AD Interviews: Renzo Piano - Part I

Summary

In this insightful transcript, ROP Piano, an architect by destiny, shares his philosophy on architecture. Born into a family of builders, he sees architecture as more than just building; it's about creating solid shelters with poetry, beauty, and community. He emphasizes the importance of necessity guiding the creation of beautiful and functional spaces. ROP leads a participative office with multiple partners and associates, maintaining a stable size and focusing on quality over quantity. With offices in Paris and New York, his practice is a testament to the freedom and privilege of selecting meaningful projects that resonate with their values. Architecture, to him, is the art of answering practical needs while also fulfilling human desires.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The speaker, ROP Piano, is an architect who views architecture as more than just building; it's about creating poetry, beauty, and community.
• 👷‍♂️ ROP Piano comes from a family of builders and believes in the importance of being a good builder to achieve beauty and magic in architecture.
• 📈 The architectural office has a fluctuating number of employees, generally under 50, with a participative system involving partners and associates.
• 🤝 ROP Piano has a team with long-term experience, some working together for up to 40 years, which contributes to the office's stability and quality.
• 🌟 The office has two main locations, one in Paris and another historically significant one in Marseille, reflecting the speaker's past collaborations.
• 🌐 There is also a smaller office in New York, with additional local offices in various places where the firm works, emphasizing a global presence.
• 🚫 The office is selective about the projects they undertake, viewing this selectivity as a privilege that allows them to focus on meaningful architecture.
• 💡 ROP Piano sees architecture as an art form that serves a practical need for shelter while also addressing human desires and dreams.
• 🎨 Architecture is described as the art of making places for people, emphasizing the humanistic aspect of the profession.
• 🏡 The speaker discusses the importance of celebrating positive values like tolerance and community rather than negative traits like power and arrogance in architecture.
• 🏢 The office's approach to growth is steady and consistent, avoiding rapid expansion or reduction, reflecting a commitment to quality over quantity.

Q & A

Who is ROP Piano and what is his profession?

ROP Piano is an architect who grew up in a family of builders and has a deep-rooted connection to the field of construction and architecture.

What does ROP Piano believe architecture is beyond just building?

ROP Piano believes that architecture is much more than just building; it encompasses poetry, beauty, community, society, and humanism.

What is ROP Piano's philosophy on the relationship between necessity and beauty in architecture?

ROP Piano believes that the force of necessity can lead to beauty, magic, lightness, and poetry in architecture, but one must still be a good builder.

How many people are in ROP Piano's architectural office, approximately?

The exact number is not known, but ROP Piano mentions that they are under 50 people, fluctuating between 20 and 60.

What is unique about the structure and management of ROP Piano's architectural office?

ROP Piano's office has a participative system with 12 partners and 15-16 associates, sharing ownership and a wealth of experience ranging up to 40 years.

Why did ROP Piano and Richard Rogers part ways after working together on the Pompidou project?

After the completion of the Pompidou project, Richard Rogers went back to London, and ROP Piano stayed in Paris, leading to their separation.

Where are the offices of ROP Piano's architectural firm located?

They have two main offices, one in Paris, which is the largest, and another in New York. Additionally, they have local offices in various places where they work.

How does ROP Piano view the privilege and freedom in his architectural practice?

ROP Piano sees the privilege not as a luxury but as a freedom to select the projects they want to work on, based on their belief in the value of architecture.

What is ROP Piano's approach to accepting new work in his architectural practice?

ROP Piano is very selective and cautious about accepting new work, choosing only projects they truly love and feel passionate about, which contributes to the firm's stability.

How does ROP Piano define the role of architecture in society?

ROP Piano defines architecture as the art of making shelters for human beings, fulfilling practical needs while also answering to desires and dreams.

What does ROP Piano believe makes architecture 'nicer'?

ROP Piano believes that architecture is much nicer when it celebrates values such as tolerance, togetherness, and joy, rather than power, money, or arrogance.