hampton scape Did you always want to be an architect? I was introduced to Victor Christ-Janer, a practicing architect and professor of architecture at Columbia, when I was a 14-year-old living in New Canaan, Conn. He became my mentor. I apprenticed myself to him during summers—through college and graduate school, and then afterwards. His is the only other firm I have ever worked for, besides my own. What were some of your early projects in your own firm? When I first started, I did houses, which is an irony because now that I’ve done pretty much every type of building, I know that the most difficult thing to do is a house. Why is that? Architects typically start on houses because they seem small; “Well, I can design a house.” But the expectations of the owner make it such a significant challenge. Nothing is more personal than a house. Do you specialize in one type of building? I’ve had my own firm for about 30 years now and our practice is diverse typologically. We do that very consciously—we’ve never really wanted to specialize in any one type of building, but preferred instead to be open to any kind of project. We believe that we can learn from all of those different types of buildings when it’s time to do a house. We can certainly learn from commercial construction. Commercial construction is more sophisticated than residential, so we’ve been able to borrow lessons learned from larger projects and apply them to our residential work. Can you think of an example of when a commercial project has informed a residential project? Well, today, residential projects are more technologically savvy than they ever have been before. In our commercial projects, we design things like trading floors for financial institutions, which are probably the most robust technological spaces. We have figured out how to wire them below the floor and above the ceiling, and with multiple redundancies in case there is ever a disruption to one line of power. We can apply this knowledge to a house, so it is smart for today and flexible for the future. Does it ever work vice versa? Our commercial works have a sense of scale that they might not otherwise have if we were never doing houses. 120 | AVENUE ON THE BEACH • JULY 2013
You were behind the design of the newly opened Topping Rose House—tell us about that project. Topping Rose is a good example of blending historical and contemporary architecture. The project was the brainchild of William Campbell and Simon Critchell. They’re not developers, but rather two people interested in making something that the Hamptons has really never had—a highend inn. And they persevered through five years of approvals in order to get it done. The first stage of the project was the restoration of a 1820s Greek revival house. When we started the project, the historical part of the structure was not in good shape. Then in order to expand it, we had to blend the historical structure with new components. These are all connected underground, so the staff have the ability to go from the commercial kitchen underground for room service, etc. The structure looks very simple, but it’s actually very sophisticated. It’s not the kind of thing you’d do without having had commercial experience, yet the scale of the buildings is very residential—so it’s a blending of those two things.
Do you have a favorite project? The next one. It’s true! You build off of everything you’ve done—so you’re always thinking.
What is your design philosophy? I take the approach that every project is as unique as the client—and every client is certainly unique. So I believe that our buildings are very site and client specific. That is more difficult because we’re challenging ourselves to think outside the box every time and to dig deep every time to come up with a design rationale. And you’re always working with constraints. The regulatory environment is very difficult.
What if a client is requesting an exotic material? How do you reconcile their wants with what you believe to be the more responsible solution? I’ve found that our clients have always been informed enough to realize “Alright, alright. I don’t need this rare wood when there are two trees left, and I could do this instead.” And if you’re resourceful you can usually find a material that’s more or less equal in color, density and surface-to-touch.
Is the approval process the biggest challenge in your field? It creates constraints and limits, but good architecture can come from that. It is the biggest challenge, but there are multiple challenges. We have engineers of all types: structural, mechanical, electrical, acoustical, landscape architects, technology consultants. The architect becomes more of a director, akin to a movie director. One of my friends is the director Barry Levinson [Rain Man] and we compare notes all the time. What is your favorite part of your job? Ironically, it’s the process. If you don’t love the process—if you’re just waiting for the end product—you’ll never get there and it won’t be well done. Any movie director would tell you the same thing. Great writers, great lighting, great editors, great gaffing, great caterers. Whatever it takes to keep everybody motivated at 3 am!
And what do you have coming up? Well in the Hamptons we have two projects we’re working on right now. One is a hospice for the East End. The other is an underground gallery that we’re doing at the Watermill Center, which will expand their archival space. We’re also working on a new private house at the Bridge. You’ve won awards for being ecologically responsible. Is that a driving force in your projects? Every building that we do, no matter what it is, is ecologically responsible. And it’s no longer a skill that you apply here and there. It’s automatic, and it needs to be. It’s now in the DNA. So everything we do, we’re thinking about the environment. And not just the local; Southampton has a strict energy code itself, but we don’t limit ourselves to just satisfying local concerns. We’re looking at lots of global initiatives, beyond the rating system.
When taking on a client, do you screen them to make sure that you’re going to be able to work together and share this philosophy? Yeah, there’s kind of a mutual interview process. It’s all part of aligning expectations. One of the greatest joys—maybe this is the best part of being an architect—is actually having had the opportunity to work with so many diverse people. It’s not an arm’s length relationship; not for the best projects. Of all the great architects that I’ve been fortunate enough to have met and talked with, I always engage them in conversations about their clients and it always comes down to the relationships they develop. It’s fundamental. Way before any of the design stuff—that relationship is fundamental to the creating of architecture. ✦