stop, cannot leave halfway through. Not at this phase at least.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
BAS : We aim to give to people, to society, to design feel good places.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
BAS : It is important to be able to feel with others, to empathies with a whole community even.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
BAS : Since I’m on the road most of the time, online communication is crucial. Usually I prefer freehand drawings which I do on my tablet so I can immediately share them with my colleagues. In the beginning of a project I consider freehand drawings, sketches important, because they have time consuming, monotonous parts like shading when we can gain some time. We cannot skim so easily over seemingly good ideas.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
BAS : It is difficult indeed. Daily routine tasks consume most of my days but I try to make the most of the early hours and late evenings.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
BAS : The most difficult part is setting the deadlines of the process of creating a concept. It may take days to come up with an idea, while at other times it can unexpectedly strike you, completely out of the blue. Once the concept is set, the process can be scheduled smoothly - depending on the size of the buildings they can last a couple of months up to two years.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
BAS : An artifact should never be self-serving, therefore the question is how it could be more versatile, user friendly and worthy for its users and society.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
BAS : 12 years ago we designed a hotel on a vineyard where we had to consider natural elements (fire, water, earth, air) as parts of the building. When planning this building we had some groundbreaking ideas and novel thoughts that stuck with us ever since, though the building was finally not completed.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
BAS : Half of our clients are private investors, the other half comprises of urban and government commissions.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
BAS : My favorite part is when the outlines of the buildings are visible and we try to create its impromptu mockup from the objects around us in the office. We end up with funny, makeshift objects which are extremely useful.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
BAS : Our office is expanding and progressing. We aim to create an even more efficient general construction process. We already have a building engineering and a landscape architecture department and we hope to further improve with other units.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
BAS : Though the first sparks of ideas are born in my head, I prefer teamwork. When we get the contract, we start work based on my visions together, as a team.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
BAS : At the moment we are working on some mixed structure buildings. Apart from meeting the general needs in this case we use more structural materials on the building that all match the functional unity. This is our first such project and we are very excited to hear the first feedbacks.
DI: How can people contact you?
BAS : Our philosophy and our most important projects can be found on the website of BORD Architectural Studio. We are also available via email or personal messages on Facebook and Instagram.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
BAS : I truly hope that my answers reflect how important the simplicity of a concept and the strong, symbolic cleanness of ideas are for us. Thank you.