We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative JOSÉ RICARDO BASICHES ("JRB").
The architect Jose Ricardo Basiches is ahead of Basiches Associates Architects, where he currently develops several types of projects they are different types of scale. Projects such as buildings, houses and interiors are among the varied ways of thinking every detail. We adopt a contemporary language, motivated by different types of research and study to reach the ideal of each work. Inspired by the passion for the profession and think of the ideal to live in, with quality and concept, so we look for in every new challenge to achieve this format. The architecture allows us to work and act with these two situations. The life, the city, people inspire and reflect our ideals for a simple, minimalist way depict what are the needs of a project in a good architecture.
JOSÉ RICARDO BASICHES Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by JOSÉ RICARDO BASICHES.
Designer Interview of JOSÉ RICARDO BASICHES:
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?
JRB : Since childhood I have always been very passionate about architecture and unique designs, besides my mother, who is also a designer influenced my choice of becoming an architect.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
JRB : We are a relatively young company, which operates in the Brazilian market with various types of work. Today we have a team of 15 architects. We are in a quest to do something different for the cities and leave something beautiful and unique.
DI: What is "design" for you?
JRB : It is something that has a concept and a think behind the appearance.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
JRB : Currently we have differents types of work, such as: apartments reforms, shops, gyms, houses and buildings.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
JRB : My favorite design is, as always I say the last one I did, because I am in a continuous learning, maturing my work and seeking new challenges.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
JRB : A residential complex of 23 houses in the city of São Paulo.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
JRB : Today we use for drawings 2D the Autocad tool and we are entering in the BIM world with Vector Works and Revit.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
JRB : Everytime I start a new project and begin the first sketch, I just let it flow and that releases my creativity.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
JRB : I always try to focus to achieve the result that pleases my clients, this is my focus.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
JRB : Enormous satisfaction and almost a delirium of lightness and balance.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
JRB : Something very difficult to describe with words! It is an achievement that is something very emotional pure and sensitive.
DI: What makes a design successful?
JRB : The passion and love that arises in all work together with the energy of customers who believe in our work.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
JRB : I believe that a good design should first meet the required needs. The functionality is a key item and must be aligned with aesthetics.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
JRB : Show people that designed with the intent to improve and take care of the city responsibly no matter the scale that representes.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
JRB : The role of design is critical since it is part of everyday life so it must align the functionality with aesthetics with sustainability. I believe that the future of design lies in developing new technologies along with the issue of sustainability.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
JRB : My last exhibition was on the 25th of Septmber, 2013 in the Tomie Ohtake Institute in São Paulo - "The good architecture that the city of São Paulo has lost". I wish that our work could be displayed in the next bienal of Architecture in São Paulo.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
JRB : My biggest inspiration it is life. The small details of what I see and feel in every person and in every space that I frequent.
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?
JRB : A tuned contemporary design with new global trends that brings some elements of Brazilian culture. Creates a clean and light design by geometric volumes.
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?
JRB : I live in São Paulo, the biggest city in Brazil and the world's seventh largest city. We definitely have a strong influence of brutalist architecture and Brazilian culture in general. We have a great legacy of architectural production produced in the decades from 1950 to 1970 who also reverberated internationally. In recent years our architectural production aimed to improve quality of projects with this architecture as a reference.
DI: How do you work with companies?
JRB : We work in several stages: from design, development to project construction. Always aiming to improve and please our customers.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
JRB : The designer is the agent who will work to show paths to be taken in relation to the product concerned. He who can draw new possibilities and will be directly responsible for the final product. Today due to the competition between the companies, the design becomes a differential. Companies may select a good designer by knowledge and positive results of their work and also depend the affinity of ideas and concepts to be deployed in the product design.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
JRB : After meetings for knowledge of customer needs, studies are conducted through sketches and studies of conceptual mass. At this stage research and technical inquiries are made. Studies are evolving and new meetings are held with the client until we get a final product that covers all the desired needs. Studies on 3D models and physical models are also part of the creation process.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
JRB : I think all are fundamental.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
JRB : During the morning I dedicate my time in the office to the operation, organization and activities of the office staff. In the afternoon I dedicate myself to the creation, development and meeting with clients of the projects process. Lunch time with clients or prospective clients and sometimes with office staff. I try to practice some sport, in the morning or evening.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
JRB : Be updated with the latest trends, visit exhibitions and attend lectures. When and if you get a chance, meet the design offices and their work process.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
JRB : The designer is the point of convergence and transition of the whole process, it becomes the central reference point and he is the "owner" of ideas. At the same time it must be a good manager of the entire team working on the project, otherwise the result will not be what you want. This mismanagement of the process can be a negative point, the designer should also be a good manager.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
JRB : Being curious, persistent and do not hold the pre-established rules, be bold in the ideas.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
JRB : Learn to equalize technical concept and the client's wishes to get to a final product in an innovative and successful design.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
JRB : Programs Autocad, Vectorworks and mdelagem 3D programs. We are starting the process in the office BIM with Revit program. Search through websites and books and projective discussion between the teams office.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
JRB : We work as a time. We divide the tasks into different teams working on different stages of the process design, optimizing our time.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
JRB : The process takes about a month.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
JRB : What are my inspirations.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
JRB : The most importante I believe it was the residential building Quatá, because of the difficulty we were placed to translate a new concept required by the customer. We designed the smallest apartment in Brazil along with solutions that integrate public and private space.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
JRB : A few construction companies like EVEN, TECNISA and VITACON and private clients.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
JRB : I like mostly to work with buildings, residential and comercial because of the realtionship of the scale and it´s relationship with the city.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
JRB : I wish to work with public spaces and buildings by national and international competition.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
JRB : I have a team. No one does anything alone!
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
JRB : We have this new Project of a residential building in São Paulo, that has a diferente design and work with a new concept of the realitionship of public and private spaces.
DI: How can people contact you?
JRB : www.basiches.com.br
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
JRB : No, I think it has all been covered.